In a season defined by heart, resilience, and the determination of its senior class to leave a legacy, the Texas A&M University-San Antonio 2025-2026 men’s basketball team has forever carved its place into Jaguar history. Under the leadership of head coach Chris Dial, the team has earned its first-ever spot in the 2026 Red River Athletic Conference (RRAC) Tournament, marking a significant milestone for one of the University’s newest athletic programs.
For its four seniors, the journey began long before the first tip-off of the season, coming from across the globe to ultimately cap off their collegiate basketball careers at A&M-San Antonio. For seniors Paul Minjoth, who hails from Cologne, Germany, and Gabriel Til, from South Sudan, they may be an ocean away from home, but they’ve found a second family with their team. Seniors Xzavier Brown and Antwone Gonzales did not have to travel quite as far, both from Texas, but the one thing all four have in common — a sense of purpose — to finish their last season with pride and leave a lasting impact that will echo long after the last buzzer sounds.
Their path to the postseason wasn’t guaranteed. As the team’s seniors — leaders who helped build the program from its earliest practices — refuse to let this final chapter close quietly. The Jaguars will take on the top-seeded Louisiana State University-Shreveport in the RRAC Tournament quarterfinals on Tuesday, Feb. 24, at 7:30 p.m. in Shreveport, La., in what is sure to be a game for the history books.
For a young program competing in the highly competitive NAIA Red River Athletic Conference, the achievement reflects steady growth, resilience, and a commitment to building a winning culture. The Jaguars closed out the regular season with several impressive victories, including decisive wins over Jarvis Christian College and the University of the Southwest, positioning themselves as a team capable of competing at a high level heading into postseason play.
This year’s roster blends emerging talent with veteran leadership, but it is the senior core that has provided the heartbeat of the season. Every game, every huddle, every rallying moment has strengthened their resolve.
“I am excited for this opportunity,” said Til, a forward, known for his dominance on the boards. “The key to our success this season has been our chemistry and consistency. Our communication on the court has improved, and I feel like everyone is together and locked in, even during hard times.”
Til has anchored the Jaguars’ inside presence with his rebounding and physical play in the paint, helping the team control tempo and generate second-chance opportunities. His leadership has been instrumental in close contests throughout conference play.
Brown echoed Til’s sentiment. A versatile defender whose strength and athleticism allow him to impact the game across multiple stat categories — including rebounds, steals and blocks — Brown said the team set its sights on the tournament months ago.
“We talked about making the tournament all summer,” Brown said. “Now that we’ve achieved that goal, it’s time to go to work. We’re going to maintain our focus and rely on each other to get the win.”
The senior group also includes guard Minjoth, a steady presence who has provided leadership on and off the court. And sharp-shooting Gonzales, also a guard, recently delivered one of his best performances of the season, scoring 36 points against LSU Shreveport in a hard-fought battle, where the Jaguars ultimately came up short.
With Dial at the helm, the Jaguars have grown steadily throughout the season, not just in wins, but in grit as well. Dial has built a program defined not by flash, but by fight, by discipline, and by belief, the traits that have carried the Jaguars to this moment. Dial, who has guided the program since its inception, said the team’s growth has been evident not only in the win column but also in its maturity and cohesion.
“We have what it takes to win,” Dial said. “We’re confident, ready for the challenge, and looking to translate our regular-season growth into tournament success.”
And now, as the seniors prepare to take the court for the final stretch of their college careers, they do so knowing they have paved the way for every Jaguar who will follow.
This final run — their swan song — has become something bigger than a season; it is a chapter that will live on in A&M–San Antonio history forever.