2025-26 Longwood Preview
The 2025-26 Big South Hoops Hub Preview of Longwood
Longwood:
Background and 24-25 Recap:
Coming off a Big South title victory and returning many key pieces and replacing the ones who left, Longwood was expected to be a Big South contender. Early in the season they looked to be neck and neck with High Point with both schools entering their MTE’s undefeated. Even looking to be ahead of High Point after beating them on a Colby Garland buzzer beater, but alas Longwood would succumb to the injury bug and end up a 6 seed and lose to Winthrop in the conference tournament.
Then in the offseason, Ryan Odom takes the job at UVA and rumors start circulating about Griff maybe joining Odom at UVA. Then, that is exactly what happens as Griff joins UVA as the General Manager for Basketball, leaving an opening at Longwood. In the same post that Longwood acknowledges Griff’s departure they announce the promotion of Ronnie Thomas, the coach that Griff had been preparing to become a head coach. One of Ronnie’s first assistant hires was D3 Head Coach at Guilford, Tom Palombo, the reason for mentioning this hire. One he’s an amazing coach, and two he was another coach who Ronnie worked under. Will Ronnie Thomas take Longwood to the promise land, or could it be a sour year 1 for Longwood.
Returning Players:
G: KJ McClurg
One of my top rated transfers from last year, KJ McClurg started out really well but seemed to lose his touch a little one the stretch and had his season cut short after Feb 1st vs Charleston Southern. The flashes of what his ceiling was where there, like on Nov 16th and 19th vs UT Martin and Binghamton where he had 25 and 20 points in each game.
Before moving to Longwood, KJ was a top D2 player at Cal (PA) Vulcans just shooting the cover off the ball ranking 8th in country in D2 scoring with 22.6 PPG. He was a 1st Team All American at Cal (PA) in the 2023-24 season. In his two seasons there at Cal (PA) he had over 1,100 points.
Awards/Notable Facts:
2023-24 D2 All American
2024-25 Big South President Honor Roll
G: Emanuel Richards
One of the main role players in the 2023-24 Longwood team that made the tournament, Richards knows what success looks like but also knows what it doesn’t look like. Last season, like McClurg missed a large amount of time during conference play, and seeming that caused him to lose his touch. Before getting injured, Richards was good for about 6.5 PPG and 2.9 RPG on 41.7 FG%, after his missed time Richards averaged Richards averaged 1.5 PPG and 3.3 RPG on 20 FG%.
Awards/Notable Facts:
2023-24 Big South All Freshman Team
Career High of 12 points vs SMU (12/29/24)
G: Jaylen Benard
Another returner who happened to be a freshman on the Big South title winning team is Jaylen Benard. Benard started to really carve out more minutes for himself during the end of season, in part due to injuries, earning 2 of his 7 starters in the last 2 games of the season vs USC Upstate, and Winthrop during the Big South Tournament. Benard was actually very solid down the stretch in conference play with 9 points vs Winthrop, 14 vs Charleston Southern and 12 at USC Upstate.
Awards/Notable Facts:
Held offers from USC Upstate, Incarnate Word, Stonehill and Cal Poly before committing to Longwood
Has a career high of 14 vs Charleston Southern
F: Johan Nziemi
Despite both big men entering the transfer portal, like Trilly Donovan says, “Sometimes the best gets, are the ones you already have.” As Nziemi chose to return for his final season of eligibility. Nziemi had a very solid season at Longwood despite missing time after an ankle injury vs Charleston Southern, averaging 9 PPG and 4.4 RPG across 28 games (6 starts). The season (23-24) before Nziemi was a reserve player for Longwood only averaging 2.9 PPG and 2.4 RPG in 6.7 MPG.
Before transferring to Longwood, Nziemi was at Independence Community College where he played two seasons. In his freshman season, Nziemi was a solid freshman playing 31 games, starting 27, where he averaged 11 PPG and 7.5 RPG. During his sophomore season at Indy CC, Nziemi added on where he left off with 14.5 PPG (ranking 19th in the KJCCC) and 6.0 RPG across 30 games.
Awards/Notable Facts:
2022-23 2nd Team All-KJCCC
Had 11 points and 11 rebounds vs USC Upstate (his only D1 Double Double)
Has a career high of 16 vs UW Milwaukee this past season.
F: Elijah Tucker
Another one of the players who entered the portal but chose to run it back in Farmville, Tucker should be comfortably in the starting 5 this season as he was the past season only not starting 6 games. Tucker had a solid season in his 24-25 season averaging 9.7 PPG and 5 RPG but was usually good for either double digit points or double digit rebounds per game, having one of those two in 15 games last season. Tucker took his massive leap as a junior when he entered the program in the 23-24 season, after two lack luster seasons at Xavier. During the 23-24 season, Tucker averaged 7.9 PPG and 4.3 RPG across 34 games (10 starts).
