Manny Montgomery, 21, a sophomore guard on the Dakota County Technical College Blue Knights basketball team, was named to the NJCAA Division II Region 13 All-Region Team for the 2023–2024 season. Manny finished the season second in points per game and third in total points in NJCAA DII play.
Manny was also named NJCAA DII Player of the Week (first week in January 2024), having averaged 33.5 points and 8.5 rebounds in two wins over Bay College and Gogebic Community College. He shot an efficient 22 for 37 (59 percent) from the floor, 5 for 6 (83 percent) from three-point range, and 18 for 22 (81 percent) from free throw line.
"I want to thank God for allowing me to come back and be a better player than I was before," Manny said. "I also want to thank my parents for being there every step of the way. I appreciate the support from my family members, my coaches for believing in me and my abilities to come back and do what they know I can do, and my teammates for allowing me to go out there and lead them every night!" Manny also thanked the entire DCTC campus community: student body, staff, and teachers. "I will never forget the support you guys have given me," he said, "and last but certainly not least, I want to thank Olivia Weinberg. Her love and support is definitely a huge piece as to why I was very successful, and how she believed in me was just another reason to go that much harder. DCTC will always be home and there will be no place like it. As long as I live, I will never forget what it means to be a Blue Knight!"
In the 2021–2022 season, Manny was named NJCAA Region 13 MVP, and he made First Team All American. Starting in 2020, he played three seasons with the Blue Knights with one season shortened due to the COVID pandemic. Manny was injured at the 2022 NJCAA D2 National Tournament.
Head Coach Peter Olafeso reported that Manny made tremendous contributions to the Blue Knights both on and off the court. "Players like Manny are rare find," Coach Olafeso said. "He is an extremely talented basketball player, but an even better human being. Last season, while Manny was rehabbing from ACL surgery for an injury he suffered at the NJCAA DII National Tournament, I was impressed with how involved he was with the team. He took on more of a coaching role—and excelled at it." Coach Olafeso added that Manny exceeded all expectations this season. "Manny is the team's all-time leader in many statistical categories," he said. "He averaged 28.1 points per game—second in the nation—while shooting an astounding 56.8 percent from field. I am excited to see what the future holds for him."
Blue Knights basketball 2023–2024 season wrap-up
The Blue Knights NJCAA DII basketball team finished the 2023–2024 season with a 16–11 record. The team averaged 83.4 points, 40.7 rebounds, and 17.6 assists per game with a 46.5 field goal percentage. Coach Peter Olafeso said, "We found some rhythm in the second half of the season, going 11–3 to finish the year thanks to high-level performances by Manny Montgomery and Jeremy Wanguhu (6'1 sophomore guard). Both players accounted for 50 percent of our total points and rebounds. They both showed outstanding leadership throughout the season and were vital to us having another winning season."
This year was Coach Olafeso's fifth season as the team's head coach. He served as interim head coach in 2020, posting a 21–10 record highlighted by Region 13 and North Plain District championships. The basketball team completed the 2021–2022 season with a 20–10 record and an 8th place finish at the NJCAA Division II Men's Basketball Championship.
