HAMPDEN-SYDNEY, Va. -- Hampden-Sydney Basketball will unveil its 2024 National Finalist Banner on Saturday afternoon, December 21, just prior to tip-off for the Tigers' scheduled 4 p.m. game in the Charlie Cobb Classic against Eastern (PA) University in S. Douglas Fleet Gymnasium at Kirby Field House.

Below is a look back at the remarkable 2023-24 season.

It was a season to remember … the 2023-24 Hampden-Sydney College Basketball team finished as the NCAA Division III National Runner-Up. The veteran and talented Tigers completed their storybook campaign with a final overall record of 31-3, a new school record for wins, and won their record 11th Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) Tournament Championship while playing in a record 16th ODAC Tournament Title contest. It was the Garnet & Grey's finest season in 25 years (1998-99, National Runner-Up, 29-3), attaining their first 30-win season and only the sixth 25-win season in program history, also the 17th overall 20-win season and the second consecutive 20-win effort to mark the first time since 2002-03 (28-4) and 2003-04 (25-5) with back-to-back 20-win seasons.

"It is hard to put into words the joy that I felt as a coach, watching the young men in this program commit to Hampden-Sydney, commit to this basketball program, commit to each other, and commit to being the standard of excellence each and every day," said head coach Caleb Kimbrough. "The experiences we were fortunate enough to have together are experiences that we will talk about for the rest of our lives. The season was filled with a lot of hard work, a lot of joy, and an unwavering dedication to getting better each and every day. Finishing the season 31-3, winning the ODAC championship, and advancing to the National Championship were incredible achievements that were the results of focusing on our program's vision, values, and standards. To the students, community, and all other supporters, we always thought about you as part of this team and a huge part of the season's success. It does not get any better than H-SC!"

H-SC, under the direction of Coach Kimbrough and assistant coaches Bryson Gibson and Carson Long, served notice early with its 74-53 season-opening home win past defending national champion and top-ranked Christopher Newport University on November 8 in S. Douglas Fleet Gymnasium at Kirby Field House. The Tigers, ranked No. 8 in preseason, led 31-22 at halftime, and by as many as 24 points in the second half, in arguably one of the biggest wins in program history, while believed to be the first Top 10 match-up at home, as well. Davidson Hubbard '24 led the way with game-highs of 16 points and 10 rebounds, while team captain Adam Brazil '25 finished with 15 points and a game-high six assists. Six weeks later, with eight wins in the first nine games, H-SC did it again … only this time on the road, defeating top-ranked John Carroll University 85-67 on December 19 in University Heights, Ohio. The Tigers, ranked No. 6 at the time, closed the first half on a 16-4 run to lead 34-31 at halftime and outscored the hosts 17-8 to open the second half toward another Top 10 triumph. Hubbard again led the way with a career-high and game-high 31 points, adding a game-high nine rebounds, while Brazil finished with 21 points, and Ryan Clements '24 contributed 11 points and a game-high five assists.
 
"We have never shied away from competition in the five years I have been at H-SC, and we did not plan on doing that last season either," explained Kimbrough. "We chose to schedule John Carroll and CNU in hopes that they would help prepare us for a tough conference schedule, and I think they did just that. We were confident in the team we had going into the season and our experience and depth really showed in those two wins."

The Garnet & Grey began the new year ranked No. 1 nationally in the D3hoops.com Top 25 on January 2, the first time the program had been ranked first in the national poll since Jan. 12, 2004. The top billing came during the longest winning streak of the season of 14 games, beginning with a 61-52 road win at archrival and four-time defending ODAC Tournament Champion Randolph-Macon College on Dec. 8 in Ashland, and ending with a 77-54 home win past Virginia Wesleyan University on Jan. 31. Brazil scored a game-high 16 points to lead the way at Macon, and Clements added 13 points, seven rebounds and four assists, as the visitors led 28-19 at halftime and secured their first win against their archrivals since 2017, also the first win in Ashland since 2013, with 10-10 free throws over the final 3:20. It ended the Yellow Jackets 37-game ODAC winning streak, as well as a 57-game regular season home win-streak. H-SC took a 67-46 home win past No. 25 Swarthmore (PA) College on Dec. 14, as well, along with 10 ODAC wins, including the victories at both RMC and VWU, during the 14-game streak.

