NJAC release
 
Ewing, NJ …The College of New Jersey men's basketball team was picked to finish sixth in a New Jersey Athletic Conference preseason poll of the league's 10 head coaches.
 
With six teams qualifying for the NJAC playoffs, the Lions hope to make their first conference championship tournament since the 2008-09 season. Rutgers-Newark received the most votes with seven and will seek its first NJAC title in program history.
 
TCNJ will be led by junior forward Bobby Brackett (Lawrence, NJ/Lawrence). Brackett was an All-NJAC First Team honoree last season and will be counted on for his production and leadership this winter. He averaged a double-double last season, scoring 16.4 points per game and grabbing 13.1 rebounds.
 
While Bracket will be the center piece of the Lions' system, the play of a trio of experienced seniors will be a major factor in determining the team's success this season. Jayson Johnson (Bordentown, NJ/Life Academy Center), Alex Fox (Washington, NJ/Westwood) and Skyelar Ettin (Princeton, NJ/Princeton) will be counted on heavily by Head Coach Kelly Williams. Johnson averaged 11.8 points per game last year, while Fox and Ettin netted 8.6 and 7.9 points per contest respectively. All three players can get hot and take over a game, which would force defenses to minimize double teams on Brackett.
 
Sophomore Eric Klacik (Basking Ridge, NJ/Ridge) did a solid job running the point as a freshman and gained plenty of experience by starting 17 games and appearing in 24.  He dished out 40 assists in 2013-14 and averaged 6.3 points per game. Sophomore Alex Cirlincione (Oakhurst, NJ/Ocean) also provided a spark off the bench as a rookie and returns for this sophomore season.
 
Junior Nick Brackett (Lawrence, NJ/Lawrence) joins his brother on the floor after transferring from Delaware State University. Brackett left his football career behind at DSU to come play basketball for the Lions. Six freshmen have also joined the program and are fighting hard to make an impact early on.
 
TCNJ opens its season tomorrow (Saturday) at the Virginia Wesleyan College Tip-Off. They square off against the host Marlins at 7 p.m. On Sunday, the Lions will face either Delaware Valley College or the Apprentice School in the second round of the tournament.
 
Next Wednesday night, TCNJ will visit Western Connecticut State University for a 7:30 p.m. tip-off. NJAC play begins next Saturday as the Lions host Montclair State University in their home opener at 3 p.m. in Packer Hall.