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(NewsDakota.com)- The sting of the heartbreaking loss suffered in the 2012 NAIA National Tournament may never go away, but the Jamestown College men’s basketball team has had a busy off-season as they look to fill a multitude of departures.
AII and DAC Player of the Year Travis Burley is gone, along with starters Byron Jones, B.J. Mertens and Brandon Robbins. Head Coach Matt Murken has also had to deal with the departure of his assistant coach Tyler Bormann.
Murken has hired Jones and former Presentation assistant Danny Neville to fill the duties of Bormann. Neville spent the last two years as the assistant at Presentation.
Jones finished up his four-year career as a Jimmie with 1,000 career points and a Herculean effort that nearly brought the Jimmies back in that NAIA Tournament loss. “What Byron lacks in experience,” Murken said via email, “he makes up for with his enthusiasm and love of Jamestown College.”
Murken also went on to say that even though they have lots of holes to fill in their starting line-up he likes the progress his returning players have made and the job they have done in recruiting. Isiah Gandy a transfer from Division I Nebraska-Omaha and Breshion Tucker, Division II transfer, are expected to play a key role right away.
Davon Thomas, Mark Hoge, and Jared Sutherland will be asked to play a more crucial role in the offense this season. Murken closed the email by saying, “We have a lot of work left to do this summer and fall, but its a great group to work with.”
2012-2013 Men’s Basketball Schedule
October 12 Brandon University 7:00 Jamestown, ND
October 13 Brandon University 5:00 Jamestown, ND
November 2 Dordt College 7:30 Sioux Center, IA
November 3 Northwestern College 4:00 Orange City, IA
November 9 Viterbo University 6:00 Jamestown, ND
November 10 Augustana College (Exhibition) 6:00 Sioux Falls, SD
November 16 Viterbo University Classic TBA LaCrosse, WI
vs Viterbo, Waldorf, Martin Luther
November 17 Viterbo University Classic TBA LaCrosse, WI
November 20 U of Minnesota-Morris 7:30 Jamestown, ND
November 23 Montana State Northern 6:00 Havre, MT
November 24 Augustana College 4:00 Havre, MT
November 27 Trinity Bible College 7:30 Jamestown, ND
November 30 William Penn University 6:00 Jamestown, ND
December 8 Dickinson State University 6:00 Jamestown, ND
December 11 Minot State University (Exhibition) 7:00 Minot, ND
December 15 Dickinson State University 6:00(MST) Dickinson, ND
December 30 Arizona Christian College 3:00 Phoenix, AZ
December 31 Arizona Christian College 3:00 Phoenix, AZ
January 3 Northern New Mexico TBA Espanola, NM
January 5 Johnson and Wales 1:00 Denver, CO
January 11 South Dakota Mines and Tech. 7:30 Rapid City, SD
January 12 Oglala Lakota College TBA Kyle, SD
January 19 DAC Tournament TBA Jamestown, ND
vs. Dakota State
January 20 DAC Tournament TBA Jamestown, ND
January 24 Mayville State University 7:30 Jamestown, ND
January 27 Oglala Lakota College 4:00 Jamestown, ND
January 30 Valley City State University 7:30 Valley City, ND
February 2 Dakota State University 6:00 Madison, SD
February 6 Valley City State University 7:30 Jamestown, ND
February 10 South Dakota Mines and Tech. 4:00 Jamestown, ND
February 13 Dakota State University 7:30 Jamestown, ND
February 16 Mayville State University 6:00 Mayville, ND
February 21 Independent Tourney TBA
February 22 Independent Tourney TBA
February 23 Independent Tourney TBA