NEW ORLEANS – The Sun Belt Conference announced Monday morning that South Alabama men's basketball has been picked to finish third in the 2025 Sun Belt Preseason Coaches Poll, while redshirt sophomore John Broom was named to the Preseason All-Sun Belt Third Team.
Despite receiving a league-best four first-place votes, the Jaguars were projected to finish third behind co-regular season champions from a year ago — James Madison (175 points, one first-place vote) and Arkansas State (154 points, three first-place votes). Troy followed close behind South Alabama in fourth with 148 points, while Old Dominion rounded out the top five with 145 points.
Broom represents South Alabama's lone preseason all-conference selection after a standout freshman campaign in 2024–25. The Jacksonville, Ala., native started all 32 games, averaging 5.3 points and 5.7 rebounds per contest while shooting 44.4 percent from the field. He led the team and ranked second all-time among Jaguar freshmen with 50 steals, finishing fifth in the Sun Belt in steals per game (1.6).
Coming off its first regular-season Sun Belt Championship since 2008, South Alabama returns four players with experience from a year ago — Broom, Jayden Cooper, Randy Brady, and JJ Wheat — along with Maxwell Land, who returns from injury. The Jaguars also welcome eight newcomers, highlighted by NAIA All-Americans Peyton Law and Chaze Harris, as well as Canadian sharpshooter Adam Olsen.
The Jaguars open the 2025–26 campaign with an exhibition matchup against West Florida on Oct. 28 at 7 p.m. CT inside the Mitchell Center, before tipping off the regular season Nov. 3 at Toledo in the MAC–SBC Challenge.
2025 Sun Belt Conference Men's Basketball Preseason Coaches Poll
1. James Madison (1) – 175
2. Arkansas State (3) – 154
3. South Alabama (4) – 152
4. Troy (1) – 148
5. Old Dominion (2) – 145
6. Marshall (1) – 128
7. App State (1) – 123
8. Texas State – 106
9. Louisiana (1) – 95
10. Georgia Southern – 66
11. Georgia State – 59
12. Southern Miss – 57
13. Coastal Carolina – 43
14. ULM – 19
Preseason Player of the Year:
Robert Davis, Jr., Old Dominion [R-Jr. | G | Detroit, Mich.]
Preseason All-Sun Belt First Team
Robert Davis, Jr., Old Dominion [R-Jr. | G | Detroit, Mich.]
Thomas Dowd, Troy [Jr. | F | Dothan, Ala.]
Tyren Moore, Georgia Southern [Gr. | G | Louisville, Ky.]
Jalen Speer, Marshall [Gr. | G | Gainesville, Fla.]
Bradley Douglas, James Madison [Gr. | G | Eustis, Fla.]
Preseason All-Sun Belt Second Team
Eren Banks, App State [Jr. | G | Eatonton, Ga.]
Mark Drone, Texas State [Sr. | G | Jackson, Miss.]
Jelani Hamilton, Georgia State [R-So. | G | Marietta, Ga.]
Chandler Jackson, Arkansas State [Jr. | G | Memphis, Tenn.]
RaSheed Jones, Coastal Carolina [Jr. | G | Marion, Ind.]
Preseason All-Sun Belt Third Team
Jordan Battle, Old Dominion [Sr. | G | Norfolk, Va.]
John Broom, South Alabama [R-So. | G | Jacksonville, Ala.]
Kaden Gumbs, Texas State [Jr. | G | San Marcos, Texas]
Matt Van Komen, Marshall [Gr. | C | Lehi, Utah]
Nakavieon White, Georgia Southern [R-Sr. | F | Odessa, Texas]
FOLLOW THE JAGS
For complete coverage of South Alabama men's basketball, follow the Jags on social media @SouthAlabamaMBB (Twitter), /SouthAlabamaMBB (Facebook), @southalabamambb (Instagram), or visit the official home of South Alabama athletics at usajaguars.com
