JSU Tigers look to build on last season's NCAA appearance

By Kareem Copeland, Clarion Ledger

Jackson State kicks off its 2007-08 basketball campaign with a 7 p.m. practice Friday evening. The Tigers are coming off their first NCAA Tournament appearance in seven years - a 112-69 opening round loss to eventual champion Florida.

JSU rode SWAC Player of the Year Trey Johnson to a 21-14 record last season while finishing second in the regular season SWAC standings (12-6). The Tigers won the conference tournament and a NCAA Tourney invite with an 81-71 victory over Mississippi Valley State.

Johnson recently signed with the New Orleans Hornets after averaging 27.1 points and 4.5 rebounds as a senior.

However, the Tigers return four starters, including 6-foot-7 sophomore forward Grant Maxey (8.9 ppg, 5.7 rpg).

Junior center Jeremy Caldwell (7.0 ppg, 5.0 rpg), senior guard Catraiva Givens (5.3 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 143 assists) and senior guard Kay Martinez (5.1 ppg, 2.3 rpg) round out the top returners.

Coach Tevester Anderson begins his fifth season at the helm of the program. His Jackson State record sits at 63-65, though his win total has increased each year.

The Tigers will play two exhibition games before opening the regular season. JSU will host Springhill College on Nov. 1 and Miles College on Nov. 8.

JSU will also have a tough pre-SWAC schedule. JSU will travel to Baylor on Nov.11, BYU on Nov. 16 and Louisville on Nov. 18. The Tigers will host Southeastern Louisiana on Nov. 27 and UC Davis on Dec. 21.

NO NAME HT/WT POS Hometown/Last School
44 Caldwell, Jeremy 6-8/200 C Jackson, MS
3 Givens, Catraiva 5-8/155 G little Rock, AR
32 Grant, Maxey 6-7/180 F Toledo, OH
12 Griffin, Dariron 6-3/185 G Toledo, OH
10 Henry, Carl 6-1/180 G london, England
22 Jarrow, Edwin 6-6/166 F
33 Johnson, Garrison 6-6 F Smyrna, GA
24 Johnson, Trey 6-5/218 G Jackson, MS
00 Jones, Marcus 6-8/185 C Houston, TX
5 Martinez, Kay 6-7/195 G Limon, Costa Rica
4 Russell, Kenny 6-3/195 G Atlanta, GA
30 Swanier, Kyle 6-1/160 G Jackson, MS
40 Turner, Stanley 6-11/295 C /Lamar, MS
42 White, Kevin 6-1/180 G Gary, IN
34 Young, Julius 6-6/185 G Jackson, MS