By Lewis Kendall
The annual Shriners Children’s Charleston Classic is set to return to the Holy City Nov. 17, 18 and 20. In its 14th year, the early season tournament hosted by ESPN fea tures a Carolinas-heavy lineup, with Furman, South Carolina, Davidson and the College of Charleston joining Penn State, Old Dominion, Virginia Tech and Colorado State in the three-day event.
The 12 game-tournament will be played at College of Charleston’s TD Arena. Tickets are still available and can be purchased online or by calling the College of Charleston ticket office.
The Classic is sponsored by Shriners Hospitals for Children, the health care arm of Shriners International, a Masonic frater nity with nearly 200,000 mem bers around the world. Founded in 1922, Shriners Hospitals boast a handful of public facilities across North America, including a hospital in Greenville, that specialize in pediatric orthopedic conditions, burns, spinal cord injuries and treatment of cleft lips and palates.
Following an absence from last year’s Classic field, the College of Charleston Cougars are looking forward to getting into the early season action in their own back yard, said second-year head coach Pat Kelsey.
“It’s great for the college and
great for Charleston and great for col lege basketball,” Kelsey said. “We’re really excited to be a part of it.
“Around college basketball, there’s such a respect for the tournament because it’s so well-run and there are so many high level programs that come here,” he added. “And it showcases one of the best cities in the country in Charleston, South Carolina.”
This year’s slate of teams includes the 2018 Classic winner Virginia Tech, as well as Colorado State, which nabbed a 6th-seed in last year’s NCAA tournament.
The Hokies, ESPN’s “team to beat” for the Classic, return with several key players from a team that won the ACC tournament in 2021, beating the University of North Carolina and Duke along the way.
Look out for South Carolina, too Mount Pleasant resident and longtime ESPN announcer and analyst Debbie Antonelli, who will be calling the tourna ment for the fourth time, said that there are several intriguing storylines she’s looking out for, including getting a look at South Carolina star recruit G.G. Jackson.
“The field is explosive, dynamic and has NCAA tournament teams,” said Antonelli, who has been calling games for 35 years. “This is where you find out about the grit of your guys.”
Along with Jackson, Antonelli said she’s looking forward to how first-year head coach Lamont Paris gets on at South Carolina. Paris, 47, is the first African American head coach in the history of the Gamecock men’s basketball program. He comes to USC after a five-year stint as the head coach at University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, where last year he led the Mocs to their first Southern Conference title and NCAA berth since 2016.
Tournament brings strong field, excitement from 2021 After a hiatus due to the Covid pandemic, the 2021 tournament was one for the ages, culminating with a win for St. Bonaventure
— who eventually went on to the semifinals of NIT. According to Antonelli, last year’s high quality of basketball and infectious energy helped ramp up the expectations and anticipation for this year’s tournament.
“I haven’t seen that much excitement since [LSU grad and current Brooklyn Net] Ben Simmons was a freshman,” she said of the 2021 Classic. “I can see this tourna ment has gained a repu tation. Based on what St. Bonaventure did last year, they set the bar really high.”
This year’s field is strong across the board, she added, including former Classic winner Virginia Tech, and these early season tournaments can offer teams a chance for a quality non-conference
“You don’t know the opponents as well. Can you handle halftime adjustments and things like that?”
Antonelli said. “This is where you start to learn about your team.”
Antonelli also emphasized the impor tance of having a philanthropic title sponsor like the Shriners Hospitals for Children.
“The Shriners element is so important to bringing awareness and raising funds,” she said.
And with TD Arena as the venue and downtown Charleston providing the
backdrop, there could be no better way to kick off the beginning of another year of high-quality college hoops, Antonelli said.
“We’re so fortunate to have a great field and a great setting,” she said. “You can roll right out of the arena and onto King Street. It’s beautiful and I’m really excited.”
