Photo - Austin Lindell

JAMESTOWN – Heading into the 2022-23 season, the Jamestown Community College men's basketball team has rebuilt with a mix of returners, transfers, and freshman.

"Last year we struggle from a lack of experience, and it showed during games," said head coach Xavier Churnac, heading into his fourth season directing the program. "Bringing the guys from last year, they know how the year ended. We brought in some guys that can not only play but have the right mindset in practice and in games. Based off what we've seen, the transfers have definitely brought the intensity."

Returning from last year's team includes guards Brian Fajardo (Bronx, NY/Aeci Charter HS) and Elgin Oliver (Pittsburgh, PA/Gateway Senior HS), guards/forwards Bam Toure (Jamaica, NY/St. Johns Prep) and Josiah Ransom (Orange Park, FL/Helena HS), forward Traden Gray (Frewsburg, NY/Frewsburg HS), and center Ivan Tribaldo (Madrid, Spain/Instituto Ortega y Gasset).

Transferring in this season for the Jayhawks is guard Chad Chambers (Calera, AL/Calera HS) and forwards Santiago Manero (Galicia, Spain) and Tajh Johnson (Houston, TX/Madison HS).

Coach Churnac also brough in six freshmen to help boost the team for the upcoming season.

"I think the freshman have been great throughout the preseason," Churnac said. "They have been coachable and receptive to what the older guys have to share. They are willing to listen to their teammates and its going to translate onto the court and in games."

The incoming freshman include guards Jared Martin (Norwich, CT/Springfield Commonwealth Academy), Matthew Bohurjak (Cleveland, OH/Lakewood HS), Alonzo Perry (Clearwater, FL/Clearwater Academy Prep), Nokosinathi Dlamini (Durban, South Africa/St. Charles College) and forwards Robert McLarney (Salamanca, NY/Salamanca HS) and Josiah Diaz (Pawtucket, RI/Springfield Commonwealth Academy).

The Jayhawks will have a heavy travel load going into the season, playing eight of their first ten games on the road. In the month of November, the Jayhawks will play homes games on November 2nd against Lakeland Community College and November 8th against No. 2 Genesee Community College.

"We just have to take it one day at a time, one game at a time," said Churnac. "Once the season starts, we won't have a lot of days to practice. Our defense and effort has to travel and show up on a nightly bases. If we have good defense, it will help open up the other end of the floor for us."

After a grueling road schedule to open up the first month of the season, the Jayhawks will play only five games on the road from December to February.

The schedule laid out in front of the team will be a challenging one, playing nine games against Preseason Top-20 ranked teams including five matchups within the first month of the season.

"I've highlighted everyone that we play in the top-20 and showed the guys," said Churnac. "I wanted to show them the details of what we are trying to do because when we play against those teams, we can only get away with so much. The margin of error is slim so we have to keep our mistakes to a minimum."

After a grueling road schedule to open up the first month of the season, the Jayhawks will play only five games on the road from December to February.

"It will be nice to play in our gym at the backend of the season," Churnac said. "Being able to have shoot-arounds on our gym, be able to execute what we practice in our own gym, I think the guys will like that. It'll give us more confidence offensively and we will be more rested. We will definitely will have a good opportunity to protect the nest!"

For a full list of games and times, visit jccjayhawks.com.