POINT GUARD
2022-23 players not returning: Steven Ashworth (Transferred to Creighton); Rylan Jones (Transferred to Samford); Connor Odom (Transferred to Virginia Commonwealth)
Returning players: None
New faces in 2023-24:
Darius Brown 6’2″ 195 (NR) – Montana State University – (1 year to play 1)
2022-23 (Sr.) Stats: PPG: 9.1 FG%: 46.5 3PT%: 39.7 FT%: 90.9 REB: 4.4 AST: 4.9 STL: 1.8
2021-22 (RsJr.) Stats: PPG: 5.6 FG%: 35.6 3PT%: 33.3 FT%: 72.7 REB: 3.1 AST: 1.5 STL: 0.9
2020-21 (Jr.) Stats: PPG: 10.5 FG%: 47.2 3PT%: 36.8 FT%: 72.2 REB: 4.8 AST: 5.3 STL: 2.0
2019-20 (So.) Stats: PPG: 10.0 FG%: 47.2 3PT%: 38.4 FT%: 77.4 REB: 3.7 AST: 4.0 STL: 1.2
2018-19 (Fr.) Stats: PPG: 8.3 FG%: 45.7 3PT%: 30.7 FT%: 77.1 REB: 3.6 AST: 5.2 STL: 1.4
Offers from: Central Florida, College of Charleston, Duquesne, Minnesota, Montana St, Notre Dame, Richmond, SMU, South Florida, St. John’s, Utah Valley, Western Kentucky
https://msubobcats.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/darius-brown-ii/5706
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-GXTrXF-fPE
Javon Jackson 6’3″ 190 (NR) – Southern Nazarene University – (4 years to play 3)
2022-23 (Fr.) Stats: PPG: 15.8 FG%: 45.5 3PT%: 39.4 FT%: 76.1 REB: 3.4 AST: 2.8 STL: 1.3
Offers from: Bowling Green, Charlotte, Chattanooga, Denver, Fullerton, Indiana St, Lamar, Middle Tennessee St, North Texas, Northridge, Purdue-Fort Wayne, Tennessee Tech, Texas-San Antonio, Wyoming
https://snuathletics.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/javon-jackson/7459
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tLceeInY5eU
Jaxon Smith 6’1″ (NR) – Wood Cross HS, UT – (Preferred Walk-on)
2022-23 (Sr.) Stats: PPG: 15.6 FG%: 38.0 3PT%: 35.0 FT%: 91.0 REB: 3.0 AST: 2.7 STL: 0.3
2021-22 (Jr.) Stats: PPG: 14.0 FG%: 41.0 3PT%: 36.0 FT%: 88.0 REB: 2.9 AST: 2.4 STL: 0.8
Offers from: Colorado Northwestern CC, Green River College, South Carolina-Salkehatchie, Southwestern Oregon CC, Treasure Valley CC, Umpqua CC, Western Nebraska CC, Wyoming CC
https://www.hudl.com/profile/15475207/Jaxon-Smith
2023-24 OUTLOOK
DARIUS BROWN
Graduate senior transfer Darius Brown will absolutely get the starting nod at this position. Brown joins the Aggies for his final season of eligibility after playing one season at Montana State University and beginning his collegiate career at Cal-State Northridge. Brown chose the Aggies over offers from Central Florida, College of Charleston, Duquesne, Minnesota, Montana State, Notre Dame, Richmond, SMU, South Florida, St. John’s, Utah Valley, and Western Kentucky. As a redshirt senior at Montana State in 2022-23, he appeared in 34 games. He averaged 9.1 points per game while shooting 46.5 percent from the floor, 39.7 percent from behind the 3-point line and he shot 90.9 percent at the free-throw line. He averaged 4.4 boards, 4.9 assists, and 1.8 steals per game. As a senior at Cal-State Northridge in 2021-22, he appeared in 8 games before missing the rest of the season with an injury. He averaged 5.6 points per game while shooting 35.6 percent from the floor, 33.3 percent from behind the 3-point line and he shot 72.7 percent at the free-throw line. He averaged 3.1 boards, 1.5 assists, and 0.9 steals per game. As a junior in 2020-21, he appeared in 22 games. He averaged 10.5 points per game while shooting 47.2 percent from the floor, 36.8 percent from behind the 3-point line and he shot 72.2 percent at the free-throw line. He averaged 4.8 boards, 5.3 assists, and 2.0 steals per game. As a sophomore in 2019-20, he appeared in 32 games. He averaged 10.0 points per game while shooting 47.2 percent from the floor, 38.4 percent from behind the 3-point line and he shot 77.4 percent at the free-throw line. He averaged 3.7 boards, 4.0 assists, and 1.2 steals per game. As a true freshman in 2018-19, he appeared in 34 games. He averaged 8.3 points per game while shooting 45.7 percent from the floor, 30.7 percent from behind the 3-point line and he shot 77.1 percent at the free-throw line. He averaged 3.6 boards, 5.2 assists, and 1.4 steals per game. Brown is your quintessential point guard. He is a leader in every sense of the word and is really an extension of Head Coach Danny Sprinkle when he is on the floor. He is a fantastic ball distributor and handler. His extremely low turnover rate and assist-to-turnover ratio speak for themselves. He is a good shooter and can hit each shot for a good percentage. His specialty is hitting the 3-ball off the pick and roll. He will prove to be a very unexpected scoring threat for this season’s Aggie squad. He will also do the dirty work as a rebounder averaging nearly 4.0 per game throughout his career. As if things couldn’t get any better for Brown, he’s also a lockdown defender and has last season’s Big Sky Conference Defensive Player of the Year award to prove it.
