OUTLOOK: The Alabama State Hornets posted one of their best seasons in school
history by claiming the SWAC regular season and Conference Tournament titles,
while earning a spot in the NCAA Tournament. However, the Hornets did not last
long in the Big Dance, losing to Morehead State in the play-in game.
Jackson State nipped at the heels of Alabama State throughout the season,
posting a 15-3 conference ledger, but Tigers fell just short too many times
last year. Prairie View A&M and Arkansas-Pine Bluff also finished with above
.500 records in league play, but the other remaining teams did not enjoy
similar success.
This season the Tigers look like they might be able to erase last year's
memories of losing to Alabama State in the tournament final. With a strong
group of talent returning, Jackson State should be able to reach its fourth
consecutive SWAC Tournament final, with the tools to win this time around.
Alabama State still has some talent on its roster, but the team that could
give Jackson State the most problems is Arkansas-Pine Bluff. Last year the
Golden Lions posted their first-ever winning ledger in league action, and with
all five starters returning, there is a strong chance Arkansas-Pine Bluff will
be even better this time around. Making this a four team race for the top spot
in the conference will be the Panthers of Prairie View A&M, as they return
depth in the backcourt frontcourt. The Panthers were dangerous offensively
last season, and if the team can continue its strong play, look for the
Panthers to make some waves this year as well.
Alabama A&M and Alcorn State will need a few things to bounce their way if
they want to perform higher than a .500 club, while Mississippi Valley State,
Grambling State. Texas Southern, and Southern should struggle to keep up with
the rest of the conference.
CONFERENCE CHAMPION: Jackson State
PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH: 1. Jackson State, 2. Arkansas-Pine Bluff, 3.
Alabama State, 4. Prairie View A&M, 5. Alabama A&M, 6. Alcorn State, 7.
Grambling State, 8. Mississippi Valley State, 9. Texas Southern, 10. Southern.
TEAM BY TEAM ANALYSIS:
JACKSON STATE: The Tigers have played in the last three SWAC Tournament
finals, and there is plenty of reasons why this team can return to the same
spot, but this time, prevail as the league's top team. The main reason is
forward Grant Maxey, who last year finished second in the league in scoring
with 16.4 ppg, and also led Jackson State with 6.7 rpg, 52 steals and 29
blocks. Oliver Jefferson will likely see a jump in playing time, as the
sophomore center should give Maxey some much needed help in the paint.
However, do not be surprised if 6-10 freshman Raymond Gregory finds himself
thrown into the mix early, giving the Tigers a formidable frontcourt. Running
the show on the floor will be Rod Melvin, who did a tremendous job as the
team's floor general a year ago, averaging a team-best 3.4 apg. Melvin
however, averaged less than 5.0 ppg, and will need to become more of a scorer
from the perimeter. Garrison Johnson will likely be in the backcourt along
with Melvin, and after posting 10.7 ppg last season, the senior guard could be
ready to break out in his senior campaign. All in all there is a large amount
of talent on this roster, and barring any major injury, the Tigers should be
the team to beat this year.
ARKANSAS-PINE BLUFF: Last season the Golden Lions posted their first ever
winning ledger in conference play (11-7). It was a successful first year for
coach for George Ivory, but now the team's leader is looking to push his squad
even further. The pressure is on the Golden Lions to perform, but with all
five starters back in the mix, this veteran group should be able to answer the
call. The Golden Lions possess a three-headed monster in the backcourt that
begins with Terrance Calvin. The 6-2 guard did everything for Arkansas-Pine
Bluff last season, averaging a team-best 12.0 ppg, to go along with team-highs
in rebounds (5.5 rpg) and assists (105). However, for Calvin to be truly
dangerous this year, he will have to improve on his 38.6 percent shooting
average. Tavaris Washington and Savalance Townsend will join Calvin in the
backcourt once again, but both players need to improve in certain areas. As
for Washington, he posted a modest 6.8 ppg, but he was a turnover waiting to
happen, finishing the year with 104. While Washington needs to have more ball
control, Townsend needs to improve his shot selection, at 37.7 last season.
