OMAHA, Neb. – The Omaha Men’s Basketball team made a late addition to the 2024-25 roster today as junior forward Valentino Simon became the team’s seventh signee of the offseason.
Simon, a 6’6” 195 pound forward from Nassau, Bahamas, began his career at Southwest Virginia CC before spending his sophomore season at Hutchinson CC with fellow Mavericks newcomer Kamryn Thomas. In his rookie season, Simon appeared in 23 games for SWCC and made 22 starts. Making an immediate impact, he ended the year with a 55.9 FG%, 21.0 ppg, and 483 points. A strong defender in the paint as well, he logged 13.9 rpg (319 total) and 1.7 bpg (40 total), ending his debut season with 19 double-doubles.
Then, in his sophomore season, Valentino started all 36 games for the Blue Dragons and helped lead them to a 29-7 record and a trip to the NJCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championships. He remained an efficient scorer, posting a 49.6 FG% and 13.4 ppg for a total of 482 points. He also averaged 8.3 rpg and ended the season with 297 total rebounds, along with 34 steals, 35 blocks, and 13 double-doubles.
“Great utility athletic forward that plays with a tremendous motor,” stated Head Coach Chris Crutchfield. “Plays bigger than his 6’6″ frame and is a good addition this late to complete our roster.”
