Jags primed for another run

Senior guards Ben Madgen and Daniel Dixon have helped transform Augusta State into a winning program over the past three years.

In their career, the Jaguars have gone 81-19, including back-to-back Final Four appearances. Last season, Augusta State won the Peach Belt Conference regular season and tournament titles, along with the Southeast Regional championship. After rallying to defeat Christian Brothers in the Elite Eight, the Jaguars fell just short of making their second consecutive NCAA Division II title game appearance, losing to Cal Poly Pomona by four.

Augusta State returns three starters this season and is looking to make another deep postseason run. This time, Madgen said, the Jaguars are hoping to return from Springfield, Mass., with a national championship.

"This is our last chance," he said. "We definitely want to make the most of it."

"Similar expectations," Dixon said. "We still want to do better than we did last year."

No. 10 Augusta State opens its season against West Georgia at 4 p.m. today at Christenberry Fieldhouse. Here's a few things to look forward to this season:

MEANT TO BE BROKEN: Madgen (rhymes with imagine), an All-American and the 2009 region player of the year. is set to become not only Augusta State's all-time leading scorer this season, but the Peach Belt Conference's most prolific scorer as well. Madgen, who led the conference with an 18.8 scoring average last season, is fourth on the school's career scoring list with 1,670 points and fifth on the conference list. Derek Stewart owns Augusta State's all-time points record with 1,895, while Francis Marion's Carlton Farr (1,863 points) is the Peach Belt record holder.

"He's unbelievable. He's a great worker. He's a great student," Jaguars coach Dip Metress said about Madgen. "We've got some special seniors. He's one of them."

NEWCOMERS: With the losses of All-American center Garret Siler, starting guard Steve Smith and backup center Jason Killeen, Augusta State will have a little different look. Metress elevated Dixon from his role as sixth man to the starting point guard position. Also, center Alex Smith (6-foot-5, 245 pounds) transferred in from William & Mary for his senior season, while junior forward Franck Ndongo (6-6, 205) came from Virginia Commonwealth. Smith will start at center for the Jaguars, while Ndongo will see plenty of minutes off the bench.

"Alex is a monster," Dixon said. "It almost feels like we haven't missed a beat with Garret gone, and Garret's the best post player I've ever played with."

Metress said Ndongo does a lot of different things well on the court.

"We've never had anyone like him before," Metress said.

MEET THE OLD BOSSES: Senior forwards Fred Brathwaite and Greg Hire, each in their second seasons in Augusta, are starting to feel at home. Hire shot 55 percent from the field last season, while Brathwaite, who lost 19 pounds in the off-season, averaged 13.5 points a game.

"He's energetic. He's explosive," Hire said about Brathwaite. "It's kind of annoying, because I have to match up with him in practice. He's been torturing me."