2024-25 Volunteer State Men's Mid-Season Review
By: Timothy M. Reece, Broadcaster, VolState Sports Network
At the halfway point of the 2024-25 season, the Volunteer State Pioneers Men's Basketball Team is off to one of its best starts in recent memory. The team owns an overall record of 6-8 having played a tough non-conference slate, including 5 losses to four teams in the ACCC (Alabama) and MACCC (Mississippi) with a current combined record of 38-12. The real story, however, is the start in conference play where the Pioneers have run out to a 5-1 record, which places them tied with Columbia State for 1st place in the TCCAA at the holiday break. This is the first time since the 2022-23 season that the Men's program has won 5 conference games in a season, and they have done it in the first 6 games played. Their home win against Walters State, 71-69, was the first over the Senators since February 2019. The home win against Chattanooga State, 99-71, is their first over the Tigers since January 2022.
Good news for the Pioneer's is that there are 14 conference games remaining in the season, including seven at Pickle Field House. Johnny Lynn, in his 2nd year as the Head Men's Basketball Coach, has made a huge impact on the current success of the program. Not only has he and his Assistants, Greg Law (also in his 2nd year) and John Thomas Lynn (1st year Coach and eldest son of Coach Lynn) brought in almost a full roster of new and talented players, Coach Lynn is establishing a winning attitude. The TCCAA Hall of Fame Coach has won over 1,000 games in women's fast pitch softball over a 30-year period at Volunteer State. That translates into a winning mindset which he is now passing on to the Men's basketball team.
After last season's 6-24 (4-14) finish, Coach Lynn knew he had to re-tool the roster as a number of the players had moved on either due to eligibility, grades, or other reasons. This year's roster includes six transfers, six true freshman, and three returning players. So far, the greatest impact has been Taylor Groves (Cross Plains, TN), an Ole Miss football transfer from East Robertson High School in Robertson County, TN, who is among the conference and national JUCO leaders in a number of important categories. To conclude week three of the season, Groves scored a triple double against Motlow State (30 points/11 Rebounds/11 assists) which led to him being named the TCCAA Region 7 and Division I NJCAA Men's Basketball Player of the Week. During the first half of the season, Groves also scored two double doubles, including 31 points (season high) and 10 assists against Lawson State.
Groves is averaging 19.7 points/game (2nd in the conference; 31st in the nation), 6.2 assists/game (1st in the conference; 6th in the nation), and 2.9 steals/game (T1st in the conference with teammate Willie Wilson; T16th in the nation). Groves is also leading or tied for the conference lead in totals, as well as highly ranked nationally, in the following categories: points (276), assists (87), steals (41), free throws attempted (99), free throws made (68), field goals attempted (201), and field goals made (92).
Willie Wilson (Nashville, TN), a returning sophomore guard, is one of two players who have started all 14 games (Groves being the other) for the Pioneers. Wilson is also a former college football player (UT Chattanooga) who decided to take off the pads and get back to the hardwood. He played both sports at Nashville East HS. Wilson played in every game for Vol State last year and was one of three players to start in 27 or more games. He averaged 7.1 points/game and his 3.8 assists/game was 9th in the conference. This year, Wilson is continuing to deliver the basketball, averaging 3.7 assists/game (6th in the conference), and has stepped up his thievery by averaging 2.9 steals/game, which is tied with Groves for the conference lead. Wilson is also contributing more on offense, averaging 9.6 points/game, which includes a career high 27 points against Calhoun CC when he made a career high seven 3-point shots.
The 2nd and 3rd leading scorers for the Pioneers, through the first 14 games is Jayden Nesbitt (Huntsville, AL), 6'8" freshman post, averaging 11.9 points/game, and Lavonta Ivery (Augusta, GA), 6'2" wing, averaging 11.4 points/game. Nesbitt has started 13 of the 14 games played, scored five double doubles (points and rebounds), and is among the conference leaders in three categories: 3rd in rebounding (8.6/game), 3rd in blocked shots (3.0/game), and 10th in field goal % (54.2/game). Nesbitt is ranked nationally in blocked shots per game (T12th), total blocks (42; T2nd), and total rebounds (120; 8th). Ivery has started 10 of 14 games, is scoring higher in conference games (14.0 points/game) and is solid from the free throw line (70.3%).
Cannon Hale (Gallatin, TN), red-shirt freshman transfer from Cumberland University, Deion Subaran (Nassau, Bahamas), red-shirt freshman transfer from Bryan College, and freshman Isaiah Fuller (Decatur, AL), have each had multiple double-digit scoring games with season highs of 19 points for Hale, 15 points for Subaran, and 12 points for Fuller. Hale leads the team in made 3-point shots (28); Subaran leads in 3-point shooting percentage (43.9); and Fuller leads the team in free throw percentage (82.4).
John Lloyd (Mt. Juliet, TN), 6'6" freshman forward, has been a strong presence in the lane and on the boards. Red-shirt sophomore guard Cooper Harris (Gallatin, TN) and sophomore guard Rob Correia (Hendersonville, TN) provide defensive energy off the bench. Red-shirt freshmen Akil King (Snellville, GA), a transfer from Brevard College, and Hamilton Paige (Memphis, TN), a transfer from Austin Peay, are both 6'7" and have been options off the bench for Coach Lynn. Preston King, 6'6" freshman from Westmoreland, TN, has recently entered the lineup after starting the season injured. In the three games prior to the break, he has scored in each game and is averaging 5 rebounds/game.
The Pioneers are averaging just over 78 points/game, which is right at the average for last year's squad. However, their defense is allowing over 17 points less per game (75.5) from last year. As a team, they lead the conference in assists per game (20.4) and are 2nd in steals (11.4).
After almost a month break from competition, the Pioneers will open up on the road playing non-conference, national power Vincennes University on January 4th. Conference play begins on Wednesday, January 8th at Jackson State. Coach Lynn, his staff, and players believe they have the talent and ability to contend for a conference championship and are looking forward to the 2nd half of the season. Come out to the Richard Moore Gymnasium inside the Pickle Fieldhouse and experience for yourself this exciting new wave of Pioneer basketball!