With only one player from last year’s Jefferson Davis Community College Warhawk basketball team returning to the court for the Warhawks in the coming months, coach Allen Gainer has been busy hitting the recruiting trail over the summer.

Gainer, who led JDCC to the South Division conference championship this past season and to the Final Four of the regional tournament before falling to eventual champion Wallace-Hanceville in the semifinals of the ACCC regional tournament in Tuscaloosa 74-60, said only R.J. Bowers will be back from a team that went 19-10 last season and came up only one game shy of a berth in the title game.

“R.J. is a 6-foot guard from Marianna, Fla., and is the only returning player from last year’s team,” Gainer said. “He is an outstanding shooter, solid ball handler, and is good defensively.  He is an intelligent player that we will look to for leadership in trying to get our young team ready.”

Along with Bowers and Gainer from last year’s squad, 13 players will be new players. Counting Bowers, of the 14 players for the Warhawks, eight come from Alabama while four come from Florida and two from Louisiana. The two players from Louisiana come from the same high school—New Roads. Of the eight players from Alabama, three come from Sylacauga. Of the four players from Florida, two come from Washington High School.

Adrian Rich, a 6-4 guard/forward from Georgiana is one player that Gainer has signed.

“Rich was a second team all state player that led his team to a final four appearance in state tournament before losing to the eventual champion,” Gainer said. “He is a very athletic and exciting player.”

For the complete story see the Saturday, Aug. 11 edition of The Atmore Advance.