Alabama forward James Rojas is a 2017 Jamestown High School graduate.

When Alabama and Iona take the court at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis this afternoon for their NCAA Tournament first round game, the game will feature two of the country’s best head coaches.

On the Crimson Tide bench will be Nate Oats, a finalist for national coach-of-the-year honors, a man who has guided his team to a 24-6 record and a No. 5 ranking in just his second season in Tuscaloosa.

At the other end of the court, on the opposing bench, will be the Gaels’ Rick Pitino, a Hall-of-Famer, whose career includes national titles at Kentucky and Louisville.

In the middle of it all will be a Jamestown High School graduate.

“It’s a big deal and kind of surreal,” Alabama assistant coach Bryan Hodgson said by phone Thursday night.

But hardly surprising.

Consider:

Although only 33, Hodgson has made quite a name for himself in the coaching fraternity after beginning his career as an assistant at Jamestown Community College (2010-13). A splendid recruiter, particularly in the junior-college ranks, Hodgson spent two years at Midland (Texas) College and four at the University at Buffalo where he helped the Bulls to three Mid-American Conference titles and three NCAA Tournament appearances.

It was at the Amherst campus where Hodgson connected with Oats, then the UB head coach.

“He took a chance on me,” Hodgson said. “He only knew me for two months before he hired me. … He looked at my work ethic and my character. He gave me a chance, which was very important.”

Hodgson has seized the opportunity with a vengeance and is now recognized as one of the top recruiters in the nation. In his first season at Alabama, according to the school’s website, he was instrumental in bringing in the nation’s No. 9-ranked signing class in 2020, according to Rivals.com, while 247sports.com ranked this year’s signees at No. 12 nationally.

Fittingly, Hodgson, the website noted, was ranked No. 6 on 247sports’ list of the top 2020 coach recruiter rankings. He was also listed as one of the top 50 most impactful high-major assistant coaches and invited to participate in the 2020 TopConnect Seminar, which identifies the top assistants in the country and connects them with mid-major athletic directors. Previously, Hodgson was one of 30 assistants named to the 20106 Under Armour 30-under-30 team by the national Association of Basketball Coaches.

“Bryan is one of the best recruiters I’ve been around,” Oats said on the website. “I initially hired him at Buffalo and he quickly proved that was one of the best decisions I made. He was able to get high-level talent, and he’s got an eye for talent. He knows exactly how we want to play, so there’s a chemistry there in terms of knowing who we want to bring in and what type of player we need.”

Said Hodgson: “We’ve got a good group of guys and a good senior class that we inherited. … We have good chemistry, the culture is good and the guys have bought in.”

Jamestown native James Rojas is one of the players on the Tide’s roster. A two-time Post-Journal Player of the Year during his years at Jamestown High School, Rojas was an All-American in 2019 at Hutchinson CC before transferring to Alabama. Coming off the bench this season, the 6-foot-7 forward is averaging 3.1 points and 2.8 rebounds per game in 28 games coming off the bench.

“His season has been up and down, but he’s never complained,” Hodgson said, noting that Rojas has played with a broken wrist that will ultimately require surgery. “It’s caused him to struggle with his jump shot, and he’s battled several illnesses, so he’s had a rough go this year, but he won the Mississippi State game, he won us the Furman game. He’s a big part (of what we do). He’s had some really good games for us. He’s got a bright future.

“The thing I’m most proud of, being a Jamestown guy, he’s one of the best fathers I’ve ever been around. It’s not easy being a father and playing SEC basketball, and he’s done a pretty good job of it.

The Crimson Tide, which clinched the program’s first regular-season title in 19 years and claimed its first SEC Tournament title in 30 years, hopes to continue the prograrm’s upward trajectory over the course of the next few weeks.

“Am I surprised that we’re fifth in the country and a No. 2 seed? A little bit,” Hodgson said. I knew we’d be good. I didn’t realize how good, but the guys have bought into the defensive end and that’s a big reason why we are where we are. Things started to mesh at the right time, the kids bought in over the summer and, most importantly, they handled the pandemic well. Our guys got on campus, did quarantine and went to work.”

So far, so good.

“We think we’re going to win this whole thing,” Hodgson said. “Just like we’ve done all year, we control what we can control. … We’re very fortunate to be here. We’re locked in and ready to go.”