Following a disappointing 48-46 setback to RMC on February 3 in Fleet Gym, the truly magical portion of the season ensued as Coach Kimbrough's squad put together 12 consecutive victories that took them all the way to the national title contest. The first four wins helped the program complete the regular season with a record of 23-2 overall, and included a satisfying 70-59 home win past Mary Washington University on Senior Day (Feb. 17) when eight special Tigers were recognized. The team returned to No. 1 in the D3hoops.com Top 25 on Feb. 19, and would remain in the top spot until the final poll was released after the national championship.

H-SC finished 14-2 in the ODAC for the #2 seed in the ODAC Tournament, and won three games in four days at the Salem Civic Center, including 81-61 past #10 seed Ferrum College in the quarterfinals on Feb. 22 and 63-52 past #6 seed VWU in the semifinals on Feb. 24, before an 81-56 triumph past #4 seed Washington and Lee University on Feb. 25 in the championship to gain automatic qualification into the postseason NCAA Tournament. Brazil scored a career-high and game-high 27 points with five three-point field goals against W&L, while Hubbard added 18 points and a game-high nine rebounds. Team captain Josiah Hardy '24 finished with 15 points for the Tigers, who took control early with a 19-1 run and led 43-25 at halftime. Brazil (Tournament Most Outstanding Player), Hubbard and Hardy were each named to the All-Tournament Team.

"Two years ago, we had a very talented team who we thought could beat any team on any given day," said Kimbrough. "When we gave up a big lead and lost the game in the conference tournament semifinals, it gave our guys a sense of urgency to want to get better and never let that happen again. Soon after that ODAC loss, we suffered an NCAA second round loss on our home court which left us feeling proud of our progression as a program, but motivated to continue to improve. We had a focus and determination going into this past year's ODAC Tournament that really showed in our play. Winning the ODAC Championship was something I felt as though we wanted not only for the basketball program but for the entire Hampden-Sydney community. Cutting down the nets with the team, our families, and supporters in Salem was a very special moment."

The Garnet & Grey entered the NCAA Tournament as the (unofficial) overall top seed, earning the opportunity to host and play at home in the friendly confines of Fleet Gym during the opening weekend of rounds one and two, as well as the second weekend during the third round and quarterfinals of Sectional competition. H-SC responded accordingly, defeating La Roche (PA) University 98-61 on March 1 and Farmingdale State (NY) College 72-51 on March 2 … then defeated Rowan (NJ) University 91-76 on March 8 and No. 19 Nebraska Wesleyan University 68-60 for the Sectional Championship on March 9 to earn just the third Final Four appearance in program history, and first since 2003. Brazil scored a game-high 22 points against NWU, including 12 points in the first 4:50 of the contest with four three-pointers, Hubbard added 12 points, while Clements and Hardy each finished with 10 points for the Tigers, who led 36-26 at halftime and advanced to the Final Four.

"Hosting the NCAA Tournament games until the Final Four was a huge advantage to our team," added Kimbrough. "People complain about our fans, people fear our fans, and people WANT our fans. Our fans are passionate and support in a way that is unmatched by our competitors. Playing on our home court in front of our fans made the season all the more special."

