TOP: The trophy; the team photo with coaches; #24 Nathan Pratt in a game against Hostos Community College from Bronx, N.Y.; BOTTOM: The clock says it all.

The best words to describe North Lake College shooting guard Brian Sanders’ personality would be quiet, well-mannered, and articulate.

On the basketball court, though, he’s a buzzer beater, a clutch shooter, a national champion.

Sanders, a 6’1 guard from Cypress Falls High School in Houston, was a big contributor in March to North Lake’s second national championship in three years. After the championship tournament in Delhi, N.Y., he was named the best guard in Division III of the National Junior College Athletic Association.

Don’t ask him how he did it. “I couldn’t have done it without my teammates,” said Sanders.

But Blazer players know Sanders often shouldered a heavy load.

“He definitely stepped up as a leader and hit big shots when it mattered,” said David Nash. “He is in large part the reason why we won the national championship.”

Sanders said he started playing basketball “when I was able to walk.”

Actually, he started at five, playing at a YMCA gym located by his mom and dad. In the seventh grade, Sanders gave up playing baseball to focus on basketball. In the eighth grade, he made his first AAU team, The Houston Assault.

But after good performances as a high school player, Sanders received no offers for college scholarships.

Instead of getting upset, Sanders turned the snub into a dedication to hard work.

“I had something to prove,” Sanders explained. “It was just more motivation”.

He got a call from former North Lake Assistant Coach Roy Gregory, who invited him to a tryout in Irving. After the tryout, Coach Tim McGraw asked him to join the team.

Sanders still plays street ball at home against a lot of NCAA Division I players, including University of Texas guard Harrison Smith, Texas A&M center Deandre Jordan and Texas Tech guard Darryl Ashford.

Sanders hopes to someday play NCAA Division I basketball. He would love to sign with Texas, but says that any Division I team would be fine.

For now, though, it’s neat to think about this championship season.

In North Lake’s first game of the national tournament, the Blazers trailed by one point with 15 seconds remaining. Sanders drove the ball to the hole to win the contest.

“I was thinking: ‘We have to win this game, whatever it takes.’” During the regular season, Sanders won several games with late free throws. In tight contests, he showed a knack for making a basket when it counted most.

North Lake will probably start next season with a Number One ranking and a legitimate shot at a third national championship. Sanders plans to be ready.