To the cheers of more than 50 fans, two Bridgewater College Eagles helped lead the Cobras to a 64 to 59 win over Hoosier Daddy in the championship game of the Staunton Men’s Basketball League last month.
Recent BC graduate Keiman Dillon ’24, M’25 and rising senior Mason Ramey ’26 have played in the men’s competitive league at the Staunton-Augusta Family YMCA for the past two years. The two Eagles are among the youngest members of the six-team league, which includes players who range in age from their early 20s to mid-50s. Team players come from throughout Augusta and Rockingham counties.
Wearing number 5, Dillon scored 23 points for the Cobras, landing him the title of league’s leading scorer for the second year in a row. Dillon, who was a wing player for Eagles basketball for three seasons, is shooting guard for the Cobras.
Ramey, who has played center for the Eagles since his first year at BC, is small forward for the Cobras. Wearing number 32, he scored 19 points in the championship game.
The two say that they play in the men’s league to keep in shape during the off-season and enjoy playing against players of all ages and experience.
“You can work on skills and can get your hands on the ball more” than in collegiate practice, Ramey says. “Basketball is a sport where everyone can play, and you can relate and talk basketball.”
Eagles Head Men’s Basketball Coach Mike Maczko said he looks forward to hearing more about the players’ growth over the spring and summer.
“It’s always encouraging when you hear about your players competing and being successful outside of the season,” Maczko said upon hearing of the Cobras’ win.
Despite playing against men nearly twice their age, Dillon and Ramey say that they continue to learn new things and improve their playing.
“As a college athlete you have to be able to play with other styles of players,” Dillon explains. “The [men’s league] games are challenging, both mentally and physically.”
According to men’s league manager Danny Williams, the other players love having the younger men in the league. Williams says that Dillon and Ramey “bring some good, young energy” to their team.
“Keiman is a really good all-around player and teammate,” Williams says. “And Mason is a particularly good three-point shooter.”
Ramey, a health and exercise science major at BC, says he is hoping to work as a strength and conditioning coach after graduation.
Dillon, a double Eagle who graduated with a bachelor’s in communications and a master’s in human resource management, is hoping to work as a basketball coach or play basketball overseas. For now, he is working in the teen center at the Staunton-Augusta Family YMCA.
YMCA teen director Eddie Santiago says that both Dillon and Ramey have been great role models for the youth and teens who play recreational basketball at the YMCA. There were at least a handful of Staunton High School students watching the men’s league championship and a rising ninth grader said he watches Dillon and Ramey to learn what it means to be a good player.
Santiago says that the teens asked for Dillon to come work at the teen center and that Dillon has done a nice job connecting with them
“The teens say to me, ‘Finally we have someone good to play basketball with,’” Santiago says.
– Heather S. Cole
7/10/25
