2018-19 (Redshirt Senior Year)
Played in 34 games and made two starts … Averaged 4.4 points and 2.4 rebounds in 14.0 minutes per game … Had season tallies of 148 points, 80 rebounds, 24 assists, 13 steals and 10 blocks … Shot 43.3 percent from the field (55-of-127), including 17-of-62 from deep … Also made 21-of-29 from the free throw line (72.4 percent) … Scored in double figures in four games, including a season-high 13 points on 4-of-7 shooting, 2-of-5 from deep, with two rebounds and two assists in a win against Florida A&M on Jan. 7 … Scored 11 points on 4-of-11 shooting while getting the start on Senior Night against Howard on March 7 … Scored 10 points on 3-of-5 shooting with three rebounds versus Stony Brook on Nov. 27 … Also added 10 points on 3-of-3 shooting, 2-of-2 from deep, in a win at Savannah State on Jan. 19 … Totaled nine points on 4-of-9 shooting with seven rebounds and two assists in a victory at Delaware State on March 4 … Also had nine points (4-of-4 from the field), five rebounds and two assists in a win over North Carolina A&T on Feb. 18 … Contributed eight points in a win over Mid-Atlantic Christian (Nov. 8) and at Rider on Dec. 12 (season-high 4-of-4 from the free throw line) … Grabbed a season-high eight rebounds in a win over Hampton on Nov. 29 … Tied his career high with three blocks while adding five points, five rebounds and two assists in a win at UTEP on Dec. 21 … Set a new career high with three assists to go along with six points in a victory over Regent on Nov. 20.
At VMI (Senior Year – 2017-18)
Did not compete. Utilized redshirt season.
At VMI (Junior Year – 2016-17)
Saw the most playing time in his career … Played in 27 of 30 games, averaging 17.2 minutes a contest … Started the last 16 games of the year … Averaged 7.8 points and 3.5 rebounds per game … Shot 45.5 percent from the floor (85-of-187), including 20-of-50 from 3-point range (40.0 percent) … Also made 21-of-33 from the free throw line … Totaled 211 points, 95 rebounds, 23 blocks, 12 assists and nine steals … Hit double figures in scoring in nine of the last 15 games and in 11 games total on the year … Scored a career-high 23 points on 9-of-20 shooting with a career-high nine rebounds against Chattanooga on Feb. 15 … Hit 6-of-10 and tallied 15 points with four rebounds against The Citadel on Feb. 11 … Scored 13 points on 6-of-9 shooting in a win at Chattanooga on Jan. 25 … Scored 21 points at Wofford on Jan. 19, hitting 8-of-13 from the field with five rebounds … Totaled 15 points and six rebounds at Samford on Feb. 18 … Scored 13 points on 6-of-9 shooting at Chattanooga on Jan. 25 and then totaled 14 points, eight rebounds and two blocks in the next game against Samford on Jan. 28 … Also had eight rebounds with 11 points on Feb. 2 against East Tennessee State … Made first career start against Western Carolina on Jan. 12 and had seven points, four rebounds and career-high three blocks … Also had three blocks against Furman on Feb. 13 … Tallied 11 points (4-of-6 shooting), seven rebounds and two blocks in 16 minutes of action against East Tennessee State on Dec. 31, hitting 3-of-4 3-pointers … Duplicated the effort one week later at The Citadel with 11 points and seven rebounds.
At VMI (Sophomore Year – 2015-16)
Played in 17 games during the year … Averaged 1.8 points and 1.4 rebounds per game … Totaled 31 points, 24 rebounds, three steals, two assists and two blocks on the year … Competed in six of seven conference games in early-mid February, including 16 minutes against Chattanooga on Feb. 18 … Scored five points, grabbed three rebounds, and hit 3-of-4 free throws that day … Added a season-best six points with a season-high tying five rebounds against Central Penn on Dec. 2, playing in a season-high 21 minutes … Tallied five points at Western Carolina on Jan. 9 and hit 3-of-5 from the floor for six points at UNCG on January 17 … Totaled five points with season-high five rebounds against Tusculum on Nov. 17.