Awards/Notable Facts:
120th ranked recruit according to 247Sports with offers from Clemson, Iowa, VCU and St John’s before picking Xavier
Had back to back 20 point games at SMU and at Presbyterian
Incoming Transfers:
G: Jacoi Hutchinson - George Washington
Probably the best incoming transfer, based off last season’s production, Hutchinson comes to Longwood after two pretty successful seasons at George Washington. During his freshman season Hutchinson really shined, playing in 32 games as a fringe starter averaging 7.3 PPG, 2.9 RPG and 2.3 APG on nearly 40% shooting from 3. In his final 7 games of the 23-24 regular season Hutchinson had 6 double digit point games playing over 32 in all 7 of those games.
Hutchinson hoped to have a sophomore leap, but like many, that leap didn’t come. During the sophomore season, Hutchinson saw a drop in efficiency going to 33.7% from the field and 25.3% from 3, Hutchinson also saw a drop in stats only averaging 6.5 PPG, 2.2 RPG and 2.4 APG.
Awards/Notable Facts:
3 Star Recruit out of High School with offers from Virginia Tech, Pittsburgh, Maryland and LSU
Was McDonald's All-American nominee in 2023
G: Redd Thompson Jr - James Madison
Coming to Longwood after a freshman season at James Madison in which he played in 10 games averaging 4.3 MPG and 1.3 PPG, most of his playing having come against Non D1 teams (Mary Baldwin and Midway). Redd had his career high vs Midway with 7 points, also his career high in rebounds with 2.
Coming out of John Marshall High School where he led his team to back to back state titles including a 28-0 season in the 2022-23 season, Redd was one of the better freshman for James Madison being a 3 star recruit with a myriad of offers from mid major powerhouses including Big South foe High Point.
Awards/Notable Facts:
3 Star Recruit by 247Sports, #9 Player in VA for the Class of 2024
Named MVP at the 2022-23 Chick-Fil-A Classic
Two-time VHSL First Team All-State selection
G: Elijah Jones - College of Charleston
Knowing as “Chicken Bone”, Longwood’s new transfer is a really interesting addition in many ways. Elijah Jones who began his career at Southern Indiana which was a D2 school at the time (is now a post season eligible D1 team), then went JUCO for one season and won a national title, then was on the most successful UW Green Bay team in recent memory, then went to Charleston, and is NOW at Longwood.
In his freshman and RS freshman seasons, Jones was at the D2 of Southern Indiana where he appeared in 33 games, across the 2 seasons with 16 starts all coming in his RS Freshman season. In the first 2 seasons Jones averaged 3.6 PPG and 3 RPG most of which coming during his RS Freshman season where he averaged 4.7 PPG and 4.0 RPG.
After his JUCO season at John A Logan College where he averaged 8.1 PPG and 6.7 RPG across 35 games, he then took that skill to help UW Green Bay have their best season in 4 seasons going 18-14. Then Jones went to College of Charleston but didn’t see the court much only having 2 PPG and 2.7 RPG across 12.3 MPG in 31 games.
Awards/Notable Facts:
Makes music under the name ChickenBone
Lettered in basketball at Marian Catholic High School
2022-23 JUCO National Champion
F: Alphonzo Billups - VCU
One of the most highly touted transfers in this class for Longwood and maybe even ever for the Lancers, Billups comes from VCU where he entered college as the 7th best recruit in VCU history, but it just never panned out for Billups. In his freshman season, he appeared in 8 games, then had to get a medical redshirt after a season ending hand injury.
During his RS-Freshman season, Billups got healthy playing in 27 games, all from the bench in which he averaged 4.9 PPG and 1.2 RPG with just over 40% shooting from behind the arc but showed flashes like 23 vs Penn State, and 13 vs Memphis. During the 2024-25 season, Billups once again played all his games from the bench, appearing 23 games averaging only 2.9 PPG and 0.9 RPG, but once again showed flashes of greatness having a season high 14 points vs Georgia Southern.
Awards/Notable Facts:
Former Top 150 Recruit with offers from Florida, Ole Miss, St. John’s and Clemson
2022 McDonald’s All-America Nominee
F: Jaylin Payne - Daytona State College
The lone JUCO transfer of the 2025 class for Longwood, and really the lone non freshman big man addition Jaylin Payne. Payne having begun his career at Blinn College, he struggled to find the floor only averaging 3.4 PPG and 2.2 RPG across 16 games.
After the lack luster season at Blinn, Payne chose to take his talents to Daytona State College where he saw the court much more averaging 9.3 PPG and 5.9 RPG in just under 18 MPG. Payne helped lead Daytona State to a 29-6 record and NJCAA Quarterfinal Berth before losing to Connors State.
Awards/Notable Facts:
2024-25 Region 8 All Tournament Team
2024-25 2nd Team All Conference
87th ranked JUCO Recruit in JUCO RoundUp Top 150
Incoming Freshman:
G: Jerome Williams - Mt Zion Academy
Hailing from Minneapolis, MN but having played most recently at Mt Zion in Maryland. Williams comes in as the 13th PG in the state of Maryland according to PrepHoops. In his most recent season which came at Mt Zion, Williams averaged 19 PPG and 8 APG and on the AAU circuit averaged 14 PPG and 6 APG.
