Boosters
photo by Bob Beavers
Dalton State basketball boosters had an opportunity to see the 2015-16 team during a Thursday evening meet and greet at First Baptist Church of Dalton.
The Roadrunners lost 10 players from last season’s NAIA National Championship team, but it looks like Coaches Tony Ingle, John Redman and Hunter Hageman have done a great job rebuilding, officials said.
Coach Ingle first introduced this season’s seniors. It starts with NAIA National Tournament MVP Jordan Bowling and a walk-on – Jordan’s twin brother, Taylor.
Both are 6-6 forwards from Somerville, AL. Jamaine Burrey. A 6-2 guard from Columbus, GA is also returning along with 6-8 forward Nate Terry from Santa Rosa Beach, FL.
A fifth senior is 6-9 center Jalen Robinson from Columbus, OH. His wife was on hand for the introduction and he held his son, Bo.
Juniors joining Dalton State this year are Cory McDonald, a 6-4 guard from Brooklyn, NY; Marcel Hawkins, a 6-5 forward from Columbus, GA; Antonio Finley, a 5-11 guard from Meridian, MS who led all junior college players last season on 3-point shots made per game and Raheem England, a 6-5 redshirt guard from Decatur, AL.
The only Roadrunner coming back as a sophomore is Deshawn Ruffin, a 6-0 guard from the Bolles School in Jacksonville, FL. New sophomores on the Dalton State squad are Rudy Winters, a 6-4 guard, originally from Cartersville, who transferred from Gordon Jr. College; Reed Dungan, a 6-1 guard from Powder Springs, GA; Pawel Jasnos, a 6-9 Center from Zielona Gora Poland, from Miles College in the Birmingham area and Zach Dean, a walk on from Ringgold. Dean was salutatorian of his senior class at Ringgold.
This year’s freshmen are Malik King, a 6-4 guard from Savannah; Giogi Nadiradze, a 5-11 guard from Tbilisi, the capital of the country of Georgia and a Nick Banks, a 6-1 guard from Eatonton, GA. Banks is a Dalton State student who was discovered by DS players during pick-up games.
Desmond Phillips will return as a student assistant. Matt Spaulding and Charley McConkie are the managers. Sherman Howze is basketball athletic trainer.