At VMI (Freshman Year – 2014-15)
Played in 15 games and averaged 5.5 minutes per contest … Averaged 2.5 points and 1.0 rebounds per game … Shot 16-of-44 from the floor (36.4 percent) … Totaled 37 points, 15 rebounds, six assists, six steals and five blocks on the year … Scored a season-high 14 points with four rebounds, three blocks, two assists and two steals against Mid-Atlantic Christian on Dec. 2, hitting 6-of-14 shots from the floor … Added 12 points and grabbed a season-high six rebounds against Johnson University on Nov. 18 … Had three rebounds versus West Virginia on Nov. 26 … Did not see action in games after February 3.
High School
Attended Genesis Academy in Lynchburg, Va. under coach James Simpkins … Posted 14.4 points, 7.1 rebounds and 2.0 steals per game and shot 58 percent from the floor as a senior … Led Genesis to a 17-12 overall record … Posted a double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds in the Bull City Classic Championship over Hillside on Nov. 30 … Hit 6-of-7 shots from the floor in the contest while also posting three assists, three steals and three blocks in the tournament final … Other top performances included 25 points and eight rebounds against Quality Education Academy on Dec. 17, and 23 points and 11 rebounds versus Charis Prep on Jan. 24.
Personal
Full name is Armani Nadir Branch … Born on Nov. 16, 1995 … First name is pronounced Ar-MAH-nee … Son of Lakesiah Branch and Kenneth Jeffries … Both his mother and father as well as his grandmother all went to NSU … Majoring in urban education/community counseling … Wants to pursue a professional career then go into sports analytics and coach basketball.
| CAREER HIGHS |
| Points |
23, vs. Chattanooga (2-15-17) * |
| FG Made |
9, vs. Chattanooga (2-15-17) * |
| FG Att. |
20, vs. Chattanooga (2-15-17) * |
| 3 Pt. FG Made |
3 (2x), last: vs. Samford (1-28-17) * |
| 3 Pt. FG Att. |
7, vs. Mid-Atlantic Christian (12-2-14) * |
| FT Made |
5, at Wofford (1-19-17) * |
| FT Att. |
6, at Wofford (1-19-17) * |
| Rebounds |
9, vs. Chattanooga (2-15-17) * |
| Assists |
3, Regent (11-20-18) |
| Steals |
2 (6x), last: at Coppin State (1-12-19) |
| Blocks |
3 (4x), last: at UTEP (12-21-18) |
| Minutes |
34, vs. Chattanooga (2-15-17) * |
Branch's Career Statistics
| YEAR |
GP-GS |
FGM-A |
PCT |
3PM-A |
PCT |
FTM-A |
PCT |
REB/AVG |
AST/AVG |
BLK/AVG |
STL/AVG |
PTS/AVG |
| 2014-15* |
15-0 |
16-44 |
.364 |
3-23 |
.130 |
2-7 |
.286 |
15/1.0 |
6/0.4 |
5/0.3 |
6/0.4 |
37/2.5 |
| 2015-16* |
17-0 |
10-39 |
.256 |
2-17 |
.118 |
9-14 |
.643 |
24/1.4 |
2/0.1 |
2/0.1 |
3/0.2 |
31/1.8 |
| 2016-17* |
27-16 |
85-187 |
.455 |
20-50 |
.400 |
21-33 |
.636 |
95/3.5 |
12/0.4 |
23/0.9 |
9/0.3 |
211/7.8 |
| 2018-19 |
34-2 |
55-127 |
.433 |
17-62 |
.274 |
21-29 |
.724 |
80/2.4 |
24/0.7 |
10/0.3 |
13/0.4 |
148/4.4 |
| Totals |
93-18 |
166-397 |
.418 |
42-152 |
.276 |
53-81 |
.654 |
214/2.3 |
44/0.5 |
40/0.4 |
31/0.3 |
427/4.6 |
* At VMI
