SCOOBA — Rewarded with a No. 7 NJCAA preseason ranking following consecutive national tournament appearances, the East Mississippi Community College men’s basketball team will tip off the 2011-12 season at 7 tonight when it plays host to Southern Sports Academy at Keyes T. Currie Coliseum.
Also rated 12th nationally this preseason in The Sporting News’ 2011-12 College Basketball Yearbook, EMCC coach Mark White’s Lions return six lettermen from last year’s 25-5 team that went 12-0 in the league on the way to claiming a second straight MACJC North Division regular-season championship and a repeat berth in the NJCAA National tournament.
Now 52-12 and 22-2 in division play in the past two years, EMCC also has won back-to-back NJCAA Region 23 tournament titles and successive No. 12 season-ending national rankings in the NJCAA poll.
This preseason, EMCC went undefeated in a pair of jamborees held in the state of Georgia. At the Kenn Littlefield Hoops Jamboree on Oct. 22 in Atlanta, EMCC defeated Atlanta Sports Academy, South Carolina-Sumter, and Santa Fe College (Fla.). At the Corry Black Juco Jamboree on Oct. 9 in Columbus, Ga., EMCC beat Aiken Tech, Wallace State-Hanceville, and Gordon College (Ga.).
Following Wednesday’s season opener, EMCC will venture to Niceville, Fla., with the EMCC women’s basketball team to participate in the Quality Inn Classic on Nov. 4-5 to be hosted by Northwest Florida State College.
At 1:30 p.m. Friday, EMCC women’s coach Sharon Thompson will lead her team against preseason No. 2-ranked Pensacola State College. The EMCC men will follow at 3:30 p.m. Friday against Alabama Southern C.C.
On Saturday, both EMCC teams will take on Northwest Florida State College. Following the 5:30 p.m. women’s contest, the No. 7 EMCC men will meet the No. 11 NWF men at 7:30 p.m.
The EMCC women have won the MACJC’s North Division regular-season title twice in the past three seasons. The Lady Lions feature 13 newcomers on the 14-player roster. The lone returning player from last year’s 15-10 squad is All-Region 23/All-State First Team guard Chadisty Hickman, of Kemper County High School.
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