SAGU ropes Mustang hoopster

Kingwood's Brandon Nelson signs

Guard brings scoring, defense and a winning pedigree

WAXAHACHIE, Texas -- The recruiting season continues for the men’s basketball team at Southwestern Assemblies of God University. Head Coach Donnie Bostwick has announced that the Lions have lassoed Brandon Nelson, a two year starter at Houston’s Kingwood High School.

Nelson earned All-District honors in both his junior and senior seasons playing for the Mustangs, who went 20-16 this season. The 6-foot-2, 175 pound shooting guard averaged 12.3 points per game, as well as four assists and three boards per outing.

Under the veteran leadership of head coach Royce Huseman and assistants; Rusty Odom and Richard Rodriguez, Nelson was named the Mustangs’ defensive player of the year as a senior.

"Brandon is a tough kid who has a great upside,” Coach Bostwick said. “He can shoot the ball, understands the game and has been very successful in a very good high school program.”

“He is a good fit and we are glad to have him in our program."

The Mustangs were 9-3 in district 14 in Class 5A action before racking up an area championship in the post-season. They won their first three playoff games, starting with a 47-45 triumph over Oak Ridge, and a 36-35 defeat of Klein Forest, who finished with a 20-10 record.

Kingwood hung their hat on their defensive prowess, which was never more evident than in their 48-41 upset of (Austin, Tx) McNeil in the third round. The Mavericks’ season came to a close with a 32-4 mark.

The Mustangs peaked down the stretch, winning 11 of their last 13 games entering their next game against The Woodlands’ College Park. The Cavaliers (30-7) bridled the Ponies, 60-43, snapping Kingwood’s seven game win streak.

Kingwood was 21-13 during Nelson's junior campaign.

Brandon is the son of Layne and Kerri Nelson. His siblings are Brittany (16) and Bryce (11).

About SAGU Men's Basketball

Under Coach Bostwick, a two-time NAIA National Coach of the Year, Southwestern enjoyed the largest turnaround in the country last season. The Lions went from 12-20 to 27-11 in Bostwick's first year.

SAGU finished fourth in the 13-team Red River Athletic Conference. The team was ranked nationally during the season in the National Association of Intercollegiate Association’s Coaches Poll.

They defeated both of the league’s top two ranked teams; Our Lady of the Lake University (27-8) and LSU-Shreveport (27-8).

The Lions finished third at the national tournament of the National Christian College Athletic Association (106 members) in Indiana in March. The NCCAA has teams from the NAIA and as high as the NCAA’s Division II.

Their M.O. was defense; reducing opponent’s scoring by 15 points per game, as well as crashing the offensive boards and cashing in on three-point baskets.

The team also took better care of the ball on offense, while forcing the opposition into more miscues than in seasons past. (See stat comparisons below)

SAGU played before packed crowds at the Sheaffer Center through much of the season.

Their home games, starting in January, are broadcast in High Definition, on the internet, on the SAGU Sports Network. It is the best production of any college in the NAIA. Fans can watch those games, free of charge, on computers, iPhones, iPads and other apps. This is the SSN's third season with the Lions.

Plus, for the first time, all home games, as well as many road games, will be accessible on LiveStats, a digital play-by-play account of the action.

Coming Soon: Introduction of Two New Recruits

Brandon Nelson is the fourth recruit who has been officially announced on the SAGU website. Two additional recruits have recently signed, a pair of twins in Ryan and Bryan Alford, of Class 4A Dayton (Tx) High School. That news will soon be released on-line, giving the Lions six newly signed hoopsters.

Contact: Mark “Link” Warde, SAGU Sports Information Director, at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or at 469-658-2847.