JAVON JACKSON
Backing up Brown will be sophomore transfer Javon Jackson. Jackson began his collegiate career at Southern Nazarene University. He will have four years to complete his final three seasons of eligibility. Jackson chose the Aggies over offers from Bowling Green, Charlotte, Chattanooga, Denver, Fullerton State, Indiana State, Lamar, Middle Tennessee State, North Texas, Northridge, Purdue-Fort Wayne, Tennessee Tech, Texas-San Antonio, and Wyoming. As a true freshman at Southern Nazarene in 2022-23, he appeared in 32 games. He averaged 15.8 points per game while shooting 45.5 percent from the floor, 39.4 percent from behind the 3-point line and he shot 76.1 percent at the free-throw line. He averaged 3.4 boards, 2.8 assists, and 1.3 steals per game. For his effort, Jackson was named the Great American Conference Freshman of the Year. Jackson is already a good college player. He is a great catch-and-shoot player. He has proven that he can shoot the 3-ball at a solid percentage. I figure that number will increase when he is not the focal point of opposing defenses. He has a quick first step that allows him to blow by a defender and get into the lane. His size will help him match up well defensively. He has shown that he can stay with his man and his foot speed is a huge plus here. While it would be nice for him to cut down on his turnovers from a year ago, experience can often help that as much as anything. His floor vision and ability to pass the ball have made him the clear-cut #2 at this spot.
JAXON SMITH
Adding depth to the position is true freshman Jaxon Smith. Smith chose to join the Aggies as a preferred walk-on over offers from Colorado Northwestern Community College, Green River College, South Carolina-Salkehatchie, Southwestern Oregon Community College, Treasure Valley Community College, Umpqua Community College, Western Nebraska Community College, and Wyoming Community College. As a senior at Woods Cross High School (UT) in 2022-23, he appeared in 23 games. He averaged 15.6 points per game while shooting 38.0 percent from the floor, 35.0 percent from behind the 3-point line and he shot 91.0 percent at the free-throw line. He averaged 3.0 boards, 2.7 assists, and 0.3 steals per game. As a junior in 2020-21, he appeared in 27 games. He averaged 14.0 points per game while shooting 41.0 percent from the floor, 36.0 percent from behind the 3-point line and he shot 88.0 percent at the free-throw line. He averaged 2.9 boards, 2.4 assists, and 0.8 steals per game. Smith is showing that he can be a smart point guard who can effectively lead a scout team on a consistent basis. He is a good player on the ball. He handles the ball well and doesn’t make mistakes often. He can shoot the 3-ball very consistently. He can’t be left alone on the outside, he’ll make you pay for it. He is a smart player who is good off the ball and flows well within the movement of the offense. He is a scrappy defender and he isn’t afraid to hit the floor for loose balls. He’s a tough kid who belongs in an Aggie uniform.
PROJECTED 2023-24 PRESEASON DEPTH CHART
POINT GUARD
10 Darius Brown (6-2, 192, Gr-Sr., TR, NR)
22 Javon Jackson (6-3, 190, So., TR, NR)
3 Jaxon Smith (6-2, 188, Fr., HS, NR)
Coming Up On Thursday: Small Forward