ELLISVILLE – Jones County Junior College enjoyed tremendous success in the 2008-09 men’s basketball season.

The Bobcats won the state championship, advanced to the Region 23 quarterfinals and posted an impressive 24-5 record.

But they lose nine players off of that team and return only three sophomores with a lot of playing time. However, second-year head coach Don Skelton is quite pleased with his group of returning sophomores.

“Brandon Wilson, Todd McDonald and Kendrick McDonald return for us and they are our nucleus,” he said. “We said at the end of last year that those three guys would be our captains this year and that has not changed. Brandon and Todd started last year and Kendrick gained valuable playing time as a backup.

“Brandon and Todd are doing what they do and Kendrick is stepping into more of a role where he is playing more.”

Wilson is a second-team NJCAA Preseason All-American. He is a 6-foot-5 forward from Carroll High School in Rayville, La., who averaged 17.8 points and 7.7 rebounds per contest last season. He also was one of the nation’s field goal percentage leaders, shooting an amazing 66.1 percent from the floor. He was an All-MACJC and All-Region 23 performer and is regarded as one of the state’s top prospects.

“It’s a two-fold situation for Brandon,” said Skelton. “First, can he keep up his same hustle this year? His overall game has improved some and he knows what it’s like to go through the league at this level. At the same time, can Brandon keep maturing and understanding that people are going to double-team and triple-team him sometimes?

“Will he do other things to make his teammates around him better? He is showing he can do that right now.”

Wilson plays mostly the 4 and 5 spots, but will be called upon to help out where needed.

“He will play everywhere,” said Skelton.

Todd McDonald can play the 3 or 4 positions. Todd McDonald is a 6-foot-3 standout from Wayne County who averaged 8.3 points and 6 rebounds per game last year.

“You get the same thing out of Todd every single day,” said Skelton. “The players on our team know he is one of my favorite players because he does whatever he needs to do out there during practice or games to make his teammates better and make his team win. His motor never stops running.

“He will play the ‘3’ when we go a little bigger and the ‘4’ when we go a little smaller.”

The Bobcat point guards will be Kendrick McDonald, a 5-foot-10 sophomore from Heidelberg, and Nic Combs, a 5-foot-10 freshman from Sante Fe High School in Edmond, Okla.

“Both of those guys have great work ethic and have been steady and consistent as far as their practice habits and play so far,” said Skelton. “I feel pretty confident with them out there at the point, but they will also play together out there, too.”