By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Following a vote of Ohio Valley Conference head men's basketball coaches and communication directors, the League officially released its Preseason All-OVC Team and preseason poll Wednesday afternoon.
Heading into his third year as a Golden Eagle, Jr. Clay found his name among the Preseason All-OVC selections for the second time in his young career after leading the purple and gold and ranking 11th in the league in scoring. Last season, Clay averaged 13.4 points and 3.9 assists (sixth in the OVC) while totaling a team-high 56 steals (fifth in the OVC). He earned a spot on the All-OVC Second Team for the second time in as many years as well.
"We are very proud of Jr.'s growth as a young leader," Pelphrey said of the junior guard. "He has really embraced learning, growing, and getting better and serving his teammates. He's having a transformational impact on our basket all program and we believe he has even more room to grow this season."
Clay represents one of six returning players for the Tech squad this season, a youthful group that was selected to finish ninth in OVC's Preseason poll. The Golden Eagles finished ninth in the league during the 2019-20 season, Pelphrey's first at the helm of the program, three spots higher than the preseason's 12th-place prediction.
"We have some returning players that even though they're young, they gained a lot of experience last year," Pelphrey said. "And now we have added some physically talented guys to the mix. Even though we'll be a very young team again, the challenge will be the same with how quickly we can come together and work together to take on the challenges of college basketball.
Last season, the Golden Eagles finished 9-22 overall and 6-12 in OVC play, but things seemed to start clicking for the inexperienced roster down the stretch. Tech won four of its final seven games on the year, with two of the three losses coming by a combined seven points on the road.
Tech returns its top two scorers from last year in Clay and sophomore point guard Keishawn Davidson. Both ranked in the top-10 in the league in assists as well. The Golden Eagles' leading rebounder and shot-blocker, Amadou Sylla, returns for his junior campaign, adding more than 20 pounds of muscle to his 6-foot-8 frame over the summer.
The Golden Eagles welcome eight newcomers to the mix for the 2020-21 campaign, including freshmen Austin Harvell (forward), Taelon Peter (guard), Jalen Stayton (freshman), and Kenny White Jr. (freshman), sophomore transfer CJ Gettelfinger (guard), juniors Damaria Franklin (guard) and Marcus Hopkins (center), and graduate transfer Shandon Goldman (forward).
"We really like the character and DNA of our basketball team," Pelphrey expressed. "We believe even though we are uniquely different and diverse, we are unified with like-minded people with regard to core values of character; hard-working, tough, and resilient, but also helpful, kind, and sacrificing."
The Golden Eagles, much like the rest of the country, were forced to adjust to a new way of everyday life following the COVID-19 pandemic, not to mention overcoming numerous obstacles and challenges not seen before.
"Since the end of last season and up to this point in time, we're very proud of how our guys have handled themselves during a uniquely challenging time," Pelphrey explained," with the F-4 tornado, a lot of the social justice issues that came up this summer, dealing with the pandemic, the re-entry to school, missing basketball in the summer, and then being a part of a college campus that is having to do things totally different than any other time in our history in regards to academics.
"We are just proud of the way they have conducted themselves. All of that stuff is completely new and they've done a good job of learning, growing, and putting themselves in position to get better in so many different aspects. That is what we need them to do as leaders because there are more challenges to come."
The 2020-21 Tennessee Tech men's basketball schedule will be released Thursday, Nov. 5 on TTUSports.com.
Seating at Tennessee Tech home games will be available in a limited capacity. Season tickets are available by calling (931) 372-3940, online at TTUsports.com or by visiting the Hooper Eblen Center ticket office.
2020-21 Preseason All-OVC Men's Basketball Team
Jordyn Adams, Austin Peay
Jomaru Brown, Eastern Kentucky
Tevin Brown, Murray State
Jr. Clay, Tennessee Tech
Tre King, Eastern Kentucky
Carlos Marshall Jr., Tennessee State
Grayson Murphy, Belmont
Nick Muszynski, Belmont
Mack Smith, Eastern Illinois
Parker Stewart, UT Martin
Terry Taylor, Austin Peay
Josiah Wallace, Eastern Illinois
KJ Williams, Murray State
2020-21 Preseason Player of the Year: Terry Taylor, Austin Peay
2020-21 OVC Men's Basketball Preseason Poll
1. Austin Peay (9 first-place votes) – 226 points
Murray State (10) – 226
3. Belmont (5) – 214
4. Eastern Kentucky – 173
5. Eastern Illinois – 153
6. Tennessee State – 139
7. Jacksonville State – 124
8. Morehead State – 113
9. Tennessee Tech – 84
10. UT Martin – 80
11. SIUE – 48
12. Southeast Missouri – 30
Photo by Thomas Corhern