Awards/Notable Facts:
3 Star Recruit
2024 UAA Circuit Champion with Team Thrill
F: Elijah Kelly - Miller School
Coming from Charlottesville, VA by way of the Miller School, Elijah Kelly is one of the big freshman for Longwood entering as a Top 250 recruit. Despite missing his senior season, Kelly showed enough promise on the grassroots circuit and his junior year to attract Longwood along with many others to offer Kelly. During his junior year Kelly averaged 11.3 PPG and 4.4 RPG in route to a VISAA Division 2 State Title, in which they would repeat in Kelly’s senior season.
Awards/Notable Facts:
Won Back to Back State Titles at Miller School
235th ranked recruit with offers from Radford, Arkansas State and Norfolk State among others.
F: Isaiah Kalala - Sunrise Christian
Coming from Sunrise Christian Post Grad, originally from WT White HS in Texas, Isaiah Kalala is another nationally ranked forward addition for Longwood. At WT White High School in Texas, during the 23-24 season Kalala averaged 7.2 PPG and an amazing 7.9 RPG helping lead his team to a 25-7 record. Kalala’s 22-23 season was better nearly averaging a doulbe double with 10.1 PPG and 9.1 RPG.
Awards/Notable Facts:
426th player according to 247Sports, Chose Longwood over SIU Edwardsville and Mississippi State
#3 Ranked player in Kansas according to Prep Hoops
F: Quadri Bashiru - Hill School
The final of the incoming freshman for Longwood is Quadri Bashiru. Bashiru spent 4 years the Hill School in Pottstown, PA being the #6th ranked Center in all of PA according to PrepHoops. At the Hill School, one of the top Independent PA High School’s, Bashiru gained lots of praise for being a good finisher at the rim helping lead his team to a 30-7 record in the 24-25 season.
Awards/Notable Facts:
Held offers from Stonehill and Bucknell before committing to Longwood
Roster Prediction:
Roster Thoughts/Ratings:
Backcourt: B+
Jacoi Hutchinson: Likely the clear starting PG for Longwood this year and looking to bounce off the success of former Longwood guards of Walyn Napper and Colby Garland, and I could see it happening. Garland before coming to Longwood was a 21% 3PT shooter, comes to Longwood plays amazing, moves to San Jose State. Napper comes to Longwood after being a solid role player at Southern Miss, and ends up a Big South champ and Longwood legend. Hutchinson enters Longwood after being a role player, who wasn’t the most efficient at George Washington, and now comes to Longwood looking for a new start.
KJ McClurg: The talent is there clearly for KJ, you don’t just luck into scoring 20+ PPG at the D2 level. Sometimes it takes players a bit to develop to the D1 game and style of play, a great example of that is Chaney Johnson, transferred to Auburn from D2 and in Year 1 only had around 5 PPG, next year was a solid 9 PPG player on a Final 4 team. With the level change, along with missing half the season, I’m not selling an KJ stock, if anything I’m buying more.
Jaylen Benard: Either playing the 3 or being the 1st guard off the bench, one thing is a guarantee for Benard, he will have the energy to keep this team in games, or just flat out win them. Benard might not be the most talented player on the floor at any given time, but he likely has the most heart and motor, and that’s will propel Longwood down the stretch if any shortfalls happen.
Frontcourt: C+
Elijah Tucker: One of the best returners for Longwood, and even the entire Big South conference. Tucker is a known commodity that just seems to keep taking steps forward, now being the fortified starting big man with the loss of Christman opening up the spot at the 4 for Nziemi.
Johan Nziemi: The other returning big for Longwood, and likely playing the 4 for Longwood. Nziemi and Tucker would be a miniture twin towers for Longwood, both were good for around 9 and 5 last year, with each cutting into their own minutes. Now that the roles are clearer, and the minutes are more open, I expect BIG things from the two big men downlow.
Elijah Jones: Jones’ role will come down to if Longwood plays the traditional NBA style with 2 guards and 3 forwards, or if they follow the likes of High Point and even Longwood at times last season and play 3 “guards” and put 2 forwards out there. Either way Jones is talented enough to not be buried on the bench, and he’s mobile enough to play the 3rd guard spot and would have amazing positional size if he does so.
Alphonzo Billups: It’s hard to find a role for Billups but he will find the court somehow, whether that be as a bench forward, starting 3, or maybe even just a 1-4 utility player. His skills are just something that you can’t bring onto your team and not use, he will play, just I think it could anywhere from PG to PF, maybe even a small ball 5.
Bench/Depth: C-
Thoughts: The depth on this Longwood team is interesting, for guards you have Emanuel Richards who is an amazing bench piece who would start on a good chunk of Big South and Mid Major teams.Redd Thompson a young talented guard whom was a top recruit last season from James Madison. Then deep in the reserves Jerome Williams and Gerald Burr who are both young freshman who both have a decent amount of promise.
The forward depth, like many Mid Majors is lacking, not to the fault of Longwood at all. The one part that makes their young forward crew, more steady than other teams is they recruited Post Grad freshman and JUCO players so they do have extra years of development compared to other forward groupings. Payne is really solid on the defensive end but can leave some stuff up on the offensive end. Kalala will probably get the most play out of all the freshmen forwards just due to his age and experience but both Kelly and Bashiru have very good strengths and could see some serious play and do well if needed.