The Arizona Western Matadors capped off a remarkable regular season with a sweep of top honors in the Arizona Community College Athletic Conference (ACCAC), highlighting both individual excellence and program-wide success under head coach Kyle Isaacs — a proud Brownfield native.
Sophomore standout Marsai Mason was named ACCAC “Player of the Year” and “Defensive Player of the Year,” becoming the latest in a growing line of Matador greats to earn the conference’s highest accolades. The honor marks the fourth time in the past five years that the ACCAC Player of the Year award has gone to an Arizona Western player under Isaacs’ leadership. It is also the second time in that span that a Matador has swept both major awards in the same season.
“I’m blessed,” Mason said. “Just putting in the work all season. A shoutout to my teammates and my coaches. We all came in early together, had one goal in mind — to be champions. Next is to be Region I champions.”
Mason now joins an elite list of former Matadors who have claimed conference Player of the Year honors, including Yaxel Lendeborg (2021-22), AJ Marmolejos (2023-24), and Edwin Suarez last season. Lendeborg also earned Defensive Player of the Year honors following the 2022-23 season.
“I’m glad to be on the list of past AWC greats,” Mason said. “They’ve all meant a lot to this program. I’m just trying to make my mark here as well. I wouldn’t be here without my guys.”
Nicknamed “The Dominator,” Mason led the Matadors with 16.6 points per game and 9.9 rebounds per game over 28 contests. He recorded 15 double-doubles this season and delivered a career-best performance at Central Arizona College on January 28, pouring in 38 points and grabbing 19 rebounds. Mason was also named to the All-Region I First Team.
Joining him on the All-Region I First Team was sophomore guard Matt Anglo, who appeared in all 30 games this season. Anglo averaged 14.2 points per game while shooting an efficient 47.2 percent from the field and 80 percent from the free-throw line.
“Feels good, definitely something that was on my list at the beginning of the year,” Anglo said. “It feels good to be recognized as a Region I First Team member. We as a team still have some bigger goals ahead of us. A big thank you to my teammates and coaches as well.”
At the helm of the Matadors’ success is Coach Kyle Isaacs, who was named ACCAC “Coach of the Year” for the second time in his tenure. Isaacs, who hails from Brownfield, first earned the honor in his inaugural season with Arizona Western in 2021-22, when the Matadors finished 26-5 and tied for the conference championship.
This season, Isaacs and his staff — including assistants Carter Roe and Dakota LeBlanc — guided Arizona Western to its first outright ACCAC regular season title in 17 years, a milestone achievement for the program.
“I call the award coaching staff of the year,” Isaacs said. “I think it’s a reflection of our assistant coaches who really pull a lot of the weight. I like to tell our team that they are honored with assistant coaches of the year. Really proud of our team and program. When one of us gets honored, we all get honored. Basketball is not an individual sport like tennis or golf — it takes everybody, it takes a small village.”
With the regular season accolades secured, the Matadors now turn their attention to postseason play. Arizona Western will open the playoffs Thursday, March 5, hosting the College of Southern Nevada Coyotes at 7:00 p.m. MST inside “The House.” General admission is $10, while seniors, military members, and non-Arizona Western students over age 12 can attend for $7.
For Mason, Anglo, and Coach Isaacs — and for the Brownfield community that proudly claims Isaacs as one of its own — the awards are meaningful. But the mission remains clear.
The goal now: bring home a Region I championship.