LORMAN &045; This is the time of year Dion Callans knows can be the best of times.

Or worst, depending on how things go.

In the world of college basketball, good players and good teams come to play in March. Callans, the Alcorn State senior forward, is preparing himself for the stretch run while doing the same with his teammates.

Callans is the most vocal player on the team and perhaps the biggest leader on a team that’s searched for an identity most of the season. Two losses last week on the road made things tough for the Braves heading into Saturday’s home game against Southern and next week’s two-game homestand against Prairie View and Texas Southern.

The team is playing for a shot at the SWAC tournament, so it’s up to Callans to help get the team back on track.

&uot;We’ve got to win these three games to get ourselves in perfect position going into the tournament,&uot; Callans said. &uot;If things go all right, we’ve got a chance to move all the way up to second. It’s crunch time. You can’t afford to lose. Don’t lose the last couple of games going into you want to play well before you hit the tournament so you have something to feed off of.&uot;

These last three games couldn’t be any bigger for the Braves and Callans. With the SWAC standings so jammed up, about the only team out of the race right now is lowly Arkansas-Pine Bluff. The top eight teams in the 10-team conference will get invitations to Birmingham, and Mississippi Valley has clinched the regular season championship.

It’s so jammed the Braves could finish awfully high or be sitting at home when everyone else goes to Birmingham.

&uot;Believe it or not, we could still finish second if we win our next three games,&uot; ASU head coach Samuel West said. &uot;But we could also knock ourselves out of the tournament all together if we lose two of the next three. It’s a pretty tough position to be in.&uot;

It’s that pressure that’s on Callans, too, not only as someone who serves as the team leader but who is playing out his final games at Alcorn. The Chicago native who almost wound up playing for the University of Wisconsin will finish out his career in the regular season finale Feb. 28 with the person he regards as his greatest inspiration in attendance.

His mom.

&uot;My mom is strong,&uot; Callans said. &uot;She raised me and my little brother by herself. It would mean a lot to see my mom. They finally put out (2002 team) photo up, and she can see me on the wall.&uot;

‘Crunch time’

If it’s all about having something to feed off of heading into the tournament, the Braves ought to get to work quickly. The two losses at Alabama last week were tough to take and could have put them in good standing had they won, but the Braves (7-8, 9-15) need these final three wins more than anything.

At least now they’ll have everybody back. Leading scorer Brian Jackson sat out both games in Alabama with a stomach virus after not practicing during the week, but he should play Saturday against the Jaguars.

&uot;It’s been three weeks since we had everybody,&uot; Callans said. &uot;Being at home, that’s probably the best thing about it. Another good thing is we’ll be at full strength. It’s tough playing without your leading scorer. (Coach) told me that I had to tell my team to pull themselves together. I think we’ve had our ups and our downs this season. We’ve had a rough season, but the most important part of any season starts in March. Whoever is playing excellent in March is usually going to come out on top.&uot;

Although the Alabama trip is perennially the toughest of the season, the two losses were tough to take. Not only did the Braves beat both teams convincingly at the Whitney Complex last month, but they’ve played better at times on the road than at home.

The 86-72 loss at A&M Monday was the most points the Braves have surrendered in conference this season and the most since Texas A&M-Corpus; Christi scored 99 on them in the second game of the season.

The 65-45 loss to Alabama A&M was the team’s lowest point total since a 68-42 loss at Valley Jan. 17.

Now they’ve got to get back playing good ball in a hurry with what West said is still not a healthy squad.

&uot;I’m looking forward to it and the opportunity believing that the best is yet to come,&uot; West said. &uot;I don’t think (we’re healthy). Dion got injured (Wednesday) in practice (ankle sprain), and John Chandler got a (sore) knee. BJ will play, but how well he responds for us kind of depends on him.&uot;

With the Jaguars, the Braves get a team they lost to in the first round of conference play, 84-73, at Baton Rouge. The Jaguars were buoyed that game by the return of Deon Sanders, who came off the bench in his first game back from injury to score 15 points to fuel a second-half run.

