GSU Men’s Basketball Kicks off 2022-23 Season at Joe Retton Classic

Glenville, W.Va. - Glenville State's Men's Basketball team is set to kickoff the 2022-23 campaign tonight at the Joe Retton Classic. The Pioneers close out the first day of the event against old WVIAC foe Salem University.

A Look at Salem

Salem is coming off a 20-win season for the first time in over eight years. Coach Brett Rector is back for his second season under the helm. Last season the Tigers averaged 88.6 points per game and shot 43% from three as a team.

Salem will be missing their leading scorer Fonz Hale from last year. Hale averaged 21.7 points for the Tigers and played about 30 minutes a game. The Tigers also will have to replace the production of Graduate Senior Tobias Howard Jr. Tobias like Hale was a lethal shooter from three finishing the 2021-22 season shooting 47.5%. The Graduate Senior also played about 35.6 minutes per game for Salem.

However, the Tigers do return Rodney Smith who started every game for Salem. At the guard position, Smith produced 11.4 points per game and 3.7 assists per game. In a game against Emory & Henry Smith dropped a career-high 31 points.

A Look at Your Glenville State Pioneers

The Pioneers are coming off a (12-16) season where they lost in the first round of the Mountain East Conference Tournament. Head Coach Justin Caldwell enters his fifth season with the program. Glenville had the second-best offense in the league last season averaging 88 points per contest.

Just like the Tigers, Coach Caldwell's squad has a lot of new faces. The Pioneers only return three players from last year's team. Gus Eddy and Dajon Congleton return for their junior season while Kirk Pence will be a sophomore. John Williams Glenville's first All-American since 1989 transferred to FIU.

Transfers Jordan "Turbo" Smith, Freddie Word, Jamarvious Jones, and Jacquez Yow look to be key contributors for Glenville this season. Smith last season at Dyersburg State averaged 19.8 points per game shooting 46% from the field. Turbo also proved to be a distributor producing 7 assists per contest. Freddie Word in 25 games last season was a consistent 13 points for Polk State. Both Yow and Jonesbring some height to Glenville's team at 6'6. Jamarvious and Jacquez shot the ball well and were solid rebounders.

What Next for GSU

The Pioneers will be in action this Saturday at 3:00 PM facing Edinboro University on day two of the Joe Retton Classic.

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