Ahead of an action-packed three-day tournament, ESPN lays out background on the eight teams set to go head to head. In alphabetical order:
Charleston - Despite returning few players last season, the Cougars were led to a 17-15 record by first-year head coachPat Kelsey. Sophomore Australian guard Reyne Smith (12.1 PPG), will provide a key spark for a team with NCAA tournament hopes.
Colorado State - After an early exit in the 2022 NCAA tournament, Colorado State brings a well-rounded recruiting class to fill the void left by first round draft pick David Roddy, who averaged nearly 20 points per game for the Rams.
Davidson - The Wildcats lost two of their top three scorers from last season, as well as their coach Bob McKillop, to retire ment. But his son, new head coach Matt McKillop, still boasts Foster Loyer (16.1 PPG) as a versatile weapon that will cause problems for defenses.
Furman - Following an impressive 22-12 record, the Paladins will look to build on their success in the Southern Conference, returning several seniors including point guard Mike Bothwell (15.7 PPG).
Old Dominion - With an almost com pletely fresh roster, coach Jeff Jones is hoping recruits like forward Ben Stanley and wing Tyreek Scott-Grayson will help push the Lions to success.
Penn State - After a disappointing 11-14 record last year, the Nittany Lions will hope to bounce back with help from Drexel transfer Camren Wynter, who earned firstteam All-CAA honors last season while averaging 15.8 points and 5.3 rebounds per game.
South Carolina - The Gamecocks are a must-watch program this season after landing lauded recruit G.G. Jackson, a power forward ranked 6th in ESPN’s 2022 draft class. New head coach Lamont Paris will hope for a strong showing in the team’s home state.
Virginia Tech - ESPN’s “team to beat” for the tournament has gone through a bit of roster turnover, losing starters Keve Aluma and Nahiem Alleyne. However, Wright State transfer Grant Basile (18.4 PPG, 8.5 RPG, 1.6 BPG), is set to add a scoring touch to Mike Young’s team.
For tickets, visit espnevents.com/charlestonclassic/tickets or call (843) 953-2632.
Shriners Hospitals for Children returns as this year’s main sponsor for the Charleston Classic college basketball tournament. The hospitals are the health care system arm of Shriners International, a Masonic fraternity with nearly 200,000 members around the world.
Founded in 1922, Shriners Hospitals boast a handful of public facilities across North America, including a hospital in Greenville, that specialize in pediatric ortho pedic conditions, burns, spinal cord injuries and treating cleft lips and palates. The hospitals started as a way to treat polio and have grown their treatment areas since.
The Shriners got into the game of sponsoring sports tournaments early on, beginning with the organization’s support of the East-West Shrine Bowl, the longest running college all-star football game in the nation, started in 1925. It has since expanded its sponsorships to golf, college baseball and even NASCAR events, all in the name of awareness of the organization’s charitable work.
“The community couldn’t be any more excited than they are,” said Kenny Skipper, a North Charleston city councilman and Shriners International board member. “We’re really looking forward to the tournament.”
A graduate of The Citadel, Skipper said he loves how the Classic pits regional teams against each other in his backyard, not far from the local Omar Shrine Temple in Mount Pleasant where he often meets other Shriners.
On Nov. 20, Shriners will have a special fundraiser with coaches at Omar Shrine Temple, with proceeds going directly to Shriners Hospitals.
The organization is set to sponsor the tournament for the next three years.
Learn more at shrinerschildrens.org/en/news-and-media/ events/2022/charleston-classic-2022.
community couldn’t be any more excited than they are, we’re really looking forward to the tournament.”
—Kenny Skipper
Sunday,
Friday, Nov.
Thursday, Nov.
Friday, Nov.
at
Thursday, Nov.
Thursday,
Thursday,
Sunday,
17 at 11:30 a.m.
Nov. 17 at 2 p.m.*
Friday, Nov. 18 at 12 p.m.
Nov. 17 at 5 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 18 at 5 p.m.
Sunday, Nov. 20 at 3:30 p.m.
