By Jacob Brown, Staff Writer
Junior basketball player Terrell Wright had no idea he’d broken a school record during Newman’s Jan. 28 game against Central Oklahoma in Edmond, Oklahoma.
He didn’t find out until after the game was over that he had broken the single-game record for blocked shots: Wright blocked eight, breaking the previous record of six set by Jarary Mathews in 2009.
“It's a big accomplishment for me,” said Wright, a 6-foot-10-inch forward from Atlanta.
But Wright is humble about breaking the record and said he knows that he has to protect the rim for the Jets.
His coach said that, when shots come to the rim, Wright is expected to be there.
“He is extremely athletic and has that natural ability to block shots,” said head men’s basketball coach R.J. Allen. “It's all about timing, and it's something you can't teach. It's just a gift for Wright.”
Wright comes off the bench for the Jets but brings energy and a defensive presence for the team, Allen said.
Before Newman, Wright bounced around as a college athlete. He played at Barton Community College during the 2023-2024 season but stayed there only for a couple of months, leaving because he got homesick, he said.
He transferred to Triton College in River Grove, Illinois, in the second semester of the 2023-2024 season but played only four games, transferring in the middle of the season.
While there, though, he put up a double double in a game against Wilbur Wright College. But even though Triton made it to the Division I National Junior College Athletic Association Championship game (which the team played against Barton), it still wasn't a good fit, he said.
He packed his bags and left for Snead State Community College in Boaz, Alabama. There, he got some good minutes, stats and film: He put up 239 rebounds and 42 blocks in his sophomore season at Snead State.
Wright is now in his first season at Newman. He leads the Jets in rebounds, with 113, and in blocks, at 39.
Wright was even able to compete against his brother, Tyrone Wright Jr., who plays for Missouri Southern in the MIAA, during a Feb. 5 game at Newman. Tyrone was a factor in his brother’s decision to come to Newman. Though Wright had considered going to another school in Florida, the brothers had talked about playing with or against each other since they were young, Wright said.
Tyrone Wright leads his team in rebounds with 121 and blocks with 21.
The Lions ultimately won the game against Newman 93-75. Tyrone had 10 points, four rebounds and four fouls, which were all committed on his brother. Terrell had 11 points, five rebounds and one block.
Wright is four blocks away from breaking his career record and seven away from breaking the Newman season record, also set by Jarary Mathews in the 2008-2009 season.
Newman men’s basketball is 5-18 (1-13 in conference) on the season. The team left on Wednesday for Nebraska, where they’ll play Nebraska-Kearney tonight. Then, they’ll travel to Hays to play Fort Hays State University on Saturday.
PHOTO: Courtesy, Richard Rico
