Jacksonville looked terrible early on last year but were playing much better by season’s end, finding in Aloys Cabell a scoring threat that they had been missing since Ben Smith left. However they lose Cabell, Chris Davis, Jake Geisler and Eric Richardson to transfer, along with graduates Shamille Jeffers, Terry Galvin and Delwan Graham. Only 3 of their top 9 scorers return. In the front court rotation only Glenn Powell returns. In the back court, it’s guards Keith McDougald and Russell Powell. Sophomore bit players Evin Graham and Jeremy Boguswill be asked to do much more. Cliff Warren will have a job in both recruiting and coaching to do here. But will they be any worse than the 8-20 of this past year?
Newcomers will be counted on for immediate help, including 6’4” shooting guard Jarvis Haywood of Charlotte, NC, with the highest ESPN rating of all ASun incoming freshmen at 88. Jacksonville caught an important break when Utah transfer PF Javon Dawson, 6-6 260 (3.1 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 14.7 min.), was declared eligible for this year. Dylan Fritsch 6’5” 170, Otero JC (same team as Lipscomb’s Oscar Garcia) adds shooting power to a team that needs it (10.2 ppg on 41% with 37%(67-179) from 3, 3.3 rebounds, .94 assists, 1.0 t.o., .16 blocks, .53 steals). 6’9” 235 freshman Tyler Alderman, may be more of a project. Freshman Kadario Fleming, Ridgeway HS, Memphis, 6’6” 185, ESPN rated 83 is said to be thicker and stronger than his weight would suggest. Freshman Marcellous Bell, 5’10” 140, point guard ranked 79 by ESPN arrives from the legendary DeMatha program. They’ll probably be counting on transfers Dawson and Fritsch and freshman Haywood to step right into the rotation. RS-sophomore Admir Sahbegovic has supposedly suffered yet another knee injury and may miss the season.
The Dolphins had the benefit of a summer trip to the Dominican Republic where they beat up on 4 inferior teams. This was no doubt a critically important step to integrate so many the new guys. But Lipscomb made the same trip last year, and still had a difficult season. Despite that experience, I expect Jacksonville to look pretty rough initially. Like ETSU they are undertaking major rebuilding. And unless 6’9” freshman Alderman can be a factor, which I consider unlikely, they will have no one over 6’6”. But they have brought in talent, and could be a factor in the ASun by season’s end. Cliff Warren teams have a way of coming together and battling at the finish.
2012-2013 Jacksonville Roster
| 0 | Javon Dawson | F | Jr. | 6-6 | 260 | Cordele, Ga. (Utah) |
| 1 | Jeremy Bogus | G | So. | 6-4 | 180 | Birmingham, Ala. (Wenonah) |
| 2 | Russell Powell | G | Sr. | 5-9 | 150 | Newnan, Ga. (Newnan) |
| 5 | Evin Graham | F | So. | 6-3 | 185 | Fort Myers, Fla. (Fort Myers) |
| 10 | Marcellous Bell | G | Fr. | 5-11 | 175 | Hyattsville, Md. (DeMatha Catholic) |
| 11 | Jarvis Haywood | G | Fr. | 6-4 | 185 | Charlotte, N.C. (Harding) |
| 20 | Dylan Fritsch | F | Jr. | 6-5 | 170 | Albuquerque, N.M. (Otero JC) |
| 21 | Keith McDougald | G | Jr. | 6-1 | 206 | Jacksonville, Fla. (Bishop Kenny) |
| 22 | Admir Sahbegovic | F | So. | 6-6 | 200 | Jacksonville, Fla. (Englewood) |
| 23 | Kordario Fleming | F | Fr. | 6-6 | 210 | Memphis, Tenn. (Ridgeway) |
| 42 | Glenn Powell | F | Sr. | 6-5 | 200 | Deerfield Beach, Fla. (Fork Union Mil. Acad) |
| 44 | Tyler Alderman | C | Fr. | 6-9 | 235 | Fishers, Ind. (Fishers) |
2011-2012 Jacksonville Results
| RECORD: | OVERALL | HOME | AWAY | NEUTRAL |
| ALL GAMES | (8-22) | (5-6) | (3-15) | (0-1) |
| CONFERENCE | (6-12) | (4-5) | (2-7) | (0-0) |
| NON-CONFERENCE | (2-10) | (1-1) | (1-8) | (0-1) |
2011-2012 Stats
| Player | GP | MPG | PPG | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | TPG | FG% | FT% | 3P% |
| Keith McDougald | 19 | 26.5 | 11.2 | 3.2 | 1.3 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1.7 | .373 | .774 | .340 |
| Glenn Powell | 30 | 27.9 | 10.9 | 6.4 | 0.4 | 1.1 | 1.2 | 1.9 | .559 | .425 | .000 |
| Russell Powell | 30 | 32.0 | 8.3 | 2.9 | 4.0 | 1.3 | 0.0 | 1.8 | .388 | .743 | .255 |
| Evin Graham | 26 | 15.8 | 1.8 | 2.7 | 0.7 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 1.3 | .341 | .520 | .300 |
| Jeremy Bogus | 21 | 6.6 | 1.7 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.2 | .244 | 1.000 | .256 |
| Admir Sahbegovic | 24 | 5.4 | 0.9 | 0.6 | 0.1 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.5 | .292 | .636 | .500 |
| Totals | 30 | — | 65 | 34 | 12 | 7 | 4 | 15 | .418 | .657 | .319 |