Nov. 17 at 7 p.m.*
the bottom of each match-up. the conclusion of the preceding game.
by calling the College of Charleston ticket office at (843) 953-COFC [2632].
Sunday, Nov. 20 at 12:30/6 p.m.
No. Name Pos. Ht. Wt. Yr. Hometown (Previous School)
0 Jordan Crawford G 6-2 Fr. Charlotte, N.C.
1 Evan Kilminster G 6-1 Fr. Newcastle, Australia
2 Reyne Smith G 6-2 So. Ulverstone, Australia
3 Dalton Bolon G 6-4 Gr. Gnadenhutten, Ohio (West Liberty)
4 Khalil London G 6-3 Fr. Wyandanch, N.Y.
5 Raekwon Horton F 6-6 So. Santee, S.C.
10 Ante Brzovic F 6-10 So. Zagreb, Croatia (Southeastern Oklahoma St.)
11 Ryan Larson G 6-1 Gr. St. Paul, Minn. (Wofford)
15 Pat Robinson III G 6-3 Gr. Chesterfield, New Jersey (West Liberty)
21 Jaylon Scott G 6-5 Gr. Allen, Texas (Bethel)
25 Ben Burnham F 6-7 So. Fort Mill, S.C.
31 Jack Miller G 5-11 So. Ocean Township, New Jersey
35 Babacar Faye F 6-8 So. Saly, Senegal
40 Frankie Idlett G 6-0 Fr. Miami, Florida
41 Spencer Legg F 6-6 Fr. Washington, D.C.
42 Charles Lampten F 6-11 Sr. Roanoke, Texas (Dawson CC)
45 Dylan Ritter G 6-1 So. Zionsville, Indiana
50 Adam Comer G 6-9 So. Spartanburg, S.C.
Head Coach: Pat Kelsey
Assistant Coaches: Brian Kloman, Michael Cassidy, Thomas Carr
No Name Pos. Ht. Wt. Yr. Exp. Hometown (Previous School)
0 Trace Young G 6-3 180 Jr. 2L Austin, Texas (Dripping Springs HS)
1 John Tonje G 6-5 210 Sr. 3L Omaha, Neb. (Omaha Central HS)
2 Taviontae (Tavi) Jackson G 6-2 165 Fr. HS Las Vegas, Nev. (Las Vegas HS)
3 Josiah Strong G 6-4 195 Gr. TR Brooklyn Park, Minn. (Illinois State)
4 Isaiah Stevens G 6-0 185 Sr. 3L Allen, Texas (Allen HS)
5 Baylor Hebb G 6-2 180 Jr. 1L Colleyville, Texas (Loyola Chicago)
10 James Moors F/C 6-10 260 R-Jr. 2L Auckland, New Zealand (Westlake Boys HS)
11 Jack Payne G 6-6 195 Fr. HS Boise, Idaho (Owyhee HS)
12 Patrick Cartier F 6-8 220 Gr. TR Brookfield, Wis. (Hillsdale (MI) College)
14 Luke Murphy G 6-2 170 Fr. HS Calabasas, Calif. (Southern California Academy)
15 Jalen Lake G 6-4 190 So. 1L Waxahachie, Texas (Waxahachie HS)
20 Joe Palmer G 6-4 190 Sr. TR Faribault, Minn. (Faribault HS/Augsburg)
22 Nick Bassett F 6-5 205 Sr. 1L Colorado Springs, Colo. (Neb. Wesleyan)
23 Isaiah Rivera G 6-5 210 Jr. 2L Geneseo, Ill. (Geneseo HS)
35 Jacob Jennissen C 7-1 240 Jr. 1L Sauk Centre, Minn. (Sauk Centre HS)
Head Coach: Niko Medved
Assistant Coaches: Ali Farokhmanesh, Brian Cooley, Sam Jones
Despite returning few players last season, the Cougars were led to a 17-15 record by first-year head coachPat Kelsey. Sophomore Australian guard Reyne Smith (12.1 PPG), will provide a key spark for a team with NCAA tournament hopes.
