AUGUSTA, GA – Augusta University men's basketball team was voted to finish second in the Peach Belt Conference (PBC) Preseason Coaches Poll, the league announced Wednesday. Junior
Demitri Gardner was named to the preseason all-conference team.
"We will most like start the year having two sophomores, two freshmen in our top seven in terms of minutes played so this will be a challenge's said head coach
Dip Metress. "I do like our team vibe as we enter into the season but championships are not won in preseason polls."
Metress went on to say "Demitri went from averaging 2.6 pts per game as a freshmen to 17.5 points per game as a sophomore by simply getting in the gym every day, pushing himself to get better and having a willingness to work on his weaknesses and accept coaching."
After regular-season and tournament titles in 2022 and 2023, the Jaguars were fifth in the league last season, but return three of their top six scorers from last season including All-Conference guard
Demitri Gardner.
Preseason Coaches Poll
| Rank |
Team |
Points |
| 1. |
Lander (4) |
75 |
| 2. |
Augusta (2) |
68 |
| 3. |
North Georgia (1) |
62 |
| 4. |
USC Aiken (2) |
59 |
| 5. |
Columbus State (1) |
50 |
| 6. |
Flagler |
47 |
| 7. |
Georgia College & State University |
28 |
| 8. |
Georgia Southwestern |
27 |
| 9. |
Clayton State |
18 |
| 10. |
USC Beaufort |
16 |
2024-25 Men's Basketball Preseason All-Conference Team
Demitri Gardner, Augusta
- A junior guard from Winchester, Va.
- A PBC second-team All-Conference selection in 2023-24...led the team and was ranked fourth in the PBC in scoring at 17.5 ppg...also ranked 10th in the league in field goal percentage
- Had seven games scoring 20 or points...hit his career-high twice with 29 points against Virginia Union and USC Beaufort
