The San Jacinto College Ravens basketball team is heading to the end of the regular season with only four games left before they compete in the regional tournament. One of the final four games is a home game in Anders Gymnasium on the Central Campus.

The conclusion of this season, no matter the result, will see the end of an era when the basketball program is phased out as part of a Board of Trustees’ decision to eliminate four of the College’s six competitive athletic teams. Women’s basketball, volleyball, and soccer were discontinued as part of the same decision.

The Ravens, up to this point, faced a tough season. As of press time, their overall record is 15-11, 7-8 in-conference.

“We have not enjoyed the overall success that we are accustomed to, but we have won three games in a row and are just trying to finish the season strong to see if we can get hot in March,” Head Coach Scott Gernander told the San Jacinto Times in mid-February.

The regional tournament starts just after the end of the regular season, and Gernander and the Ravens are pushing for a top seed with a strong finish to the season.

Kabir Mohammed, a leading scorer, and rebounder for the Ravens has confidence in his team. Mohammad said the Ravens have a lot of individual talent, and he hopes they make a good run through the last four games to land a top spot in the regional tournament.

However, Gernander said to do so, they need to adjust their game.

“I really think we have a team that is still capable of winning the region tournament, but it’s going to take us correcting our early mistakes and playing with more passion,” he said.

Gernander joined the San Jac coaching staff in 2008 and took over for his father, Scott Gernander Sr., as head coach in 2013. The Gernander name has been associated with the San Jac basketball program for over 30 years where both father and son saw successful tenures. Some of the younger Gernander’s accomplishments include over 700 wins, nine conference titles, and ten national tournament appearances.

Meanwhile, he reflects fondly on the experience of following in his father’s footsteps while at the same time, carving out his own legacy.

“It was a lot of fun watching and learning from my father,” Gernander said, “and it was just as much fun seeing that I was able to pick up where he left off and win quite a few games.”

The Ravens basketball team will play their last home game against Angelina College at 7 p.m. on Feb. 28 in Anders Gymnasium (C18) on the Central Campus.