After an early exit in the 2022 NCAA tournament, Colorado State brings a wellrounded recruiting class to fill the void left by first round draft pick David Roddy, who averaged nearly 20 points per game for the Rams.
No. Name Pos. Ht. Wt. Cl. Hometown/High School/Previous School
0 Foster Loyer G 6-0 175 Sr. Clarkston, Mich. / Clarkston / Michigan St.
1 Reed Bailey G 6-11 210 Fr. Harvard, Mass. / Brewster Academy
3 Sam Mennenga F 6-9 240 R-Jr. Auckland, New Zealand / Westlake Boys
4 Desmond Watson G/F 6-5 205 So. Columbus, Ohio / St. Francis DeSales
5 Grant Huffman G 6-3 185 Jr. Aurora, Ohio / St. Edward’s
15 Sean Logan F 6-10 205 Fr. Westfield, N.J. / Westfield
20 Achile Spadone G 6-4 185 Fr. Geneva, Switzerland / Isberne
22 Riccardo Ghedini G 6-7 200 R-Fr. Milano, Italy / Collegio San Carlo
23 Connor Kochera G 6-5 200 Jr. Arlington Hts, Ill. / Saint Viator / William & Mary
24 Michael Katsock G/F 6-6 205 So. Washington, D.C. / St. Alban’s
34 Styrmir Thrastarson G/F 6-7 210 So. Reykjavik, Iceland / Sudurland College
42 David Skogman F 6-10 235 R-Jr. Waukesha, Wisc. / Waukesha / Buffalo
50 Joe Thomson F 6-7 220 Fr. Sunderland, Mass. / Frontier
51 Brock Matheny G 5-10 155 Fr. Davidson, N.C. / Burlington Christian Academy
55 Chris Sosnik G 6-2 180 Jr. Washington, D.C. / St. Albans School
Head Coach: Matt McKillop
Assistant Coaches: Will Reigel, Matt Matheny, Joshua Heyliger
The Wildcats lost two of their top three scorers from last season, as well as their coach Bob McKillop, to retirement. But his son, new head coach Matt McKillop, still boasts Foster Loyer (16.1 PPG) as a versatile weapon that will cause problems for defenses.
No. Name Pos. Ht. Wt. Yr. Hometown/Previous School
0 Blake Harris G 6-0 180 Jr. Greenville, S.C./J.L. Mann H.S.
1 JP Pegues G 6-1 180 So. Nashville, Tenn./Hillsboro H.S.
2 Davis Molnar F 6-6 215 Fr. Fayetteville, N.C./Terry Sanford H.S.
3 Mike Bothwell G 6-3 195 5th Yr. Cleveland Heights, Ohio/Cornerstone Christian
4 Ben VanderWal G/F 6-7 210 Fr. Elmhurst, Ill./Timothy Christian H.S.
5 Marcus Foster G 6-4 200 R-Jr. Atlanta, Ga./Drew Charter H.S.
11 Carter Whitt G 6-3 185 So. Raleigh, N.C./Wake Forest
12 Jonny Lawrence F 6-10 200 R-Jr. Orlando, Fla./Lake Howell H.S.
13 Garrett Hien F 6-9 215 Jr. Charlotte, N.C./Concord First Assembly
14 Rett Lister G 6-1 170 Sr. Easley, S.C./Easley H.S.
15 Tyrese Hughey F 6-6 220 So. Columbus, Ohio/Worthington H.S.
20 Jalen Slawson F 6-7 215 5th Yr. Summerville, S.C./Pinewood Prep
22 Joe Anderson G 6-0 175 Jr. Maryville, Tenn./Maryville H.S.
24 Alex Williams F 6-5 235 So. Xenia, Ohio/Archbishop Moeller H.S.
35 James Repass F 6-10 250 So. Jacksonville, Fla./Providence School
Following an impressive 22-12 record, the Paladins will look to build on their success in the Southern Conference, returning several seniors including point guard Mike Bothwell (15.7 PPG).
