An early-season transfer with no scholarship in 2021, Tianna Mathis was given a choice by her new head coach.
“Every single day coach told me to fight for time on the court, to earn my minutes,” Mathis remembered of Blinn head women’s basketball coach Jeff Jenkins‘ ultimatum. “He told me I was either going to fight or sit, so I chose to fight.”
Two years later, Mathis packs an undeniable punch for the Buccaneers as the program’s bona fide leader and feisty third-year guard.
Mathis’ journey to Blinn began just weeks into the 2020 season, as the Bryan, Texas, native and Rudder High School alumna transferred from Division II University of Texas-Permian Basin. A longstanding recruitment pipeline between Jenkins and then-Rudder head girls basketball coach John Shelton helped lead Mathis to Brenham.
Due to Mathis’ brief time at Permian Basin, Jenkins was forced to redshirt the newcomer for the entirety of the 2021-22 campaign. Making matters tougher for Mathis was the level of talent surrounding her, meaning the program’s available scholarships were already accounted for ahead of the 2022-23 season.
During her redshirt stint, Mathis was limited to auditioning for a future role in Jenkins’ rotation exclusively in practices.
(Pictured: Blinn’s Tianna Mathis (21) puts up a shot during a game against Western Texas College on Dec. 2, 2023)
“I didn’t have games to show what I could do, so I had to compete with my teammates in practice, even knowing it wasn’t going to get me on the court that first year,” Mathis said. “The great thing about it was that we had a great team with great players and that really helped me grow quickly.”
After the Buccaneers finished Mathis’ spectator season at 28-5 and reached the NJCAA Division I national tournament, the core of that squad’s success returned on scholarship, leaving Mathis to make a key decision.
“I told her that if she wanted to come back, I couldn’t offer her a scholarship, but she would have the opportunity to earn minutes and play on this team,” Jenkins said. “Based on what we saw in practices the year before, we believed she could compete and help us, we just didn’t realize how much.”
Mathis said her debut season was fueled by a desire to prove she belonged, and that fire grew when Jenkins presented her with an opportunity.
“Nobody wants to be on the bench,” Jenkins said. “So, I told Tianna that you’re either going to fight and take somebody’s minutes, or you’re going to sit. She made the decision to work hard and force me to put her on the court.”
Through the first 11 games of the 2022-23 season, Mathis found herself on the court for no more than 18 minutes. Her turning point came Dec. 10, 2022, when Mathis turned a season-high 22 minutes of playing time into a 12-point, 11-rebound performance that included four assists and a pair of steals.
“I just wanted to prove to coach and my teammates that I could contribute and that I could play at their level,” Mathis said. “Jenkins was up front from the get-go and told me, ‘You have to get better.’ I took that personally and went to work.”
Mathis swiftly became a regular piece of Blinn’s rotation and finished her freshman season averaging 3.0 points, 3.4 rebounds, and almost 2 assists per game. Jenkins said Mathis played a key role for a Bucs team which finished that season 31-4 and reached the quarterfinal round of the national tournament.
(Pictured: Blinn’s Tianna Mathis (21) puts up a layup during a game against Paris Junior College on Jan. 13, 2024)
“I never had to teach her how to compete,” Jenkins said. “She always brought a competitiveness to the gym, whether it was practice or games, and that helped her be a big part of what we were doing. She never backed down to anybody … not our best scorers in practice and not a 6’2 center on an opposing team during a game. That’s the driving force behind her success.”
That success led Jenkins to make another decision mid-season: He would be offering Mathis a scholarship for 2023-24.
Mathis has rewarded Jenkins’ decision. She is now averaging 6.4 points and 7.4 rebounds for the 15-6 Buccaneers, and her presence has been pivotal for a Blinn roster occupied by 14 freshmen.
“I want them to see me and the way I play, the journey I took to get here, and use that in their own growth,” Mathis said. “I don’t use a lot of words in practice or during games – I use my actions. If they see me play hard to keep myself on the court, I know those younger players are going to do the same.”
Freshman guard Jonesha Neal said Mathis’ leadership has the Bucs headed on a steady course of development and success.
“She’s a big sister to all of us,” Neal said. “She’s almost like a second coach Jenkins in the way she understands what he wants us all to do and how she can get that across to us. I know I speak for everyone on this team when I say we love the way she plays. She can score, she’s a tough rebounder, and she’s really showing us how to do things the right way.”
Mathis has again found herself fielding offers from four-year schools and plans to study criminal justice once she finds a new basketball program to call home. In the meantime, however, Mathis said her sights are set on finishing her Blinn chapter with a fitting conclusion.
“I want to help this team win the Region XIV Tournament and get back to the national tournament,” Mathis said. “I want to show these younger players what it takes to get that job done because I had the older players and the leaders in front of me helping me along, too. I want to be that for this team and keep playing my game while I do it.”
Blinn has competed in intercollegiate athletics since 1903 and captured 45 NJCAA national championships since 1987.
