2022 season set to begin for Dukes men's basketball

VINELAND- Head Coach Darrin Stalling looks to lead the RCSJ-Cumberland men's basketball program in his 6^th season in 2022. Coming into this year, the Dukes will return only 2 student-athletes from the 2021 roster while welcoming in 9 others to the program. Torrey Harris and Ronald Smith will be the duo of the 2^nd-year Dukes that will look to provide experience and leadership to the rest of the squad. Last season, Harris started 20 of 24 games for Cumberland and shot 53.5% from the field. Smith was a reserve for most of the year before getting more game experience towards the end of the season. Smith is projected to take on a bigger role for the Dukes this season.

A few of the other student-athletes that have collegiate playing experience are 2^nd-year transfers: Miles Edwards (Delaware Technical Community College), Malachi Green (Middlesex College), Paulo Villalona (Mercer Community College), and Ja'maine Hawkins-Davenport (Richard Bland College). Coach Stalling expects these players to accelerate the development and production of this team immediately.

There will be 5 Dukes getting their first taste of collegiate basketball this year: Nasir Bey (Belleville), Wyatt Dean (Salem County Vocational Tech), Colin Gill (Kingsway), Erik Pabon (Hammonton), and Angel Smith (Cumberland County Technical).

The 2022-2023 season includes 17 home and 11 away games. The first round of the NJCAA Region 19 playoffs is Saturday, February 25^th followed by the second round on February 28^th. The Region 19 Final Four tournament will be held on the weekend of March 4^th-5^th before the NJCAA Men's Basketball DIII National tournament on March 14^th- March 18^th in Herkimer, New York.  The home opener for the men's team will be this Thursday, November 3^rd at 7PM vs the Essex County College Wolverines.

For all updates on Dukes men's basketball and all other athletic programs, follow us on all social media platforms (@GoRCDukes).