No. Name Pos. Ht. Wt. Yr. Hometown/Previous School
0 Mekhi Long G 6-7 200 Jr. Bryans Road, Md. / Rhode Island
1 Jason Wade G 6-4 244 Jr. Richmond, Va. / Trinity Episcopal HS
2 Chaunce Jenkins G 6-4 175 So. Newport News, Va. / Wichita State
3 Imo Essien G 5-11 170 So. Wylie, Texas / Bishop Lynch HS
4 Jadin Johnson G 6-3 180 Fr. Omaha, Neb. / Millard North HS
10 D’Angelo Stines G 6-2 180 So. Columbia, Md. / Mount St. Joseph HS
11 Tyreek Scott-Grayson G 6-5 180 Sr. Brick, N.J. / Northeastern
12 Ben Stanley F 6-7 235 Sr. Baltimore, Md. /Xavier
13 P.J. Gill G 5-11 150 Sr. Virginia Beach, Va. / Johnson & Wales (NC)
15 Tre Brown G 6-1 165 Sr. Tacoma, Wash. / Drexel
22 Charles Smith IV G 6-5 185 Jr. Atlanta, Ga. / Southern Methodist
23 Dericko Williams F 6-7 222 Jr. Kinston, N.C. / Tallahassee CC
25 Faizon Fields F 6-10 225 So. Memphis, Tenn. / Chipola
30 Cooper Jones G 6-1 163 Fr. Williamsburg, Va. / Walsingham Academy
55 Bryce Baker G 6-5 190 Fr. Mooresville, N.C. / Combine Academy
Head Coach: Jeff Jones
Assistant Coaches: Chris Kovensky, Jamal Robinson, Jordan Brooks
With an almost completely fresh roster, coach Jeff Jones is hoping recruits like forward Ben Stanley and wing Tyreek Scott-Grayson will help push the Lions to success.
No. Name Pos. Yr. Ht. Wt. Hometown/High School/Previous School
0 Kanye Clary G Fr. 5-11 192 Virginia Beach, Va./Massanutten Military Academy
1 Seth Lundy G/F Sr. 6-6 220 Paulsboro, N.J./Roman Catholic (Pa.)
2 Myles Dread G/F Sr.+ 6-4 235 Detroit, Mich./Gonzaga (Washington D.C.)
3 Kebba Njie F Fr. 6-10 237 Centerville, Ohio/La Lumiere (Ind.)
4 Caleb Dorsey F Jr. 6-7 235 Westminster, Md./The Hill School (Pa.)
5 Jameel Brown G Fr. 6-4 188 Philadelphia, Pa./Westtown School
10 Andrew Funk G Sr.+ 6-5 200 Warrington, Pa./Archbishop Wood/Bucknell
11 Camren Wynter G Sr.+ 6-2 200 Hempstead, N.Y./Holy Trinity/Drexel
12 Evan Mahaffey G/F Fr. 6-6 200 Cincinnati, Ohio/Archbishop Moeller
14 Demetrius Lilley F Fr. 6-10 260 Philadelphia, Pa./Lower Merion
15 Dan Conlan G Sr. 6-4 186 Sewickley, Pa./Quaker Valley/Dickinson
22 Jalen Pickett G Sr.+ 6-4 209 Rochester, N.Y./Aquinas/SPIRE/Siena
23 Dallion Johnson G Jr. 6-3 180 Haverhill, Mass./Phillips Academy
24 Michael Henn F Sr.+ 6-8 244 Bellevue, Wash./Bellevue/Denver
33 Andy Christos G Jr. 6-5 186 Madison, N.J./Madison
35 Ishaan Jagiasi G Sr. 6-1 197 Wilmington, Del./Huntington Prep (W. Va.)
Head Coach: Micah Shrewsberry
Associate Head Coach: Adam Fisher Assistant Coaches: Aki Collins, Mike Farrelly
After a disappointing 11-14 record last year, the Nittany Lions hope to bounce back with help from Drexel transfer Camren Wynter, who earned first-team All-CAA honors last season while averaging 15.8 points and 5.3 rebounds per game.
