AUGUSTA, Ga. -- Augusta State Men's Basketball was picked to finish second in the 2012 Peach Belt Conference Preseason Coach's Poll, according to a release from the conference office Thursday.
The Jaguars, who have averaged over 26 wins per season the last six years, return four starters and six lettermen from last season's squad that turned in a 17-11 record. ASU advanced to the Peach Belt Conference Tournament semifinals before falling to eventual national runnerup Montevallo.
"The banners that have been hung in Christenberry Fieldhouse are not there because of preseason polls," said ASU head coach Dip Metress. "I would like to personally thank the school that voted us 13th in the poll this year."
The Jags are only one year removed from winning their third consecutive PBC Championship (fourth in the last five years) and their second PBC Tournament title in the last three years in 2010-11. After making three straight trips to the NCAA Elite Eight, ASU advanced to the NCAA Southeast Regional Final and Sweet 16 for the fourth straight season in 2010-11.
Entering its ninth season under Metress, the ASU Men's Basketball program returns senior forward Travis Keels and junior forward Harold Doby, along with sophomores Devon Wright-Nelson and Devonte Thomas. Wright-Nelson won the 2012 PBC Freshman of the Year Award after becoming the first freshman in school history to lead the Jags in both scoring (14.2 ppg.) and rebounding (7.8 rpg.).
Just six months removed from playing in the national championship game, Montevallo was selected as the PBC preseason favorite. The Falcons collected five first-place votes and 139 total points in the poll to edge out Augusta State by two. The Jaguars collected seven first-place votes and finished with a total of 137. UNC Pembroke was third in the voting, one point ahead of USC Aiken.
2012-13 Peach Belt Conference Men's Basketball Preseason Coach's Poll
|
Rank |
Team |
1st |
2nd |
3rd |
4th |
5th |
6th |
7th |
8th |
9th |
10th |
11th |
12th |
13th |
Total |
|
1. |
Montevallo |
5 |
1 |
2 |
4 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
139 |
|
2. |
AUGUSTA STATE |
7 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
137 |
|
3. |
UNC Pembroke |
0 |
5 |
0 |
6 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
129 |
|
4. |
USC Aiken |
1 |
1 |
7 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
128 |
|
5. |
Columbus State |
0 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
5 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
107 |
|
6. |
Clayton State |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
5 |
2 |
4 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
89 |
|
7. |
Georgia College |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
2 |
3 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
87 |
|
8. |
Lander |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
3 |
1 |
3 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
76 |
|
9. |
Ga. Southwestern |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
75 |
|
10. |
Francis Marion |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
3 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
57 |
|
11. |
North Georgia |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
2 |
2 |
0 |
52 |
|
12. |
Armstrong |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
4 |
4 |
1 |
41 |
|
13. |
Young Harris |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
3 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
7 |
37 |
|
14. |
Flagler |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
4 |
4 |
29 |