No. 1 H-SC took a 62-57 come-from-behind win past fellow ODAC member and No. 7 Guilford in the national semifinals on March 14 at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum in Fort Wayne, Indiana as Hubbard scored 11 of his game-high 16 points over the final 5:36. Clements and Shane Fernald '26 each finished with 10 points for the Tigers, who trailed 30-29 at halftime and 47-40 with under seven minutes remaining, before scoring 10 unanswered points that began a game-changing 17-2 run toward outscoring the Quakers 22-10 over the final 6:34. Trailing 47-40 with 7:04 remaining, the Garnet & Grey refused to quit … scoring 10-straight points to go back in front 50-47 at the 4:00 mark. Alex Elliott '24 (from the right corner) and Hubbard (on the left wing) started the quick blitz with consecutive three-pointers, both assisted by Brazil, and Hubbard added a jumper from the left wing ahead of a turnaround jumper at the free throw line by Brazil. H-SC continued the momentum and increased the blitz to 17-2 for a 57-49 advantage with 1:44 left to play – Clements adding a three-pointer from left wing (Brazil assist), Hubbard adding a layup on an inbounds play under the basket (Clements assist) and Clements finishing with a two-handed slam dunk in traffic off a pretty feed from Hubbard. The Tigers closed with a jumper (59-52, 1:10) and two free throws (61-53, :25.4) by Hubbard and 1-2 free throws from Clements (:04.2) to provide for the final margin of victory and the opportunity to play for a national championship. The victory against the Quakers also avenged one of the team's three losses (80-71, Dec. 2, at GC).

In the finale to the season, Brazil scored a game-high 23 points with five three-pointers and was named to the All-Tournament Team, but top-ranked Hampden-Sydney dropped a heartbreaking 69-61 decision to No. 13 Trine (IN) University in the 2024 NCAA Division III Men's Basketball National Championship on March 16. Hardy and Hubbard each added nine points, while Clements and Fernald each finished with eight points. H-SC led 25-23 at halftime as Brazil scored 12 first-half points, including 4-5 three-pointers, but the Thunder began the second half with a 13-3 run, and the Tigers were not able to get closer than three points (50-47) with 4:06 remaining toward the second National Runner-Up finish in program history (1999). The contest was played before a Division III men's basketball title game record crowd of 4,546, aided by the fact that TU's campus is located just 35 miles northeast of Fort Wayne in Angola, Indiana. It was a stunning and bittersweet ending to a remarkable season that will take time for everyone involved to fully appreciate its greatness.

"Flying into Fort Wayne to compete in the Final Four with this team was a dream come true," stated Kimbrough. "Of course, we will always remember how intense the Final Four game against Guilford was, how we had to overcome a late deficit, and the emotional lead up to the game considering we were also conference opponents. Of course, we will also always remember the hurt of losing to Trine in the National Championship game, where we simply didn't play our best basketball and could never get into the groove and make the necessary adjustments to get it done like we had throughout the entire season. But most importantly, we will always remember the love and support that we received from the Hampden-Sydney community. We will remember the text messages, calls, and emails of encouragement. We will remember walking to a pre-game meal near the hotel and hearing the 'H-S-C … H-S-C' chant from a rooftop bar where alumni and supporters were gathered. We will remember the reception in the hotel lobby after our loss to Trine and the handshakes, tears, hugs, smiles, and pure joy of being together as a Hampden-Sydney family. When I reflect on the Final Four and National Championship Games, I rarely think about a single play or particular stat line. This experience brought together a community and allowed us to be a part of something way bigger than us."

The individual accolades for 2023-24 were numerous … as Hubbard (14.9 points, 7.2 rebounds, 48 3FGs) was voted to the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Division III All-America Second Team, and Brazil (13.5 points, 3.7 assists, 76 3FGs) was voted to the NABC All-America Third Team—the first time in the 114-year history of the program that the Tigers have had two All-Americans in the same season. Hubbard was also named to the D3hoops.com All-America Third Team, and both he and Brazil were each NABC All-District 6 First Team and D3hoop.com All-Region 6 First Team selections, as well, while Coach Kimbrough was voted the NABC District 6 Coach of the Year for the second-straight year. Coach Kimbrough won his 100th game as a collegiate head coach with a 71-47 road win at VWU on Feb. 14, finishing the season with a record of 83-38 (.686) at the College, ranking seventh among the 19 head coaches in the program's tradition-rich history in wins, while his current winning percentage ranks second.