Returning in the frontcourt is Lebaron Weathers and Tyree Glass. Glass is the
better scorer of the two, averaging 8.3 ppg a year ago, while Weathers does
the dirty work in the post, which is attacking the boards and playing hard-
nosed defense. With a group of experienced players, the Golden Lions could
take another step forward this season.
ALABAMA STATE: The Hornets posted an outstanding season last year,
corralling 22 victories, along with making a trip to the Big Dance. The team
might find it a tad harder to achieve that this year with the loss of some key
components. However, the cupboard is not bare at Alabama State, and there is
some talent on the roster that can help lead ASU to its third straight regular
season title. The strength of this year's team rests in the frontcourt, as
Chris Duncan and Byron Walker will try to provide a boost with solid defense
and hard work on the glass. Look for freshman newcomer Adrian Spellman to get
some early playing time as well. The 6-8 forward weighs in at 270, and could
be a dominating force in the paint for coach Lewis Jackson. Running the show
on the floor will be A.J. Spencer, who has tremendous floor vision and a knack
for getting to the rim. Sophomores Sekani Milligen and Jeffery Middlebrooks
will see a sharp increase in playing time, while combo guard Tremaine Butler
gives coach Jackson a solid option off the bench. Recording a third straight
regular season title could be tough, but look for the Hornets to still have
some sting left.
PRAIRIE VIEW A&M: The Panthers were dangerous offensively this past season,
and with the return of the best guard/forward combo in the conference, Prairie
View A&M looks to be scary once again. The guard in that combo is Christopher
Jones, and he is coming off a solid junior campaign in which he averaged 9.1
ppg, to go along with a team-best 153 assists (4.1 apg). Joining Jones in the
backcourt will likely be Michael Griffin, who averaged 9.6 ppg as a freshman.
The athletic guard is capable of catching fire with his shot, but as of now he
is far too inconsistent and will have to improve on his 38.8 percent effort
from a year ago. The forward causing all the commotion in the paint for the
Panthers is senior Darnell Hugee. Hugee is an animal on the glass, averaging
7.3 rpg a year ago, but the big forward can also put the ball in the basket,
averaging 12.0 ppg, while shooting 47.2 percent as a junior. Tarrence Garrison
and Dorian McDaniel should contribute in the paint as well for the Panthers,
taking pressure off of Hugee. Look for freshmen newcomers Michael Webb and
Cortney Bell to get some early playing time. Scoring points will not be the
problem for this unit, but stopping the opposition from lighting up the
scoreboard may be an issue.
ALABAMA A&M: The Bulldogs were only strong enough for eight wins a year
ago, and while there is some talent for Vann Pettaway to work with, there
might not be much of an improvement from last season. Cornelius Hester comes
into the season as the team's top option in the backcourt after averaging 12.0
ppg a year ago. However, his 34.7 percent shooting effort was laughable and
will need to increase drastically for him to be a legitimate threat. Desmond
Jackson only started four games last season, but the guard should land in the
starting position at guard. To stay there though he will also have to prove he
is consistent from the field (28.9 percent shooting last year). The most
explosive player on this squad might be Casey Cantey, who at 6-5 can play
either the guard or forward position. Cantey posted 8.4 ppg last season as a
freshman and could be primed for a huge breakout this year. What hurt the
Bulldogs a year ago was their inability to battle on the glass, so coach
Pettaway is hoping that 6-10 center Alfred Frayer and 6-8 freshman forward
Adam Young can remedy that problem.
