Emmanuel Picked to Repeat in Conference Carolinas Men’s Basketball Preseason Coaches’ Poll

Emmanuel Picked to Repeat in Conference Carolinas Men’s Basketball Preseason Coaches’ Poll

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GREENVILLE, S.C. – The men’s basketball coaches have picked Emmanuel to repeat as champions in the 2021-22 Conference Carolinas Men’s Basketball Preseason Poll, the conference office announced on Thursday.

Emmanuel has won two of the past three regular season titles, is coming off a regional final loss and returns reigning conference Player of the Year, KJ Jones II. The Lions received 7-of-13 first-place votes and 137 points to edge 2021 tournament champion Belmont Abbey who received two first-place nods and 130 points. Newcomer UNC Pembroke collected the remaining four first-place votes and 125 points to come in third while Southern Wesleyan (110) and Lees-McRae (97) rounded out the top five. 

North Greenville was picked sixth with 85 points and were followed by Mount Olive (75), Francis Marion (61), Barton (60), King (57), Chowan (40), Erskine (20) and Converse (17).

The 2022 Conference Carolinas Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championships will be a little different than in the past in that six teams in men’s and women’s basketball will advance to Spartanburg.
 
The Championships will get underway on Sunday, Feb. 27 and Monday, Feb. 28. The fifth and sixth seeds in men’s and women’s basketball will play host to two games over the two days. The 10th-seeded team will battle the seventh-seeded team on Feb. 27 at the home of the sixth seed for the right to face the sixth seed on Feb. 28, while the ninth-seeded team will take on the eighth-seeded team at the home of the fifth seed on Feb. 27 for the chance to take on the fifth seed on Feb. 28.
 
The 2022 Conference Carolinas Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championships quarterfinals are set for Friday, March 4 at Jerry Richardson Indoor Stadium. The semifinals will be contested on Saturday, March 5, while the men’s and women’s basketball finals are scheduled for Sunday, March 6.

2021-22 Conference Carolinas
Men’s Basketball Preseason Poll
 
School Total (First Place)
Emmanuel 137 (7)
Belmont Abbey 130 (2)
UNC Pembroke 125 (4)
Southern Wesleyan 110
Lees-McRae 97
North Greenville 85
Mount Olive 75
Francis Marion 61
Barton 60
King 57
Chowan 40
Erskine 20
Converse 17

2021-22 Conference Carolinas Men’s Basketball
Players to Watch
 
Barton
  • Trevon Spencer, So., Guard, Columbia, North Carolina
  • Marcus Boykin, r-Fr., Guard, Clinton, North Carolina
  • David Campbell, Sr., Guard, Severn, Maryland
Belmont Abbey
  • Chandler Baker, So., Guard/Forward, Woodstock, Georgia (2020-21 Conference Carolinas Freshman of the Year)
  • Sean Halloran, Sr., Guard, Orlando, Florida (2020-21 NABC All-Region Second Team, All-Conference Carolinas Second Team, Tournament MVP)
  • LJ McCoy, Sr., Guard, Thomasville, North Carolina
Chowan
  • Jaylen Dilliard, Sr., Guard, Richmond, Virginia (2020-21 All-Conference Carolinas Third Team)
  • Calvin Ahoume, Gr., Forward, Bamenda, Cameroon
Converse
  • Sigurd Lorange, So., Guard, Trondheim, Norway
  • Jordan Warlick, Jr., Guard, Irmo, South Carolina
  • Earl Burgess, Fr., Forward, Spartanburg, South Carolina
Emmanuel
  • KJ Jones II, Jr., Guard, Atlanta, Georgia (2020-21 Conference Carolinas Player of the Year, All-Conference Carolinas First Team, First Team All-American)
  • Brandon Simpson, Sr., Guard, Germantown, Maryland (Two-time All-Conference Carolinas Second Team, All-Conference Carolinas Third Team)
  • Ty Stuckey, Sr., Guard, Columbia, South Carolina (All-Conference Carolinas Second Team, Conference Carolinas Scholar Athlete of the Year) 
Erskine
  • Travis Walters, Sr., Guard, Loris, South Carolina
  • Jalen Miller, So, Guard, Ewa Beach, Hawaii
  • Justin Morton, So., Guard, Matthews, North Carolina
Francis Marion
  • Ja'Von Anderson, So., Guard, Columbia, South Carolina
  • Alex Cox, Sr., Guard, Concord, North Carolina 
  • Nieja Jordan, Gr., Forward, Jacksonville, Florida  
King
  • Michael Mays, r-Sr., Guard, Bristol, Tennessee
  • Darron Howard, Sr., Guard, Harvest, Alabama
  • MJ Foust, Sr., Guard/Forward, Little Rock, Arkansa
Lees-McRae
  • Jamarius Hairston, Sr., Guard, Salisbury, North Carolina (2020-21 All-Conference Carolinas Third Team)
  • Malik McConnell, Sr., Guard, Chattanooga, Tennessee
  • Drew Gardner, Sr., Forward, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
North Greenville
  • Jacob Redding, Sr., Guard, Fort Wayne, Indiana
  • Joe Conley, r-Jr., Forward, Oviedo, Florida
Southern Wesleyan
  • Ta’Jay Dunlap, So., Guard, Columbia, South Carolina (2020-21 All-Conference Carolinas Second Team, 2019-20 All-Conference Carolinas Second Team and All-Tournament Team)
  • Demarcus Addie, Sr., Guard, Manchester, Georgia (2020-21 All-Conference Carolinas First Team)
UNC Pembroke
  • Spencer Levi, Sr., Forward, St. Louis, Missouri (Peach Belt Conference Player of the Week)
  • Tyrell Kirk, Sr., Guard, Whiteville, North Carolina (Preseason All-Peach Belt Conference, First Team All-Peach Belt Conference)
  • Jordan Ratliffe, R-Sr., Guard, Gibson, North Carolina (Third Team All-Peach Belt Conference)