It would be just fine with Jefferson if the NIC-10 basketball season started tomorrow. “We do have a little bit of momentum going here,” said Jefferson first-year coach Todd Brannan. If their summer league success is any indication, the J-Hawks will enjoy the 2008-09 season when it does start in November. Jefferson won the Rock Valley College Summer League Monday with a 34-33 upset win against Auburn at Harlem High School. The J-Hawks beat Auburn on the boards and had key free throws from Jordan Kerley in the closing minutes for the win. Jefferson and Auburn both finished the league with 11-1 records. “We play hard, and we play unselfishly, and those are the most important things to me,” said Brannan, who took over the team in May. “It might not always be pretty, but I think we’re a fun team to watch, and we’re a tough team to match up with.” Jefferson hopes it will be the most improved team in the conference next year. The J-Hawks went 9-19 (4-12 NIC-10) last year and haven’t had a winning season since 2004-05. “What this does is makes people respect us more, and it makes people realize we are more of a threat in the conference this year,” said Kerley, who led Jefferson with eight points. Auburn (20-8 last season) has a veteran lineup and was the only team that went undefeated in the summer league play. Twenty-five teams participated this year. “(Jefferson) has improved a lot, and they have a lot of speed this year,” Auburn seni ...
Anytime
It would be just fine with Jefferson if the NIC-10 basketball season started tomorrow. “We do have a little bit of momentum going here,” said Jefferson first-year coach Todd Brannan. If their summer league success is any indication, the J-Hawks will enjoy the 2008-09 season when it does start in November. Jefferson won the Rock Valley College Summer League Monday with a 34-33 upset win against Auburn at Harlem High School. The J-Hawks beat Auburn on the boards and had key free throws from Jordan Kerley in the closing minutes for the win. Jefferson and Auburn both finished the league with 11-1 records. “We play hard, and we play unselfishly, and those are the most important things to me,” said Brannan, who took over the team in May. “It might not always be pretty, but I think we’re a fun team to watch, and we’re a tough team to match up with.” Jefferson hopes it will be the most improved team in the conference next year. The J-Hawks went 9-19 (4-12 NIC-10) last year and haven’t had a winning season since 2004-05. “What this does is makes people respect us more, and it makes people realize we are more of a threat in the conference this year,” said Kerley, who led Jefferson with eight points. Auburn (20-8 last season) has a veteran lineup and was the only team that went undefeated in the summer league play. Twenty-five teams participated this year. “(Jefferson) has improved a lot, and they have a lot of speed this year,” Auburn seni ...