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No. Name
Pos. Ht. Wt. Cl. Exp. Hometown / Last School
0 Ebrima Dibba G 6-5 214 RSR TR Bredäng, Sweden / Coastal Carolina
1 Jacobi Wright G 6-2 188 SO 1L Fort Mill, S.C. / Legacy Early College
2 Chico Carter Jr. G 6-2 192 SR 3L Columbia, S.C. / Murray State
4 Tre-Vaughn Minott F 6-8 258 JR 2L Montreal, Quebec /
5 Meechie Johnson G 6-2 180 JR TR Cleveland, Ohio / Ohio State
10 Hayden Brown F 6-5 234 GR TR Greer, S.C. / The Citadel
12 Zachary Davis G 6-7 190 FR HS Denmark, S.C. / Denmark-Olar
14 Eli Sparkman G 6-0 153 FR HS Cleveland, Tenn. / Baylor School
21 Ja’Von Benson F 6-7 253 JR 2L Columbia, S.C. / Ridge View
23 Gregory “GG” Jackson F 6-9 215 FR HS Columbia, S.C. / Ridge View
30 Daniel-Hankins Sanford F 6-7 233 FR HS Charlotte, N.C. / Julius L. Chambers
31 Benjamin Bosmans-Verdonk F 6-9 250 R JR TR Lommel, Belgium / Illinois
33 Josh Gray F 7-0 255 JR 1L Brooklyn, N.Y. / LSU
44 Ford Cooper Jr. G 6-3 193 SR 1L Charlotte, N.C. // Missouri State
Head Coach: Lamont Paris
Assistant Coaches: Tim Buckley, Tanner Bronson, Eddie Shannon
The Gamecocks are a must-watch program this season after landing lauded recruit G.G. Jackson, a power forward ranked 6th in ESPN’s 2022 draft class. New head coach Lamont Paris will hope for a strong showing in the team’s home state.
No. Name Pos. Ht. Wt. Yr. Hometown/High School/Previous School
0 Hunter Cattoor G 6-3 200 Sr. Orlando, Fla./Bishop Moore
1 Rodney Rice G 6-4 195 Fr. Clinton, Md./DeMatha Catholic
2 MJ Collins G 6-4 190 Fr. Clover, S.C./Combine Academy
3 Sean Pedulla G 6-1 195 So. Edmond, Okla./Edmond Memorial
4 Darren Buchanan Jr. F 6-7 235 Fr. Washington, D.C./Woodrow Wilson
5 Patrick Wessler C 7-0 245 Fr. Matthews, N.C./Combine Academy
10 Camden Johnson* G 6-1 185 So. Waxhaw, N.C./Metrolina Christian Academy
11 John Camden F 6-8 215 r-Fr. Downingtown, Pa./Brewster Academy
13 Darius Maddox G 6-5 180 Jr. Bowie, Md./Oak Hill Academy
14 Owyn Dawyot* G 6-2 190 Fr. Roanoke, Va./Cave Spring
15 Lynn Kidd C 6-10 235 Jr. Gainesville, Fla./IMG Academy/Clemson
21 Grant Basile F 6-9 235 Gr. Pewaukee, Wis./Pewaukee/Wright State
25 Justyn Mutts F 6-7 220 Gr. Millville, N.J./St. Augustine Prep/Delaware
33 Michael Ward* G 6-2 175 Fr. Bethesda, Md./Walt Whitman
34 Mylyjael Poteat F 6-9 265 Jr. Reidsville, N.C./The Burlington School/Rice
Head Coach: Mike Young
Head Coach: Mike Jones
Coaches: Christian Webster, Kevin Giltner
This year’s Charleston Classic will offer a different flavor than past years as ESPN showcases four teams from colleges and universities in the Carolinas.
