Jones College has had a great start to their fall sports season, and now another season is approaching, basketball.
Due to COVID-19 last year, the basketball team’s season was cut short with only 12 regular-season games. Now that a normal schedule is back on the books, there is excitement as the team is getting closer to kicking off their season.
The coaches and players for the Jones College men’s basketball team have good intentions and high expectations for their 2021/2022 season.
Head basketball coach Newton Mealer started his coaching career at Jones in May 2021. With a brand new coaching staff and new players, Mealer is excited for his first season at JC.
“The thing I am most excited about is our new style of play. I call it ‘fan friendly.’ I think everybody is going to love it. It is an up-tempo kind of play,” he said. “We like to score a lot of points, shoot a lot of 3’s, dunk a lot of basketballs. So it is what fans like to pay for to come watch us play. I am really excited to bring this kind of playing style to Jones.”
Sophomore player Caleb McGill said that he chose Jones for many reasons, including Mealer’s plans.
“I chose Jones because it is like a family,” McGill said. “I have known Coach Nixon, the assistant coach, for a while, and I really like Coach Mealer’s style of play.”
McGill’s main goals for the season are to “get better every day, win state and ultimately win nationals. I feel like we have the team to do that,” McGill said.
Freshman player Calvin Temple played for Coach Mealer his senior year of high school. During that year, Center Hill High School won the state championship in basketball. Temple attributes his time in the game and continued encouragement as reasons why he was part of a winning team.
“I have been playing basketball for so long,” said Temple. “My family has always pushed me and supported me.”
As the season approaches, the team and coaches are preparing for a great year. Some have rituals before a game, such as freshman player Kaeden Laws.
“Usually, I always drink a blue Gatorade and eat a Snickers bar on game day,” said Laws.
While the anticipation rises, the Jones College basketball team is ready for their 2021/2022 season. They play Nov. 4 at 7 p.m. at A.B. Howard Gymnasium against Copiah- Lincoln Community College.
Check out Jones College Athletics at jcbobcats.com and @JC_Bobcats on Twitter for game updates.
by Presley White