Hubbard and Brazil were also each All-ODAC First Team choices, while Clements (10.9 points, 4.2 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 1.7 steals) was chosen All-ODAC Third Team. Brazil garnered ODAC/Virginia Farm Bureau Insurance Scholar-Athlete of the Year honors from the league's athletic communications personnel, while Hubbard was named to the 2023-24 Bevo Francis Award Top 100 Watch List on Jan. 15. He was also named both the United States Basketball Writers Association (USBWA) Division III National Player of the Week and the ODAC Player of the Week, while named to the D3hoops.com Team of the Week on Jan. 3. Hubbard was named the Al Van Wie/Wooster Rotary Classic MVP on Nov. 18, and Hardy was named the Classic's Defensive MVP, and both were joined on the Classic's All-Tournament Team by Brazil. Brazil was also named to the 2023-24 Academic All-America® Men's Basketball Second Team as selected by College Sports Communicators (CSC) for NCAA Division III. He is just the sixth Tiger to be named to Academic All-America® in basketball, and the first since 2004 (Brandon Randall '04, Third Team). The team recognizes the nation's top student-athletes for their combined performances on the court and in the classroom, each meeting the minimum cumulative GPA requirement of 3.50. Brazil and Hardy were each named a member of the 2023-24 Academic All-District® Basketball Team as selected by CSC, as well.

Clements completed his five-year, 121-game career ranked among the Top 10 at the College in scoring with 1,468 points (ninth), in assists with 376 (sixth) and in steals with 203 (fourth), adding 564 rebounds. Hubbard completed his four-year, 92-game career ranked 26th in scoring with 1,188 points and eighth in blocks with 58, adding 674 rebounds. Miles Harris '24 completed his five-year, 112-game career ranked 14th in blocks with 42. Brazil has returned for a fifth and final season in 2024-25, entering this weekend with 1,274 career points (18th) in 102 career games—adding 322 assists, 116 steals and 210 three-pointers.

The program begrudgingly said goodbye to fifth-year team members Ryan Clements, Miles Harris and Chase Turner '24, along with fourth-year team members Alex Elliott, Josiah Hardy, Shawn Hodge '24, Davidson Hubbard and DJ Wright '24.

H-SC was ranked No. 2 in the final 2023-24 D3hoops.com Top 25, released on March 18. The Tigers were top-ranked for seven weeks during the regular season and among the top five for 11 of the 13 polls overall. The Garnet & Grey had wins during the season past four of the final Top 10 schools, including Guilford, Randolph-Macon, Christopher Newport and Nebraska Wesleyan, as well as wins past Top 20 schools John Carroll, Rowan and Widener (PA) University, along with additional wins past those receiving votes in the final poll, Swarthmore and Farmingdale State, while VWU was getting votes at the time of the second of three wins against the Marlins.

The Tigers finished 16-1 at home during 2023-24, equaling the most wins in Kirby Field House accomplished just twice previously since opening for 1979-80 … in 1998-99 (16-2) and in 1994-95 (16-3) … and the 17 games were the most home games since 1998-99 (18), and the third-most all-time (19, 1994-95). The home attendance average was 835, the highest since 2012-13 (1,022). Three games were sold-out among five games with attendance over 1,000 in the 1,200-seat facility, and the support of the program by students, faculty, staff and alumni, along with that from the local community truly gave the Garnet & Grey a definitive homecourt advantage and atmosphere unlike any other in the conference.

Other team members included Ayman McGowan '25, Nick Shryock '25, Davis Cauble '26, Kolby Wright '26, William Britt '27, Alex Cannon '27, Hanson Harris '27, Harrison Morris '27, Mike Patrick '27, Manny Tucker '27 and Blake Wilson '27.

Your Hampden-Sydney Tigers: 2023-24 NCAA Division III Men's Basketball National Runner-Up!

Indeed … it was a season that will not soon be forgotten.