As the National Club Basketball Association continues down the long road to crowning its first men’s champion since 2019, a handful of teams have already nabbed a spot in one of five regional tournaments.
A ticket to regionals will get a club that much closer to being one of the eight squads to compete for the national title in late April at Gannon University in Erie, Pennsylvania.
Here’s a look at some of the teams that already have a slot at the next stage.
New England Regional Championship
No. 1 Boston College
It didn’t take long for BC to secure the first spot in the New England Regional Championship, winning its first 16 games of the season. The Eagles began the season No. 8 in the Phenom Elite Top 20, but the past five weeks they’re the top of the list, now receiving 198 of 200 possible votes.
Great Lakes Regional Championship
No. 2 Purdue
Make it five-for-five. The 2016-2017 National Champions are headed to their regional tournament for the fifth consecutive time. A 30-point victory over second-place Indiana in February showed just how commanding the Boilermakers are in the Great Lakes - East.
No. 3 Notre Dame
One of the only teams to take a game off of Purdue during non-conference play, Notre Dame is right on the Boilermakers’ tails. And with both already booking their tickets to the Great Lakes Regional Championship at Bradley University, another clash seems inevitable.
No. 10 Creighton
Talk about a stacked region. Creighton has eased its way through the Great Lakes - West and could be the most likely squad to cause a stir among top teams once regional play begins.
DePaul
A handful of early losses weren’t enough to keep first-time NCBBA member DePaul from making a run. The Blue Demons rattled off wins against four Great Lakes - North opponents and played Notre Dame as close as anyone has this season.
Iowa State
Iowa State may be playing second fiddle to Creighton in the Great Lakes - West, but after finishing 3-12-3 in the 2019-2020 season, the Cyclones are going to have a shot at the regional championship in 2022.
North Atlantic Regional Championship
No. 7 Ohio State (Gray)
Being preseason No. 1 never guarantees a playoff berth, but Ohio State (Gray) was still able to roll its way through the North Atlantic - West and earn a bid to the regional championship.
No. 17 St. Bonaventure
Initially a fringe regionals team that’s struggled to finish in the top-2 spots of the North Atlantic - North, St. Bonaventure is riding a strong start. The Bonnies haven’t secured the top spot in the division just yet, with Syracuse in the mix, but they’ve already got a spot in the tournament.
Mid-Atlantic Regional Championship
No. 5 Radford
Featuring Week 2 Player of the Week Kamron Hughes — who’s averaging a team-high 18.1 points per game — Radford has dominated the Mid-Atlantic - South in its first-ever season in the NCBBA.
No. 6 Towson
Towson is used to being toward the top of the Mid-Atlantic - North, but this season the Tigers are the cream of the crop in their division. With just a single loss to Loyola Maryland, Towson is shooting up the rankings and to its championships.
South Atlantic Regional Championship
No. 8 Auburn
In Auburn’s first season (2019-2020), the Tigers were set to compete for a spot in the championships after finishing atop the South Atlantic - Central conference. The pandemic halted the Tigers’ first shot at gold, but they’re back with a smaller lineup that’s doing even more damage.
Florida State
2019-2020 All-Americans Noah Mitchell and Gavin Clark are back. And they’re already headed to the regional championships. Add in Week 11 Player of the Week Braedan Shaffer and the Seminoles boast a stacked lineup hoping to make the national championships.
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