New Faces, Same Goals
Photo by Centenary College Marketing & Communication
After winning the SCAC championship in 2019 and getting eliminated from the same tournament in the semifinals a year later, the Gent basketball team is hungry to achieve the same post-season success they saw in 2019. This year, Coach Dorsey was not afraid to add new faces to the lineup, bringing in a huge recruiting class that has already impacted the starting five. In their first ten, non-exhibition, games Centenary managed to have a record of 6-4, while beating some tough opponents and gaining two conference wins against the University of Dallas and Trinity University.
This year, the team brought in eleven recruits with four players transferring in from other schools. Jarrell Taylor and Tevin Baker are both graduate students at Centenary that transferred from ETBU. Both have had an immediate impact on the Gents by being starters in most of the games they have played so far. Taylor is a dynamic scorer currently averaging 14.6 points per game on 49% shooting from the field and 47.4% shooting from behind the three-point arc. Baker, who is an experienced guard, is averaging 4.6 points per game on 48.5% shooting from the field, also putting up just under three assists a game.
Another transfer that very quickly made his mark for the Gents is Jalen Behr, a junior guard that transferred from Bethany College in Kansas. Behr is currently putting up seven points a game, shooting almost identical numbers from the floor and three with 46.4% and 46.7% respectively. Dylan Hooter, a sophomore guard/forward from Mandeville, Louisiana, also transferred this year from the US Coast Guard Academy. Hooter has played in 8 games so far putting up 2.3 points per game and is averaging 80% when shooting free throws.
Along with the veteran leadership that the team gained from its transfer players, the Gents also added ten first-year students that are young and eager to make a name for themselves here at Centenary. Most of this year’s class are listed as guards; these players include Calvin Crab III, Syed Dyer, Deandre Gonzales, Kobe Hamilton, who is also listed as a forward, Preston Ragsdale, Hunter Roberts, Nolan Sims, another player who can also be used as a forward, and Josh Vanegus. The Gents also added two true forwards to the team with Marcus Pasha and Ring Riak.
Photo by Centenary College Marketing & Communication
Dyer is a first-year player and has been able to see some varsity minutes so far this season. Dyer, from Atlanta, Georgia, played in two games so far for our Gents, averaging 2.5 points per game and two assists per game as well. Fortunately, there are still more games to be played, making it possible for more young faces to dawn the maroon and white on court later in the season.
Although the team looks much different than the team that made it to the NCAA tournament in 2019, a few of the players who helped make that happen are still on the team. This year Centenary returned seniors Xavier ‘X’ Johnson, Kile Mingo, Trent Washington, and AJ Hall; all were on the team for their prior postseason appearances. Mingo, a guard from Cypress Texas, has been a huge contributor to the team since his freshman season. Throughout his time at Centenary, Mingo puts up 8.2 points per game and has always been able to contribute to the team in different ways. Currently, he is averaging 5.1 points per game as well as grabbing 2.4 rebounds a game and just under one assist a game. Hall, a guard out of Thibodaux, Louisiana, is another player who historically has impacted the stat sheet for the Gents. Hall is currently averaging career highs in both scoring and rebounding with 8.9 points per game and 3.2 rebounds a game coming off the bench this season.
The Gents were also able to retain most of their junior class, many of which see the floor quite often. Drew Young, Ralph ‘Duff’ Johnson, and Seth Thomas all return this year for their junior season. Both Johnson and Thomas are averaging about eight points while playing over 25 minutes each game. The duo was also a big part of Centenary winning the SCAC championship and making it to the first round of the NCAA tournament.
Centenary men’s basketball is led by head coach Chris Dorsey with help from his assistant coaches, Terrance Giles, Oliver Keeble, and Dominic Percia. Tune in to the second half of the Gents schedule as they start to face many of their in-conference opponents and see if another postseason run is in order for Centenary.