By Ryne Rickman, UT Martin Sports Information Director
MARTIN, Tenn. – Forty-two days ahead of its season opener, the University of Tennessee at Martin men’s basketball program began practice Monday afternoon at the Kathleen and Tom Elam Center.
Today marked the first of 30 allowable practice dates permitted by the NCAA as Skyhawk second-year head coach Ryan Ridder gears up for the squad’s Nov. 7 season opener at Pitt. UT Martin returns nine players – including four starters – and retains 66 percent of its scoring from last season. The Skyhawks also welcome in five newcomers – all of whom boast previous NCAA Division I playing experience.
KJ Simon returns for his senior campaign as the reigning All-OVC first teamer was the only Division I player in the nation to average at least 16.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.4 blocks per game. KK Curry (9.7 points and 4.9 rebounds per contest) is back for his junior season while Koby Jeffries (6.3 points, team-best 3.0 assists per outing) and Chris Nix (7.3 points and 5.2 rebounds per game, team-high .527 field goal percentage) round out the returning starters.
Senior forward Josh Endicott (4.1 points, 4.4 rebounds in 15.0 minutes per game) additionally started a pair of contests a year ago and joins sophomores Josiah Morris (23 games played), Grant Hurst (23 contests played), David Kamwanga (16 games played) and Dylan Pumpian (three games played) as returners for UT Martin in 2022-23.
Parker Stewart, who achieved All-OVC status as a Skyhawk in 2019-20, returns to campus after logging 31 starts at Indiana last season, topping the Hoosiers in three-point field goals made (53) and three-point field goal percentage (.393). Desmond Williams (60 career starts, 7.6 points per game average over three seasons at Troy) and Jordan Sears (24 career starts, averaging 8.6 points per game in two years at Gardner-Webb) also provide the UT Martin backcourt with significant firepower.
Jalen Myers (19.0 points, 11.4 rebounds per game at Hinds Community College after spending his freshman season at Texas A&M Corpus Christi) and Rifen Miguel (.532 field goal percentage at Troy last year) give the Skyhawks a pair of imposing newcomers in the frontcourt.
Graphic courtesy of UT Martin Sports Information