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Posted: Oct 24, 2017

Strong Returning Core to Power Suns Basketball in 2017-2018

Strong Returning Core to Power Suns Basketball in 2017-2018
Recap Recap Recap Box Score Box Score Box Score
Game Leaders
Cedar Valley College
Pts: Alphonso Hawkins III - 25
Reb: JF Thomas Jr. - 8
Ast: 2 Players (#12, #24) - 1
Garden City Community College
Pts: Pierre Johnson - 17
Reb: Jamir Thomas - 10
Ast: Pierre Johnson - 5
Team Stats
Full stats
Game Leaders
Cedar Valley College
Pts: Thomas Jr., JF - 30
Reb: Thomas Jr., JF - 20
Ast: Blunson, Amariye - 6
Southwest Christian University JV
Pts: N/A
Reb: N/A
Ast: N/A
Team Stats
Full stats
Game Leaders
Cedar Valley College
Pts: Kennedy - 15
Reb: Williams - 7
Ast: 2 Players (#12, #21) - 3
Northeastern Junior College
Pts: Marcus Burwell - 18
Reb: Ibrahim Dodo - 5
Ast: Dan Villejo - 5
Team Stats
Full stats
The CVC Men's Basketball Team made vast strides in their second season under Head Coach Cedric Jones. The Suns increased their overall wins total, improved in Metro Athletic Conference play, while posting a stellar 10-3 record at home.
 
The Suns were halted in the MAC Tournament Semi-Finals last season to eventual NJCAA National Champion, North Lake College, which has been motivation for the Suns going into this season. 
 
"We battled North Lake for three games throughout conference play and tournament. Each game we played them well, I feel we are extremely close to breaking through and getting to nationals and bringing home a title," says Coach Jones. "Playing NLC the way we did and seeing a few schools like we did last season has prepared me to assure our players that we really can compete at the national level."
 
CVC returns NJCAA Division III All-American and MAC Freshman of the Year, JF Thomas Jr., who averaged 18.7 ppg, 14.9 rpg, with a shooting percentage of 60.6% in his first season at Cedar Valley. Coach Jones anticipates even more from JF this season, "We're expecting big things from JF again this year, but he has to be ready for the challenge because now teams know who he is and what he brings to the court every night. He is a quiet leader, he leads by example and that's what he's expected to do for us this season."    
 
Along with Thomas, the Suns return sophomores Desmond Kennedy (2016-2017 All-Metro Athletic Conference/Region V Second Team), Tajh Baker, and Amariye Blunson. "The experience these guys bring back to us should help us during the year, Tajh has really taken on the role of the vocal leader of the group already and guys are responding in a way that could be an added bonus for us. Desmond and Amariye are both a lot like JF, they lead by example, but when they do speak the younger guys really listen," says Jones. 
 
New faces that Coach Jones believes will make an impact helping the program take the next step are sharpshooter Trent Washington (Dallas, TX), posts Shonne Carter (Wichita Falls, TX) and Calvin Williams (Raceland, LA), and swingmen Ronnie Horner (Forney, TX) and Kobe Lawrence (New Orleans, LA).  
 
The Suns will begin the season with three roads games. They'll open on November 1 against Southwest Christian University (JV) before participating in the Pepsi Classic and Garden City Tournament in Kansas over the weekend.
 
Follow the Cedar Valley College Athletic Department on Twitter: @CVC_Suns 
"Shining Bright, Burning Strong"