SCOOBA — There won’t be a lot of changes on the court Monday when the East Mississippi Community College men’s basketball team opens its season Monday night against Tennessee Prep Academy.
Instead, Billy Begley ushered in a new era with a series of changes in the Lions’ offseason program.
After serving two seasons as an assistant coach at Troy, Begley has returned to the Magnolia State to take over at EMCC. The former Mississippi State walk-on worked with former EMCC coach Mark White for three seasons before leaving for Troy.
“This feels like home,” Begley said. “When you begin life as coach, there is always a place that has special meaning to you. This is one of those places. When the job offer was extended, it did not take me long to decide I wanted to come back.”
White led EMCC to the National Junior College Athletic Association national championship tournament five times. Begley was there for three of those trips.
“Coach White had a lot of success here, so you want to continue that,” Begley said. “The biggest changes are in the offseason program. We are doing the conditioning different. We are doing the weightlifting differently. We have an attention to detail in all aspects of the program. I don’t think a lot of people will see a lot of difference.
“We need to be better conditioned. We need to be a more complete team. Those are some of the things we are working to achieve.”
Starkville High sophomore Jontavius Baker and West Point sophomore Juan Davis will be key contributors. Each is excited about their second season at EMCC with a new coach and a new attitude.
“We have a lot of new guys this season, so that makes it exciting” Davis said. “We have worked really hard to get ready for the season. The offseason program has been way different. There is more accountability. We have each other’s back more.
“We have already lost a couple of players. If you aren’t willing to work and sacrifice, this is not the program for you.”
Last season, EMCC finished 18-8 (9-3 in Mississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges North Division). The Lions reached the MACJC state tournament and the NJCAA Region 23 tournament.
“I thought we really did a great job of coming together as a team,” Baker said. “As a sophomore, you become one of the leaders. Juan and I are trying to help the new guys adjust. It’s a bigger challenge this year because we are all adjusting to a new coach, too. Fortunately, a lot of the things are the same.”
Begley expects a few tweaks on game day. The Lions have ranked among the national leaders in defense under White. While hoping to continue that trend, Begley wants to add more offense to the mix.
“We will be more up-tempo,” Begley said. “We will try to get it and go more often. We have some really good team speed and more scoring threats. That’s the biggest thing. Do you have two or three guys who can score the ball or do you have five or six? We will have more options, and that’s a good thing.”
Begley inherits seven returners, including five lettermen from a season ago. The EMCC men also welcome back James Jordan and Montrael Nabors, who sat out the 2014-15 campaign with the Lions.
Daniel Simmons and J’Vaughnte Harris are returning starters in the backcourt. Simmons, a former All-State selection at Biggersville High School, averaged 10.9 points per game last season.
Forward Jahyde Gardiner is also back after earning first-team MACJC All-State honors a season ago. A native of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Gardiner averaged 13.7 points, 9.0 rebounds,and 2.5 blocked shots last season.
“The new coach is all about defense and he really wants to win,” Baker said. “As a team, we want to win, too, so we have really bought into everything he wants us to do.”
The growth in Davis’ game has been monumental.
“A year ago, he was a shooter,” Begley said. “Now he is coming off screens and making shots. Now he is a more dynamic shot blocker on the defensive end. The biggest thing has been opening up the skill set. We want more people doing more things.”
After leading West Point to a pair of Mississippi High School Activities Association North State playoff berths, Davis wants to continue to evolve as a player.
“Last year, we came up short, so this year we are hungry for it,” Davis said “We feel like we have to redeem ourselves. We want to get the program back to hanging banners and winning rings.
“Each of us has grown as a player. We look forward to the lights coming on and showing off what we are all about.”
Follow Dispatch sports writer Scott Walters on Twitter @dispatchscott
Scott was sports editor for The Dispatch.
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