Billy Begley era of East Mississippi men's basketball set to tip off Monday on the Scooba campus

SCOOBA – The return of four starters and the anticipated head coaching debut of former EMCC assistant Billy Begley signal the tip-off of the East Mississippi Community College men's basketball season.

The Lions are slated to open the 2015-16 season by playing host to Tennessee Prep Academy on Monday (Nov. 2) at EMCC's Keyes T. Currie Coliseum.  Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m. on the Scooba campus following the Lady Lions' 5:30 p.m. season opener against Talladega College's junior varsity team.  Their opening week of action also finds the Lions heading to Meridian for a Thursday (Nov. 5) meeting with rival Meridian Community College and a return matchup Saturday (Nov. 7) with Tennessee Prep Academy in Memphis.

Beginning his first season at the EMCC hoops helm after spending the past two years as an assistant coach at Troy University, Begley returns to East Mississippi, where he previously worked alongside former EMCC head coach Mark White.  Together White and Begley helped guide the Lions to three straight NJCAA Tournament appearances (2011-13) along with earning three consecutive NJCAA Region 23 Tournament championships as well as back-to-back-to-back MACJC North Division regular-season titles.  Following eight seasons on the Scooba campus, White left EMCC this past summer to become the men's head coach at Tallahassee Community College in Florida.

Begley inherits seven returning players from last year's 18-8 Lions squad, including five lettermen that combined for 88 total starts between them a season ago.  The EMCC men also welcome back James Jordan and Montrael Nabors, who sat out the 2014-15 campaign with the Lions.

Headlining the Lions' list of returnees is forward Jahyde Gardiner (6-6, 220), who was selected to the 2014-15 MACJC All-State First Team after averaging 13.7 points, 9.0 rebounds and 2.5 blocked shots per contest for the MACJC North Division runners-up and NJCAA Region 23 Tournament semifinalists.  Along with leading all Region 23 defenders with 65 blocks and ranking third regionally in rebounding average, the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania native registered 11 double-doubles as a 24-game freshman starter while shooting 53 percent from the field and 71 percent from the charity stripe.

Juan Davis Jr. (6-8, 220) also returns to the East Mississippi frontcourt much improved upon averaging 5.4 points, 3.7 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per contest as a 19-game freshman starter.  The West Point High School product also shot 51 percent from the field and 66 percent from the line a year ago.

Returning to EMCC's backcourt are Daniel Simmons (6-3, 190) and J'Vaughnte Harris (5-11, 145), who combined for 41 starts between them last season.  A former preseason pick to the Jackson Clarion-Ledger's Dandy Dozen team during his prep playing days at Biggersville High School, Simmons averaged 10.9 points, including 47 made 3-pointers and 79-percent free throw shooting, along with 4.8 rebounds an outing last season for the Lions.

Expected to again run the EMCC offense as a returning 23-game starter at the point guard position, Harris averaged a team-most 3.8 assists per contest as the Lions' freshman playmaker.  The former Meridian High School standout will also look to utilize his quickness to get to the basket more often as the team's sophomore floor general.

Defensive stalwart Jontavius Baker (6-4, 180), of Starkville, also returns to the mix for the Lions and will be counted on to again supply quality minutes as needed on both sides of the court.     

East Mississippi's five-man newcomer group looks to be headlined by transfer swing man Nat Dixon (6-4, 185) and sharp-shooter David McFarland (6-3, 180).  A multi-sport performer from A. Crawford Mosley High School in Panama City, Florida, Dixon transferred from Boston College after playing sparingly as a wide receiver last season for the BC Eagles.  As a prep junior, Dixon ranked among the state of Florida's leading scorers on the hardwood for all classifications.

McFarland reunites at EMCC with former prep teammate James Jordan, who sat out last season as a medical redshirt for the Lions.  McFarland and Jordan previously teamed up to help lead Raymond High School to an appearance in the 2013-14 MHSAA Class 4A state championship game.

Also new to the EMCC hoops program this season are West Point's Ecurb Forest (5-10, 165), Anterio McKines (6-0, 175), of Quitman and New Albany's Jarel Lipsey (5-9, 175).