&uot;He’s their best player,&uot; West said. &uot;He was injured for three games, played against us and picked up right where he left off. He’s won the Player of the Week award two weeks in a row and went down with an injury.&uot;

It’s up to people like Callans to get everyone focused on Sanders and the Jaguars. It’s one game at a time from here on out, and it’s up to a team leader to get things done. Even though West admitted Callans isn’t being as much a leader as he should, the senior said he’ll do whatever he can on Saturday and the remaining two games.

&uot;It’s a big responsibility, and team leaders are born leaders,&uot; Callans said. &uot;It’s everyday life &045; just to be a leader. I’m proud of being a leader of this team. I know we have to step it up. I’m going to lead by example. We want to have a good showing leading into the couple of games before the tournament.&uot;

Chicago boy

As a high school senior at Chicago’s Hubbard High School, Callans wanted to go to Wisconsin. The three-sport star in high school had an offer, but his ACT score wasn’t high enough &045; leaving the Badgers to ask him to enroll at a junior college before arriving on campus.

Callans didn’t want to go that route. By that time it was March 1999, and he caught a first-round of the NCAA tournament pitting Alcorn and Stanford. The Cardinal had to hold on late to down Alcorn, 69-57.

&uot;Honestly, I didn’t know anything about Alcorn until (then),&uot; Callans said. &uot;When I saw them play Stanford, they played Stanford all the way to the wire on national television. I had got a scholarship offer from them, and then it hit me &045; you can go to the tournament if you go to Alcorn. I said I wanted to go to the tournament, and I’ve been.&uot;

Callans is one of a number of Alcorn athletes who hail from Chicago. Home of the biggest alumni chapter outside of Mississippi and hometown of university president Clinton Bristow, Chicago has also produced Shikhia Sims on the women’s basketball team and defensive end Michael Howleit and receiver Clifford Perry in football.

But Callans had visions of playing both football and basketball at Alcorn, just like former Alcorn star and current Oakland Raiders lineman Chad Slaughter.

Things, however, didn’t work out with ASU head coach Johnny Thomas, Callans said, and he’s been on the hardwood since.

&uot;I was recruited to play football, and that didn’t work out too well,&uot; Callans said. &uot;We just disagreed on certain things. I never had a doubt I couldn’t play both. Chad Slaughter was playing two sports, and I knew you could do it. (But) it was sort of the hand I was dealt. I didn’t play football, but I still love football. I love football just as much as I love basketball, but I’m not playing football.&uot;

Callans joined Davey Whitney’s Alcorn basketball team, and he’s never really changed since the beginning. Always one to be emotional and not really quiet, Callans got in 27 games his freshman year while starting two for a Braves team that lost in the semifinals of the conference tournament.

&uot;He’s never been a quiet kid,&uot; West said. &uot;He’s always been a very emotional person. At times it’s got him in trouble, but he’s taken that role and made it into a positive. I think he’s been more of a team leader this year than anybody has, but not as much as I want him to be. He’s been the fire of the team for us. He’s fought every night and plays hard, and he has a huge heart.&uot;

Callans has done the same off the court at his new home, some 13 hours away from Chicago. He earned his bachelor’s degree in the summer with a 3.5 GPA and is enrolled in grad school. He’s got three job offers lined up back in Chicago after he’s done &045; two coaching jobs and one with the recreation department.

Callans is also a father, and he and his baby’s mom are engaged to be married.

It’s like his mother, Geraldine, always told him &045; whatever you do, make the best of your situation.

&uot;I can’t complain,&uot; Callans said. &uot;We’ve been in the championship the last three years in basketball. It’s been great here at Alcorn. Maybe that’s the route He wanted me to go. I’ve left my mark here at Alcorn. I’m an Alcornite now.&uot;