Thursday, October 20, 2005
SAINTS PICKED EIGHTH IN THE 2005 PBC MEN'S BASKETBALL
COACHES POLL
Clayton State Favored to Win PBC Men's Basketball Title
AUGUSTA, GA -The Clayton State Lakers have been picked the favorite to win the PBC Title in 2005-06, according to a poll of the league's head coaches released on Thursday. The Lakers received five of a possible 10 first-place votes to finish ahead of Columbus State, who was second in the voting. Defending PBC Champion USC Upstate was third followed by Lander and Augusta State. Armstrong Atlantic State, GC&SU, North Georgia, Francis Marion, USC Aiken and UNC Pembroke rounded out the voting. This is the first time Clayton State has ever been the Peach Belt preseason favorite.
Clayton State is coming off an 18-13 mark in 2004-05, 11-5 in conference play. Head coach Gordon Gibbons, now in his 5th season at the school, will have to replace four departed starters, but has a potentially championship-caliber recruiting class ready to take the floor. The lone returning starter is sophomore Michael Sloan and opponents may see a lot more of 7-foot-1 center Aristide Sawadogo this year. Clayton State also has five junior college transfers, including NJCAA All-American Todd McLaurin, and two Division I transfers on the team this year.
Columbus State will have big shoes to fill with the loss of six seniors from last year's 23-9 team that advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Gone is Yandel Brown, the PBC's leading scorer a year ago, along with senior starters Kendrick Jones, Akeem Francis and Jack Tinkler. The Cougars will look to a strong frontcourt with seniors Nathan Patterson and Will Davis and welcome in six new transfers including Antoine Ransom from Troy University and Justin Wilson from Kishwaukee CC who averaged 19 points and 13 rebounds a game last year.
USC Upstate is coming off a season that saw them take a share of the PBC Tournament and reach the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Coach Eddie Payne will have some holes to fill with the departure of four seniors from last season's 24-8 team, most of them starters. However, the Spartans return one of the most dangerous perimeter games in the PBC with Jay Free and Luke Payne in the backcourt. Also returning are forwards Ivica Grgurovic and Erikas Kaupaitis.
The PBC will be a new-look league in 2005-06. Gone are Kennesaw State, 2004 national champions, and North Florida to the Division I ranks. The conference welcomes in North Georgia, who is beginning their transition from the NAIA and will not play in the PBC Tournament, although the Saints will be eligible for the regular season conference championship. The league has also done away with divisional play and will feature a 20-game conference schedule leading up to the PBC Tournament hosted by Lander in March 2006. The conference also welcomes Vince Alexander as the new head coach at USC Aiken, the only new coach to the league this year.
2005-2006 Peach Belt Conference Preseason Men's Basketball Poll
| School |
1st |
2nd |
3rd |
4th |
5th |
6th |
7th |
8th |
9th |
10th |
Total |
| 1. Clayton State |
5 |
3 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
91 |
| 2. Columbus State |
1 |
5 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
83 |
| 3. USC Upstate |
2 |
1 |
4 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
77 |
| 4. Lander |
2 |
0 |
2 |
3 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
69 |
| 5. Augusta State |
0 |
0 |
1 |
5 |
3 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
66 |
| 6. Armstrong Atlantic |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
6 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
58 |
| 7. GC&SU |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
3 |
3 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
51 |
| 8. North Georgia |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
4 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
38 |
| 9. Francis Marion |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
6 |
1 |
1 |
36 |
| 10. USC Aiken |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
7 |
0 |
24 |
| 11. UNC Pembroke |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
9 |
12 |
Back to Men's Basketball
Return to: NGCSU Home
