After finishing 2019 on a good note, the SCF basketball team (14-4) is set to open Suncoast Conference play as they welcome RV Polk State (11-4) to Hal Chasey Gymnasium Saturday afternoon, January 4 at 4 pm. This will be the Manatees first game of 2020.
Last Time Out:
The Manatees are coming off of closing 2019 at the Josh Artis Classic in Melbourne where they defeated Palm Beach State 94-88 in a rematch before blowing out Coastal Alabama-North 108-85.
2019 Review:
The Manatees had one of their best seasons for 2019 when they began their season at home winning by a score of 96-86 against Palm Beach State. Their biggest game moment was against then #16 USC Salkahatchie (now #24) where the Manatees upset them by a score of 98-92. It was the first time in program history that the Manatees defeated a nationally ranked team. So far this season, the Manatees are 6-0 at home, 2-2 on the road and 6-2 on neutral grounds. In fact, this was the Manatees’ best season so far since the 2012-13 season.
Furthermore, the Manatees finished 24-11 to close out 2019. This included games from the from the second half of the 2018-19 season.
1,000 Paved and More:
Sophomore D'Moi Hodge is averaging 27.1 points, 7.7 rebounds, 5.6 assists, 2.6 steals and 2.2 blocks per game. The upcoming Cleveland State transfer reached 1,000 career points during the game against FSCJ at the JUCO Shootout and now has 1,014 in his career. It was a feat last accomplished by James Life, who had a total of 1,341 career points with the Manatees (then Lancers, 2004-05).
The native of Tortola, British Virgin Islands had a double-double of 21 points and 10 assists and six rebounds against PBSC and 24 points, six rebounds, eight assists and two steals against Coastal Alabama-North. Hodge was named NJCAA Region 8 Player of the Week for the fifth time this season as well as the NJCAA National Player of the Week for the second time.
The native of Tortola, British Virgin Islands had a double-double of 21 points and 10 assists and six rebounds against PBSC and 24 points, six rebounds, eight assists and two steals against Coastal Alabama-North. Hodge was named NJCAA Region 8 Player of the Week for the fifth time this season as well as the NJCAA National Player of the Week for the second time.
In regarding Life's records for most career points and most points in a single season (762), Hodge can potentially break the record but needs 302 to do so as he has 461 points this season. Additionally, he needs 328 to break the career points record.
Following Along:
Aside from Hodge, classmate Isiah Dasher is on path of reaching 1,000 career points himself as he has 804 career points and needs 196 more to become the second active Manatee to reach 1,000 career points this season. Dasher is averaging 16.3 points, 5.7 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game. At the Josh Artis Classic, Dasher had 14 points, two rebounds and seven assists against Palm Beach State before securing a double-double of 16 points and 10 rebounds, six assists and two steals against Coastal Alabama. It was his second career collegiate double-double.
Freshman Backup:
Aside from Hodge and Dasher, freshmen Jordan Clark, Marshall Kearing and redshirt freshman Calvin McCutcheon continue to blaze the path to back up the Manatees.
Clark is averaging 12.9 points and 4.3 rebounds per game. Clark had 11 points and five rebounds against Palm Beach State before being held to six points and one rebound against Coastal Alabama-North.
Kearing is averaging 11.3 points, 6.2 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game. Against Palm Beach State, the native of Perth, Australia had a double-double of a season-high 24 points and 13 rebounds and a block before playing off the bench against Coastal Alabama-North with eight points, five rebounds and two blocks.
McCutcheon is averaging 5.5 points and four assists per game. Although he was held scoreless while adding four assists against PBSC, McCutcheon had nine points and three assists against Coastal Alabama-North.
Cajun Style:
Sophomore Remy Robert II is averaging 4.4 points per game while shooting 32% from the 3-point line. Although he did not play against Palm Beach State, Robert had one of his best games against Coastal Alabama-North scoring 16 points and going 4-for-6 behind the arc.
Wildcard Magic:
Redshirt freshman Jaylen Jones, sophomores Chris Scarborough and Max Bell-Ramos and freshmen Sam Grayson and Michael Gavin continue their strong roles as wild cards on the team.
Jones is averaging 5.8 points and 1.3 per game. At the Josh Artis Classic, Jones had 12 points and four assists against Palm Beach State and four points and two assists against against Coastal Alabama-North.
Scarborough is averaging 4.1 points and 3.1 rebounds per game, while Bell-Ramos averages 3.8 points and two rebounds per game. Although he had one point and one block against PBSC, Scarborough had nine points and 5 rebounds against Coastal Alabama-North in his second start of the season. Bell-Ramos had two points in both games.
Grayson averages 4.1 points and two rebounds per game. Although he was held scoreless against PBSC, Grayson had six points and two rebounds against Coastal Alabama-North.
Gavin is averaging 5.5 points per game while shooting 42% behind the 3-point liner. At the Josh Artis Classic, Gavin had eight points with two 3-pointers against Palm Beach State and five points, three rebounds and three assists against Coastal Alabama-North.
Scouting Polk State:
Polk State is currently receiving 27 votes in the NJCAA National Polls after being ranked at #21 before dropping out of the top 25.
The Eagles closed 2019 with a split at the JUCO Shootout defeating Florida State College at Jacksonville 87-67 before falling to Pensacola State 101-99 in overtime. They will play against #22 Central Florida on New Years Day prior to playing SCF.
Sophomore Tekorian "TK" Smith leads the team averaging 17.6 points, 3.1 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game. Smith had 21 points, five rebounds and seven assists against FSCJ and 27 points, three rebounds and four assists against Pensacola. The native of Memphis, Tennessee committed to continue his basketball career with Georgia Southern.
Classmate Malcolm Stevenson and freshman Clarence Jackson follow Smith averaging 14.5 points per game each. Stevenson is also averaging 4.9 rebounds and three assists per game, while Jackson averages 8.1 rebounds per game.
Stevenson, who will commit to Queens University (NCAA DII) had nine points, seven rebounds and five assists against FSCJ and 17 points, four rebounds and five assists against Pensacola.
Jackson had a double-double of 14 points and 10 rebounds against FSCJ and 19 points and four rebounds against Pensacola.
Series History (2011-present):
Overall, the Manatees are 11-16 against the Eagles. Last game both teams face each other was at the Suncoast Conference Tournament Championship where the Manatees won 103-96 to qualify for the FCSAA State Tournament.
How to Keep Up:
The game will be livestream on the SCF Sports Network and fans can also keep up to date with both teams on Twitter:
SCF: @SCF_Basketball
Polk State: @PolkStateHoops
Livestream Link: https://portal.stretchinternet.com/scf/
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