POSTED BY: Eurobasket News
Junard Hartley
David Akin spent this past basketball season coaching at Milton High, where he is an assistant to David Boyd, his old high school coach.
But the Berkmar grad is a head coach in the summertime, guiding the Gwinnett Majic, an ultra-successful World Basketball Association franchise that plays its home games at the Bogan Park Gym. The Majic won the past two WBA championships, returning the core of its roster this season along with some key newcomers to pursue a three-peat.
That pursuit begins today with a 7 p.m. opener at home against the Columbus Stars.
Our team this season is as talented a team as we have ever had, Akin said. We have guys on the team that have played in the ACC, SEC, Big East, in the NCAA Tournament. As the defending two-time WBA champions, it will be imperative that we play at our highest level every night. The pressure to win every night should bring out the best in our players and coaching staff.
Our team goal is to simply improve on a weekly basis, however our expectations are to win another title and become the top minor league basketball franchise in the Southeast.
The talent Akin spoke of includes Dacula grad B.J. Puckett, who has been one of the WBAs top players the past few seasons. He spends the bulk of his year playing international basketball professionally, but is home for the summer thanks to the Majic.
He joins three other Gwinnett products on the roster Berkmar grad Adrien Borders (6'0''-G-83, college: Wofford), Norcross grad Reggie Anderson II (6'5''-G/F-87, college: Carver Bible) II and 7-foot Shiloh grad Jonathan Mandeldove (6'11''-C, college: Connecticut), one of the teams newcomers. Mandeldove, who played for Connecticut, joins returning players Albert Jackson of Georgia and Puckett to give Gwinnett a strong frontcourt.
Georgia Techs Maurice Miller and Lance Storrs (6'5''-G-89, college: Georgia Tech) also are on the Majic roster, as is Georgia States Marcus Brown.
The team plays a 12-game regular season, with seven of those at Bogan Park.
We have enjoyed playing in Gwinnett the past two years and our fan base continues to grow and so does the excitement at each game, Akin said. Last season we had nearly 500 people at the championship game.
The Gwinnett Majics summer slate also includes a busy run of basketball camps at Bogan Park and Lenora Park. For more information, visit www.gwinnettmajic.com.
2011 Gwinnett Majic Roster
Name Position Height College
Reggie Anderson II II F 6-6 Carver Bible
Adrien Borders G 6-2 Wofford
David Brown G 6-3 Clark Atlanta
Marcus Brown F 6-7 Georgia State
Frank Davis G 6-3 Tennessee Tech
Andrew Dikas F 6-5 Brewton-Parker
Junard Hartley (6'3''-G-89, college: Campbell) G 6-3 Campbell
Albert Jackson C 7-0 Georgia
E.J. Kusnyer G 6-4 Mercer
Jonathan Mandeldove C 7-0 Connecticut
Maurice Miller G 6-2 Georgia Tech
B.J. Puckett F 6-9 Clayton State
Javon Randolph (5'10''-G-84, college: Savannah St.) G 6-0 Savannah State
Michael Sloan F 6-6 Clayton State
Lance Storrs F 6-5 Georgia Tech
Head coach: David Akin
Courtesy of www.gwinnettdailypost.com
