Brice Langford couldn’t deny being a big man on campus even if he tried.
The same is true for the Waubonsee Community College sophomore when he’s on the court.
A 6-foot-10, 322-pound center, Langford has slimmed down in his three years at the school while continuing to develop into quite a force for the Chiefs at just the right time.
“I think he’s the one guy no one else has in the region, for sure,” Waubonsee coach Lance Robinson said of the Indianapolis native. “He’s a 6-10 guy, and most of the centers we face are like 6-6 and versatile.
“And over the last month, he’s done a great job being dominant, averaging a double-double over the last eight games and providing rim protection, dominating the defensive glass and hitting his free throws.”
It’s the right time for such work, with the Chiefs winning their first two games in the NJCAA Division II Region IV playoffs, 92-87 at home against Illinois Valley and 70-59 last Sunday over defending national champion South Suburban College.
That was a big one, according to Langford. The win over No. 5 SSC sends the Chiefs (24-8) to the 5 p.m. championship game at Rock Valley against No. 17 Bryant & Stratton of Wisconsin.
The winner will advance to the national tournament in Danville.
“Beating South Suburban, everything came into place, and it was extremely exciting since it was exactly a year since we lost to them 74-73 in the playoffs,” Langford said. “That was like our motivation every day — to get better. It was lined up perfect.”
Last winter, South Suburban College touted a team that included former West Aurora standout Camron Donatlan. SSC proceeded to complete an undefeated run to the national title under coach John Pigatti, whom Robinson calls the dean of area junior college coaches.
“He deserves a lot of credit,” Robinson said of Pigatti. “We hadn’t beaten them since I’ve been here. Giving them their biggest challenge last year, our players were motivated and certainly weren’t intimidated.”
Langford, meanwhile, said he weighed about 370 pounds when he arrived on campus for a season lost to the pandemic. It wasn’t lost on him, however.
Work with WCC trainer Tara Gaye helped him drop nearly 50 pounds.
“They didn’t think I’d be more than a 25, maybe even 20-minute player,” said Langford, who has several NCAA Division II and NAIA offers. “I’m trying to get down to 285. That’s the main goal for next year.”
If he can showcase his talents at nationals, Robinson believes Langford may have a Division I offer to consider.
“Tara has done a great job helping him to be more flexible and keeping everything under control,” Robinson said of Langford’s weight room and training work. “Sometimes, I think he’s in there too much, but she does a great job.”
One of his high school coaches, who’s familiar with Robinson, suggested Langford visit Waubonsee. It has been a good fit.
Langford has also formed a bond with classmates in point guard Joey Niesman of Oswego and shooting guard Jaylyn Kelley of Milwaukee, forming the team’s big three, both literally and figuratively.
Langford and Kelley rent a house in Aurora with two other teammates. Niesman, who commutes to school, is a frequent visitor.
“We’ve grown to be family the last two years,” Langford said. “Although with me and Joey, it wasn’t always eye to eye, we’ve grown together. We argued about everything, but it was just two competitive guys. We’d hang out nearly every day and grew a bond.
“Joey’s work ethic is crazy good in the weight room, training and running hills. He invited me to do it. I tried it once, but I’d rather do suicides or run laps.”
On the court, their connection has grown, too.
Niesman averages 17.9 points and 6.6 rebounds, while Kelley checks in at 14.9 points and 4.2 rebounds and Langford follows at 10.2 and 9.6, respectively.
Langford hopes it continues to play out at nationals.
“We had a taste for it coming close to South Suburban last year,” he said. “We were able to see what kind of impact we can truly make there. It drives us every day.”
