SouthArk eager to get season underway

When South Arkansas Community College tips off the 2021 season on Monday, it will have been nearly 11 months since the Stars last took the floor.

On Feb. 27, 2020, the Stars ended their first season with an 82-42 win over CMP Community Christian College.

Weeks later, the onset of the coronavirus pandemic put the sports world on pause.

In a normal setting, the Stars would be over two months into their schedule, but the NJCAA pushed back the start of most sports to 2021 due to the pandemic.

On Monday, the Stars will host East Texas Baptist JV to start their campaign.

The Stars were originally slated to start their season on Friday, but that game against Crowley Ridge's JV was rescheduled for Feb. 4 due to COVID-19 protocols.

“It doesn't really seem real, although it's upon us,” Stars coach Nate Davis said. “It's been 10 months since we've competed, and the guys are ready to stop having to play each other in these pickup games every day in practice.”

The NJCAA announced back in October that all student-athletes regardless of sport season participation would not have this year count toward their eligibility.

“My players, regardless if they're a sophomore or a freshman, can come back and play again next year,” Davis said. “That will affect recruiting for the 2021 class in the sense that normally I've got five or six guys that are leaving, but if I have four or five that want to stay, that's going to shape the roster. Their opportunity window isn't going to be as wide as it has been in the past.”

Former Junction City standout Jerrodney Tubbs returns after being tabbed as an NJCAA Division II Second-Team All-Region selection last year by leading the team in scoring at 15.6 points per game and 9.8 rebounds per game.

“Jerrodney Tubbs is an All-Region player that's 6-2, 6-3, but he plays like he's 6-foot-8, and he knows he's got to,” Davis said.

One spot Davis is excited about for the upcoming season is at point guard.

Former Strong standout Lee Champion has seized the spot and will be a major factor in the Stars' success.

“He came in and tried out for us last year,” Davis said. “He came in Day One and said, ‘Coach, what do you need from me?' And I said, ‘Can you run the point?' He said sure. He got in there and got after it. He's pretty much the cornerstone of our offense now.

“Last year, I was having to maneuver guys around that were used to running the two in high school and being off the ball to transitioning them to being a point guard. Now we've got one that's going to take those reins for us.”

Keyonte Coleman, a freshman from Nevada

who was the MVP of the 1A state finals last year, has been seeing time at point guard in practice, although Davis said he's likely to play at shooting guard.

“We got him and Lee mixing at the one and two,” Davis said. “They're kind of rotating, but he's hovering more toward the two.”

With Champion at the point, sophomore Mar'keveon Strickland, who averaged 6.9 points per game last year, can return to his normal spot.

“He played a lot of one for us last year, so it's going to be a blessing to have a one and be able to get him back to his natural position at the two spot, or he can even bounce to the three,” Davis said.

One issue the Stars will have to contend with likely in all of their games this season is their lack of size.

“I expect us to go out every single night and any opponent we play, we're going to be undersized,” Davis said. “We're going to have to not take that as something negative, but turn that into a positive because the bigger they are, we can beat them with our speed.”

In addition to Tubbs, sophomore Jaylon Brown will get key minutes in the paint.

“When Tubbs isn't in the game, Brown is actually going to play the five for us,” Davis said. “With Tubbs in the game or any other situation where I have another center in, he's going to be at the four. We're going to shift him out of the four or five. He's developing his 3-point shot again. He's playing a little more free this year.”

Myron Gunter, a freshman from Camden Fairview, is also in the mix to see plenty of playing time.

“He's that guy who makes Tubbs work in practice,” Davis said. “We didn't really have that last year. We didn't really have someone who could size up with him and bully him in the paint, but Myron has done that. He's stepped up and he's going to play a lot for us this year.”

Sophomore Tyler Everette, a former El Dorado standout, was lauded by Davis for his versatility.

“They call him ‘Mr. Fundamentals,'” Davis said. “He does everything the right way in the classroom, on the floor, off the court.

“He's who you want on your team. He knows three, four and five down pat. Last year, we had to have him more at the four, and he's going to have to lean more toward the three a little bit this year, but he still knows that if I have to throw him in that four spot, he's going to go there and do what he's supposed to be doing.”

The roster features several former Strong standouts with freshmen Derrion Davis and Jeremiah Young joining Champion on the roster.

Davis has made a good impression with his work during the offseason.

“We were looking at putting him at the three, and we haven't went away from that, but he's also working a lot at the four spot, especially if Tubbs isn't in the game and we have to shift Jaylon Brown to the five,” said Davis, who is entering his second year as the Stars' coach.

“He's worked tremendously hard this offseason. Even when I didn't have him this summer, he was always in the gym. He's put on a lot of muscle since high school. He's come a long way.”

Davis added that Young is continuing to make progress.

“Jeremiah Young is our tallest player and he's 6-foot6. He's still developing and learning,” Davis said.

Two other freshmen to watch are Jaylon Randle from Texarkana and Ryan Franks from Kirby.

“He can attack when he needs to,” Davis said of Randle. “We weren't sure if we were going to redshirt him (Franks), but now here he is pushing for a starting spot.”

As far as the region is concerned, Davis believes it will have plenty of parity.

“Our region is loaded every year,” Davis said. “Us and Cossatot getting in last year and getting a feel of things, we were the newbies to conference play. Coach (Robert) Byrd has got connections in the Houston area, so some of his roster is from that Texas area, and they're not going to be a team that people should be sleeping on this year. ASU (Arkansas State) Mid-South is a powerhouse year in and year out.

“National Park College has got Joe Ramey from El Dorado, and he was an All-Region player for them last year. They're going to be another powerhouse. NorthArk is fun to watch.

“Up and down the floor shooting threes all night long. SAU Tech, just 30 minutes up the road, coach (Martin B.) Levinson is a good friend of mine. He's done a very good job of hitting the ground running. I'm not saying the playing field is level, but it's getting there with a lot of these teams. Honestly, it's anybody's conference this year.”