Warhawks looking to bounce back

Published 6:00 am Wednesday, October 28, 2015

The 2015 JDCC Warhawk basketball team

The 2015 JDCC Warhawk basketball team

Last year’s overall season record isn’t something the Jefferson Davis Community College Warhawks want to repeat.

Ending with a 5-19 record and 2-12 in the conference, Head basketball coach Allen Gainer is ready to start the new season.

The Warhawks will have three returning players from last year’s roster. –Jerry Allen, Jarvis Knight and Truman Whitaker. Gainer said he likes what he has seen from them this preseason.

Freshman additions to this year’s team will look to make a quick impact, and Gainer said the point guard position was a trouble spot for the Warhawks last year.

“We struggled with our point guard situation,” Gainer said. “If you have difficulty at the guard spot in our league you’re not going to do to well, because everybody in our league presses, and if you can’t get the ball up and down the floor you’re in trouble.”

Tim Nolan, Starling Hinton and Trae Walker look to share time at the position.

Walker, a T.R. Miller graduate, has adjusted to the collegiate level of play, Gainer said.

“In high school, he played mostly on the wing and did a lot of scoring,” he said. “For us, he is going to have to be a point guard, and he’s really made that transition a lot easier than I have anticipated.

“(Walker is) a quick learner and I’ve been excited and pleased how he has done in the preseason.”

Guards Fred Seals, Reggie Mann Blake McDonald and JaDarius Wilson look to spread the floor and bring scoring for the team, Gainer said.

The Warhawks big men will be looked at for scoring on the inside, defending the paint and solid rebounding on the glass said Gainer.

Von Evans, Keonta Edwards, Malik McMillan and Dexter Williams will be asked to take on the role this year.

McMillan – “a good scorer” – is from Atmore, Gainer said.

“He’s a little undersize to be a post player in our league, but he is a competitor with a good set of moves,” Gainer said. “He’s a strong offensive rebounder that will do some good things for us this year.”

Williams is also from Atmore.

“He is the biggest guy on the team,” Gainer said. “He is working hard on his offensive game. He is so big and strong near the goal.

“Hopefully he can get us some interior points,” he said. “In junior college that’s what wins games are points in the paint and hopefully he can do that for us.”

The Warhawks start their season on the road against Marion Military on Nov. 7 at 3:30 p.m.

The first home game is on Nov. 10 at 7:30 p.m. against Pensacola Christian.