“It’s cool to have three Palmetto State teams in it,” CofC head coach Pat Kelsey said. “It puts our city and state in a spotlight that the nation can see.”
Following an upand-down season that saw the Cougars narrowly miss a trip to the Colonial Athletic Conference tourna ment champion ship game, head coach Pat Kelsey is looking to continue building in his second year.
Kelsey came to the program with an impressive resume. The fifth all-time win ningest coach in the history of the Big South Conference, he averaged nearly 21 wins a season over the last nine years with an uptempo Winthrop University team, including a handful of conference titles. And now, his Charleston team is starting to take shape, buoyed by the play of rising sopho mores Reyne Smith and Ben Burnham, who started their careers with impressive stat lines in a challenging opening game against eventual NCAA tournament finalist UNC-CH last year.
“It speaks to the caliber of players they are that they can go on a big stage like that and produce,” Kelsey told the City Paper. “They were huge for us as freshmen and we’re going to look to them to step up again this year.”
Guard Dalton Bolon’s return after redshirting last season due to a foot injury will also provide a massive boost for the Cougars, as well as the introduction of three graduate transfers, including former Wofford starting point guard Ryan Larson.
“You sprinkle in those older guys that
have been very successful at the college level with the group we have coming back, and I really like the makeup,” Kelsey said.
But true to form, Kelsey isn’t getting too ahead of himself, focusing on the team’s opening game against Chattanooga on Nov. 7.
“Every day, we harp on our commitment to the next thing,” he said. “We try to be elite in the process. The results will take care of them selves if you do that.”
Eyes across the Carolinas will turn Nov. 8 to South Carolina when USC takes on South Carolina State. The match will feature the debut of high school phenom G.G. Jackson, the No. 1 player from the 2023 class according to 247Sports who reclassified to play college ball this year. The 6’9”, 210-pound
Jackson averaged 22.1 points and 10.9 rebounds per game and earned South Carolina’s Gatorade Player of the Year honors as a junior at Ridge View High School in Columbia.
Also new to the team for the Gamecocks is first-year head coach Lamont Paris. A former longtime Wisconsin assistant, Paris comes after a five-year stint with Chattanooga, which culminated in an NCAA tournament appearance last year. Paris also gained experi ence under Bo Ryan at Wisconsin, and was part of the Badgers’ team that made it to the NCAA championship game in 2015.
Although Jackson will bring guaranteed dynamism, Paris has his work cut out for him. The Gamecocks lost the vast majority of its scoring from last season, including Jermaine Couisnard, Erik Stevenson and James Reese, all of whom averaged double-digit points per game.
The reigning cham pions of the Atlantic 10 conference also return this season with a fresh face at the helm. Coach Bob McKillop retired after a 33-year run, handing the reins over to his son, Matt McKillop. After starting 1-2 last season, the Wildcats went on an impressive 15-game winning streak, including a victory over a ranked Alabama team, and made it into the NCAA tournament.
Like Paris, McKillop has a tricky job on his hands. The Wildcats lost two of their top three scorers from last season and will have to rely on the scoring provided by Foster Loyer (16.1 PPG) as well as Sam Mennenga (8.4 PPG and 5.3 RPG).
Returning senior point guard Mike Bothwell (15.7 PPG) will lead the Furman Paladins following an impressive 22-12 record last season.
Coached by Bob Richey, now in his 12th season with the team, Furman will look to build another strong run in the Southern Conference.
A native of Florence, Richey has taken the Paladins to an 111-46 overall record and 63-24 mark in Southern Conference, including four straight 20-win seasons for the first time in school history. Richey graduated from Florence Christian School, where he led the basketball team to a 28-2 record and state championship his senior year. He was named the 3A State player of the year.
