Spotlight on Shawnee Community College

Shawnee Community College is on the very southern tip of the State of Illinois in Ullin, IL. Saints Head Coach John Sparks is entering his seventh season at the helm. JucoJunction saw the Saints at the Vincennes Jamboree this past weekend. The Saints finished 15-15 last season. JucoJunction takes a closer look at the top players for this coming season in this article.

D.D. Gillespie, (SO) 5-foot-10 (160) point guard, is from Haywood City ,MO. Gillespie is a point guard who averaged 8.8 ppg last year for the Saints.

"D.D is a big-time competitor that is very quick on the floor. D.D brings it every night and he just wants to win," said Sparks.

Kyle Williamson, (SO) 6-foot-2 (190), is a shooting guard from New Bloomfield, MO. Williamson averaged 9.6 ppg last year.

"Kyle is a very deceptive athlete that can knock down the three ball," said Sparks.

Tamren Holt (FR) and Jamal Petty look to be the two best freshman in the program for the Saints. Holt, a Louisville, KY native, stands at 6-foot-6 (180) and plays the wing position.

"Tamren is a run-jump-athlete that can slash to the basket or hit the three. Tamren is very slippery on penetration to the basket," said JucoJunction staff analyst Bret Swanson.

Holt attended Western High School in Louisville and sat out one year after graduating from high school.

Petty, (FR) 6-foot-4 (195), is a St. Louis, MO native who moved to Lesterville High School in Black, MO after being shot in the leg in a drive by shooting according to Sparks.

"Jamal is an undersized post who brings a great deal of energy to the floor," said Swanson.

"I really like this group of players this season that we have," said Sparks.

JucoJunction will see if the Saints can get over the .500 mark this season with Gillespie and Holt leading the way for the club.