Dodge City men's basketball finished the last season on a solid run and heads into the 2025-26 season to take a big step forward in the fourth season under Head Coach Brad Witherspoon. 
The Conquistadors, after a 15-17 2024-25 campaign, look to challenge for a top-flight finish in the KJCCC and have revamped the roster with only three returners from last year for the 2025-26 season. 
 
The Conqs are coming off a season in which the team averaged 78.8 points per game on 40.2% shooting, while giving up 80.5 points per game on 42.4% shooting last season. The Conqs will look to replace 75% of the offense.
 
Leading the way for the Conqs is the return of Derrick Rivers, who is back after an honorable mention All-KJCCC freshman season, which saw him play in all 32 games with 26 starts. Rivers was the Conqs' second leading scorer at 13.1 points per game while shooting 36.1% and 36.7% from three-point range. He added four rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 1.6 steals per game to fill the stat sheet, as he will look to anchor the backcourt. 
 
Also returning for the Conqs is a pair of big men as Wesly Rosa and Koch-Deng Koch return, giving the Conqs size and length to build around. Rosa played in 29 games with 18 starts last season, averaging 5.2 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks per game, while Koch looks to increase his role this season after playing in 27 games, averaging 1.6 points and 2.7 rebounds per game. 
 
A trio of transfers jump into the mix for the Conqs, including two who played significantly last season. Rickey Loftin II comes to Dodge City after a freshman season at Southwestern CC, where he played in 28 games with 22 starts, averaging 17.2 points per game on 44.2% shooting, while adding 5.7 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 1.9 steals per game. Richard Rojas brings experience to the fold for the Conqs, along with Loftin, in the backcourt. Rojas played at Spartanburg Methodist last season suiting up for 27 games with 20 starts as he averaged 10.7 points per game on 58.3% shooting, adding 3.5 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 1.3 steals, and 1.2 blocks per game. Christian Brockett also transferred into Dodge City after a redshirt season at Columbia State CC. 
 
Conqs fill out the roster with 10 incoming freshmen who all look to factor into the mix. At the forward spot, the additions of Jordan Russell, Noah Anders, Justin Houston, and DJ Brown look to give the Conqs depth and plenty of playmakers to impact the game at the rim and in the post, with Russell and Brown able to play out on the perimeter as guards. Andrew Mabry, Brad Johnson, Bubba Strong, and Jayvion Nurse all have had strong scrimmages and look to be big pieces for the Conqs in the backcourt, while Caleb Taylor and Landon Simpson will give the Conqs plenty of depth and can step in and contribute. 
 
The season will open on the road for the Conqs as they will take on Western Nebraska on Saturday, November 1st, and then will welcome Indian Hills to town on Tuesday, November 4th, for a big early-season test. Conqs will also play a pair of games at the Hutchinson CC Classic, along with road non-conference games against South Plains and Frank Phillips. Jayhawk conference play will open in Great Bend on November 19th against Barton.