Coming off of a 23-win season and a second straight Region 2 Championship game appearance, the Mavs are looking to compete with a younger, more inexperienced team than seasons past.
Gone are 3rd Team NJCAA All-American and Missouri State signee Reginald Scurry, Bradley signee Luqman Lundy and Utah State signee Dwayne Brown, Jr. All three were members of the All-Region and All-OCAC team.
The Mavs will look to returning sophomores Anselm Uzuegbunem and Brandon Combs, as well as red-shirt freshman Amir Allen and Khobe Austin-Johnson, for leadership on and off the floor. Allen attended Jerry Mullen's JUCO Top 100 camp and looks to build off a strong summer and fall. Combs and Uzuegbunem will look to step into larger roles and build off the team success from last year. NCAA Divison 2 transfer, Austin-Johnson will add toughness and energy to the Mavericks lineup.
"Anselm, Brandon, Amir and Khobe have all been working extrememly hard this fall," said head men's basketball coach Donnie Jackson. "I'm looking forward to seeing this work translate onto the hardwood."
Coach Jackson and his staff have put together a roster of young talent that they believe can be competetive in the tough and rugged Region 2. With limited scoring from seasons past, Tonkawa will need veteran type point production from the younger players. This offers a unique opportunity for the newcomers, one that Jackson is excited about.
"We are a younger team, but I'm excited about what the freshman bring to the table," said Jackson. "We shoot the ball much better than years past and we have some guys that can score the basketball. The biggest challenge will be how we handle failure and how we handle success, those are things that have not been proven yet. The college transition is not an easy one, but I am looking forward to seeing what we bring to the table."
With only 4.3 ppg coming back and only one player who played meaningful minutes for last seasons team, the young gun Mavs will look to take its best shot at replicating past season successes.
"I just want us to get better everyday and be playing our best basketball when it matters," said Jackson.
The Mavericks open their season on November 1st against the perennial powerhouse Cowley Tigers from Region 6 in Arkansas City, KS.