Men's Basketball 2023-2024 Season Preview

10/31/23

 

MCCC men’s basketball narrowly missed qualifying for the Region 19 Playoffs last season and went 12-15.  This year the Vikings are looking to not only qualify for the Region Playoffs this season, but compete and win.

 

One of the key returning pieces for the Vikings is All-Region guard Izaiah Johnson (Burlington, NJ/Burlington City).  Johnson averaged 18.9 points per game, 5.3 rebounds per game and 4.3 assists per game and earned 1^st Team All-Region 19 and All-GSAC (Garden State Athletic Conference) honors last season.  In the summer, Johnson was one of sixty players selected for the NJCAA (National Junior College Athletic Association) Rising All-Star Game in Iowa and the only player from the Northeast selected. 

 

In addition to Johnson, the Vikings return starters Isham McClain (Pemberton, NJ/Pemberton HS) and Jason Mark (Broward, FL/Blanche Ely HS) and guards Anthony Rhodes (Trenton, NJ/Nottingham) and Kristian Smith (Hamilton, NJ/Nottingham).  McClain averaged 8.3 points per game and 6.2 rebounds and Mark averaged 10 points per game in 13 games along with 5.8 rebounds per game.  Rhodes averaged 6.5 points per game along with 4.6 rebounds per game.

 

The returning veterans along with a large mix of newcomers should keep the Vikings competitive this season.  Among the newcomers include sophomore Justin Carbone (Monmouth Junction, NJ/South Brunswick) who transferred from TCNJ.  Carbone was South Brunswick High School’s all-time leading three point shooter.  While at TCNJ in 2021-2022, Carbone averaged 7.5 points per game and 3.0 rebounds per game and had 25 three point field goals in 21 games.

 

Other newcomers expected to contribute this season include sophomore JP Oluwadare (Burlington, NJ/Burlington Township) and freshmen Quincey Manning (Blackwood, NJ/Winslow Twp.), Calvin Moore (Trenton, NJ/Trenton Central), Daniel Thomas (Burlington, NJ/Burlington Township). 

 

Oluwadare is a transfer from Stockton University who average 9.71 points per game in his senior year at Burlington Township.  Manning averaged 8.76 points per game in his senior season at Winslow HS. Moore averaged 8.64 points per game and 3.39 rebounds per game, earned Honorable Mention All CVC (Colonial Valley Conference) Honors and helped lead Trenton Central to the Central Jersey Group IV Sectional title in 2023.  Daniel Thomas averaged 11.1 points per game in his last season at Burlington Township.

 

High school teammates Kyree Owes and Justin Murray from Westampton Tech are expected to contribute in the post.  6’6 Owes averaged 8.6 points per game along with 7.8 rebounds per game in his senior season and earned 2^nd Team Liberty Division honors in 2023.  Murray averaged 11.5 points per game and 5.78 rebounds per game in his senior season.  Owes and Murray led Westampton Tech to a 12-0 record in the BCSL (Burlington County Scholastic League) Liberty Division last season.  6’4 freshman Fred Orock (Williamstown, NJ/Williamstown HS) is also expected to have an impact in the paint. 

 

Additional newcomers for the Vikings include freshmen guards Jayson Love (Philadelphia, PA/Academy at Palumbo), Lovion Bell (Burlington, NJ/Burlington City), Darius Bland (Willingboro, NJ/Florence Twp. Memorial) and Kazi Fountaine (Brown Mills, NJ/Pemberton HS). Love averaged 11.6 points per game and 6.2 rebounds per game his senior year at Academy at Palumbo.  Bell was a 1^st Team Patriot League selection, made 82 three point field goals and averaged 13 points per game in his final season at Burlington City HS.  Bland is a 1,000 point scorer from Florence Twp. Memorial, who earned 1^st Team Freedom League honors for Burlington County.  Fountaine is a high school teammate of McClain and earned 1^st Team Patriot League honors last season at Pemberton HS.

 

The depth and talent of the Vikings has Head Coach Howard Levy excited to see what the team can do this season.  Levy is entering his 15^th season as Head Coach and will be assisted by Kevin Allison. 

 

The Vikings open the 2023-2024 season with a tournament at CCBC-Dundalk on November 4^th-5^th against College of Southern Maryland and CCBC-Catonsville.  The Vikings home opener will be on November 14^th vs Middlesex County College.

 

For roster, schedule and more on men's basketball, visit: https://www.mccc.edu/athletics_men_basketball.shtml