ALCORN STATE: The Braves dropped 25 games a year ago, so there is really no
where but up for this year's squad. The team does return a key offensive
components in Jonathan Boyd, who gives Alcorn State a much needed long range
threat. The guard buried 40.3 percent of his three-point attempts last season,
and will be looked upon to lead this team offensively. Derrick Blackwell will
likely pace the team on the floor, but look for freshman point guard Stedmond
Hurdle to also see time. JaMarkus Holt will likely be the headliner in the
frontcourt for the Braves, as the center gives the team a dominating presence
in the middle of the floor. However, the big man will have to get involved
much more this season for Alcorn State to enjoy success, hopefully improving
on his 6.3 ppg and 4.3 rpg averages from a year ago. There is not much else
for coach Larry Smith to work with in the post, so look for one of the three
freshmen forwards to stake claim to a starting role. Michael Martin could be
the best of the bunch, as the 6-8 forward is an explosive player that can
dominate the glass and get to the hoop at will.
GRAMBLING STATE: It was a rough first year for coach Rick Duckett, as his
Tigers stumbled through a 23-loss campaign. There are a few solid players on
the roster for Grambling State this season, so there could be a slight
improvement, but do not expect much. Ariece Perkins will be the player with
the ball in his hands most of the time, as the guard is not only a sensational
floor general (108 assists), but is also a dangerous scoring threat (team-high
11.3 ppg). Phillip Duckett and Donald Qualls will also see plenty of time in
the backcourt, while freshman Terdarin Bryson could become an explosive, game-
changing option off the bench. The frontcourt is where the Tigers will
definitely struggle this season, as the team currently has just three true
forwards on the roster. Seniors George Akpele and Maurice Wilkerson will have
to handle the brunt of the work down low, while freshman Allan Saint-Gelais
will likely be thrown right into the fire.
MISSISSIPPI VALLEY STATE: The Delta Devils suffered through a long season
in which the team dropped 25 games. With the lack of success coach Sean Woods
went out and brought in a crop of solid junior college transfers, beginning
with Michael Mayo, who is a dangerous threat from behind the arc. Mayo can be
a devastating scorer if left open and he will be a nice complement to Tashan
Newsome and Julius Cheeks in the backcourt. In the paint, the Delta Devils
return Shannon Behling, who averaged 10.4 ppg and 5.3 rpg last year. Freshman
newcomer Ricky Lamb will likely join Behling down low, but Lamb only stands at
6-6, so expect the young forward to play more around the perimeter, while
driving to the basket with his quick first step. As mentioned earlier there
are plenty of new faces on Mississippi Valley State's squad, but even with a
revamped roster, the Delta Devils will most likely remain near the bottom in
the standings.
TEXAS SOUTHERN: The Tigers dealt with a slew of problems last season, which
is why the team dropped 25 decisions. This year the team does not look to be
much better, even with the return of the top scorer from last season in
DeAndre Hall. Hall posted 13.8 ppg a year ago, and shot a healthy 44.8 percent
from the field, but the guard is going to need help if he wants to be truly
successful this year. Other than Hall there is not much for coach Tony Harvey
to work with in the backcourt, so expect the Tigers to use a rotation at guard
until someone steps up and earns a starting spot. Ricky Boyles is the top
returning option in the paint for Texas Southern, as the forward is coming off
a season in which he posted 7.5 ppg and 5.0 rpg. Senior forward Onyekautukwu
Abiakam should see a bump in playing time after only participating in 14 games
a year ago. Also look for 6-11 forward Timothy Price to be on the floor often,
giving the team a dangerous defensive presence in the frontcourt.
SOUTHERN: The Jaguars were not overly impressive last season, especially
on offense, as the team shot just 40.6 percent and also had a tough time
holding onto the basketball (17.7 turnovers per contest). The success of this
team will be in the frontcourt, but that all depends if Earnest Jones can go
from being a nice role player, to a consistent threat as a starter. Jones has
a solid frame with an explosive first step and could prove to be a dangerous
scorer when logging regular minutes. Freshman forward Madut Bol gives the
Jaguars a defensive presence in the paint, and hopefully with time the 6-9
newcomer can add a consistent offensive game to the mix. Jazz Williams and
Norm Nixon Jr will likely do most of the work in the backcourt, but look for
freshmen guards Nate Duhon and Jameel Grace to get some experience on the
floor early on.
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