In four years, Tuskegee University forward Kusamae Draper has grown from a raw, 6-foot-9 freshman into the anchor and on-court engine of a Golden Tigers team (4-1 overall, 3-0 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference) that’s chasing its first conference championship since 2014.

In his senior season, he is embracing a leadership role as the Division II team navigates a more challenging non-conference schedule than usual. This week, Tuskegee will participate in the inaugural HBCU Hoops Invitational at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, Florida. The event will bring together eight teams from historically Black colleges and universities representing multiple divisions and conferences.

“We just want to show, for one, that we can get these wins while we’re down there,” Draper told Andscape. “So we want to come out of there victorious, but we also want to show the future of our program, where we’re headed. We want to be able to continue to get these opportunities, and then when we do get them, we show up and we represent our standard of play and just represent Tuskegee basketball.”

The men’s side of the bracket includes Barber-Scotia College, Florida A&M University, Florida Memorial University and Tuskegee. The women’s side of the bracket features Bethune-Cookman University, Edward Waters University, Hampton University and Livingstone College.

“It’s definitely a learning experience. So I tell them [teammates] just stay ready and always don’t lose confidence,” Draper said.

Draper is averaging 18.2 points, 7.0 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game. According to Tuskegee head coach Benjy Taylor, Draper’s value extends far beyond his stat line – he’s the emotional and mental tone-setter for the team, and his seriousness raises the standard for everyone around him. 

“If we’re doing ballhandling, everybody else kind of sees it as a warmup,” Taylor said. “He’s driving the ball. He’s trying to get better.”

Taylor said Draper has transformed from a purely physical, back-to-the-basket player into a far more complete and skilled scorer, ball handler and shooter.

”His skill level has gotten a lot better,” Taylor said. “He’s shooting it better. His free throw percentage is going up, like, 10 percentage points, maybe 12 percentage points. … He’s just a joy to coach, but I think that he’s really developed as an all-around basketball player.”

Draper is particularly excited for Tuskegee’s non-conference matchup against Florida Memorial in the invitational, a test he believes will set the tone for the team’s championship aspirations. 

“Our goal as a team is and always has been to win first, our conference, our conference championship, and go as far as we can in the tournament. I don’t think that’s a secret about how anybody on the team feels,” Draper said. “I would say for my senior year, I would just want to dominate and not leave anything on the table as far as anything I could do to better my career.”

Taylor echoes that sentiment, noting that Tuskegee’s participation in last season’s NBA HBCU Classic showed him the power of national exposure.

“We have an excellent brand. … I told my first team, I don’t want to be a good HBCU basketball program. I just want to be a good basketball program,” Taylor said. 

In addition to Draper, here are other players to watch during the HBCU Hoops Invitational:

Men

Tyler Shirley, Florida A&M

Forward Tyler Shirley is one of FAMU’s most reliable playmakers this season, averaging 11.6 points and 3.8 rebounds. The transfer from Clayton State has been consistent beyond the arc, shooting 44.4% from 3-point range and 39.3% from the field. The Rattlers are 0-5 and looking for their first win of the season. Florida A&M will face Barber-Scotia on Friday.

Jeffrey Selden, Florida Memorial

At 6-foot-6, Jeffrey Selden is a dynamic, do-everything forward for Florida Memorial (6-2 overall, 2-1 Sun Conference). Defensively, Seldon leads the Lions in total rebounds (55) and blocks (nine). He also ranks in the top three on the team in steals and assists while averaging 10.3 points. Selden impacts the Lions’ game beyond scoring; he also defends multiple positions and controls the glass. Florida Memorial is No. 4 in the conference standings and has won five of its last six games.

Women

Tan Brown, Edward Waters

Guard Tan Brown is a reliable scorer for the Tigers (3-3 overall, 3-2 SIAC), averaging 10.2 points and 2.8 rebounds. At 5-foot-6, she provides consistent outside shooting for the Tigers (40% from 3-point range) and is tied for No. 2 in the conference for most 3-pointers (11). During the preseason, Edward Waters was predicted to finish second in the SIAC East. The Tigers will face Bethune-Cookman on Friday.

Jasiyah Crawford, Livingstone

Jasiyah Crawford has begun her sophomore campaign as an impactful starter for Livingstone. In five games this season, Crawford leads the team in points per game (14.5), which ranks her No. 5 in the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) in scoring. She also leads the team in total assists (12), and she is tied for second on the team in steals (seven). The Blue Bears will face Hampton on Friday.

Kiki McElrath, Hampton

At 5-foot-7, guard Kiki McElrath is the second-leading scorer for Hampton (4-3 overall). The Delaware State transfer averages 10.7 points and 2.9 rebounds per game. Defensively, Elrath ranks third on the team in total steals (13) and second in blocked shots (four). The Pirates have won three of their last four games and will look to keep their early-season momentum going when they face Livingstone on Friday.

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