BU projected seventh in Frontier Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll
2025-26 Roster
2025-26 Schedule
HELENA, Mont. -- The Bellevue University men's basketball team has been picked to finish seventh in their inaugural season in the Frontier Conference.
Montana Tech topped the poll as the unanimous choice to win the 12-team league, earning 11 first place votes – coaches could not vote for their own team – and 121 total points. Carroll and Montana Western were tied for second in the poll with 89 points apiece as UMW collected the final first place vote.
Providence (81) was chosen fourth while teams 5-7 were tightly bunched. Dickinson State (75) Rocky Mountain (73), and Bellevue (71) were separated by just four points.
Mayville State (53) edged out Dakota State (50) for eighth while MSU-Northern (39), Valley City State (34), and Bismarck State (17) rounded out the poll.
The Bruins' return six players from last year's team that saw playing time; three seniors in guard JJ Montgomery (4.8 ppg, 33 3-fg), forward Deng Jal (3.7 ppg, 3.0 rpg), and center RJ Smith (8.6 ppg, 3.3 rpg), junior forward Liam Thompson (4.2 ppg, 2.9 rpg), sophomore forward Mathok Mathok (4.3 ppg, 2.5 rpg), and redshirt freshman Connor Mohr (6.5 ppg, 46% 3-fg).
Jaden Phillips was a redshirt last year but played a key role on BU's 2023-24 squad that captured both the NSAA Regular Season and Tournament championships. He averaged 7.2 points and 4.8 rebounds and shot 36% from three that season.
Also returning from last year's squad are senior guards Sandor Rodriguez and Jagir Johal.
New to the team this season are senior guard Ahamad Bynum (UTEP/Chicago, Ill.), junior guard Jermaine Haliburton (CC San Francisco/Sacramento, Calif.), junior forward Akol Ngor (Iowa Western CC/Blue Springs, Mo.) and Jake Lenagh (Midland University/Omaha, Neb.), sophomore guard Deven Butler (Seward County CC/Wichita, Kan.).
Additionally, Bellevue brings in three freshmen to add to its class; guards Jonathan Walker (Fort Bend Marshall HS/Houston, Texas) and Elijah Sherwood (Hitchcock HS/Hitchcock, Texas) and forward Jayden Herrera (Papillion La Vista South HS/Papillion, Neb.).
Head coach Lucas Gabriel is back for his seventh season leading the Bruins. In his first six seasons, Coach Gabriel has guided BU to a 106-82 record and six conference championships – three regular season (2019-20, 2021-22, 2023-24) and three tournament (2021, 2022, 2024) titles.
The top eight teams in the regular season advance to the Frontier Conference tournament, hosted by Montana Tech at Civic Center in Butte. The four-day conference tournament begins with a pair of quarterfinals on Friday, Feb. 27 (5 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Mountain Time) and Saturday, Feb. 28 (5 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Mountain Time), followed by the semifinals on Sunday, March 1 (5 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Mountain Time), and the championship game on Monday, March 2 at 7:30 p.m. (Mountain Time).
As a 12-team league, the Frontier Conference will have two automatic bids for the NAIA Men's Basketball National Tournament, starting with the First and Second Rounds on March 13-14, 2026. The Opening Round winners advance to the Final Site at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Mo, on March 19-24, 2026.
The first automatic berth will be awarded to the regular-season champion. The second berth will be awarded to the Frontier Conference Postseason Tournament Champion. In the event the regular-season champion is the tournament champion, then the second berth will be awarded to the regular-season runner-up.
Bellevue kicks off the 2025-26 season this weekend when they host the Chick-fil-A Classic on Friday-Saturday, Oct. 24-25. Bellevue takes on Haskell Indian Nations University at 7 p.m. on Friday evening before turning around to face Hastings College at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday.