Courtesy SWAC.org
Thu, November 05, 2015
2014-15 Record and Finish: 11-21 (9-9 in SWAC), 6th in conference
Key Returners: Treshawn Bolden, Raeford Worsham, Kaven Bernard, Javeres Brent
Key Losses: Derrell Taylor
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – After a sixth-place finish in the conference last season, Jackson State looks to take a step forward in 2015-16, despite the preseason polls projecting results similar to last season’s outing for the Tigers.
JSU has other ideas, and with the Tigers bringing back virtually every key contributor from the 2014-15 squad, Wayne Brent is hoping to see his team make the leap in his third year on the sideline. He should have one of the more experienced teams in the conference, as injuries and lineup tweaks allowed for several players to get significant run on the court at times last season.
Treshawn Bolden returns for the Tigers, and if preseason predictions are any indication, the 6-foot-8 forward may be primed for a breakout year. Bolden was named to the preseason All-SWAC second team after a season where he averaged six points and four boards a night.
Bolden was one of two Tigers (the other being graduated senior Derrell Taylor) that started at least 20 games for Jackson State. Additionally, JSU is looking for names like Janarius Middleton and Altez Davis to emerge alongside Bolden and shore up a thin frontcourt that could give up some size to the larger teams on the schedule. To that end, perimeter play will be key for the Tigers, who loaded up on guards in their most recent signing haul.
Back in the fold for JSU are guards Raeford Worsham and Kaven Bernard. Worsham averaged 13.5 points and 7.9 boards a night, figures that would have put him in the top 10 leading scorers and rebounders in the league if not for an injury-shortened season. Bernard was a spark plug off the bench last season, finishing the year as the team’s second-leading scorer (10.6 points per game; 18th in the SWAC) despite not starting a single game.
Aside from Worsham and Bernard, however, Jackson State did not offer much of a scoring punch last season. The team shot a shade under 39 percent from the field (27 percent from three-point range), and Jackson State is looking for secondary contributions in hopes of effectively complementing what was the best scoring defense in the league in the 2014-15 campaign.
Newcomer Chace Franklin is expected to add some oomph to the Tigers offense, as are JUCO signees Haudrick Hilaire, Paris Collins and Deshawn Munson. Brent believes all three can contribute this year, and likened Munson to Worsham in terms of size and athletic ability. Another new face that may warrant watching in the future is signee Marcus Love, but he is likely to be red-shirted this year.
The Tigers, who are set to suit up 11 juniors this year, open their season at Oregon on Nov. 13.
Posted By: How May I Help You NC
Thursday, November 5th 2015 at 5:25PM
You can also
click
here to view all posts by this author...
