Four returning starters set to anchor Bethel Men's Basketball
Head coach Jayson Artaz spoke about his team at the KCAC Media Day on Thursday.
Updated: Oct. 13, 2022 at 4:18 p.m.
On Thursday, the KCAC held its annual Men’s Basketball Media Day in a virtual format via Facebook Live. Bethel head coach Jayson Artaz was in attendance as coaches from around the conference raved about its rising quality of competition before sharing insight into their respective programs.
“The presence of the KCAC within NAIA men's basketball is incredible,” commissioner Scott Crawford said. “And I hope it stays like this for a long time. … We had four teams [make the playoffs last season] — it should've been five and you could've even made the case for six. We're that strong."
Artaz spoke next-to-last, per reverse order of last season’s conference standings. The 40-year-old is entering his fifth season with the Threshers and welcomes four returning starters from the 2021-2022 squad that earned a trip to Kansas City for the NAIA national tournament.
“How good our conference has been is a credit to how good its coaches have been,” Artaz said. “I think the KCAC will be even better this season. It’ll be a great challenge [for us].”
When speaking on Bethel, Artaz noted seniors Clifford Byrd II and Bryant Mocaby as the team’s go-to scorers. And with the absence of two-time all-American Jaylon Scott — who departed via transfer to NCAA Division One’s College of Charleston in South Carolina — the head coach acknowledged that his staff will “be asking even more out of” Byrd II.
As for elsewhere on the floor, Artaz pointed to juniors Harper Jonas and Nick Bonner as two-way players to watch. “Bonner is a guy we didn’t ask a whole lot from last season,” Artaz said. “He’ll need to step up this season.”
Other key names include senior Ike Umeh, who’s set to return after missing nearly all of last season with an injury, and juniors Jalyn and Jared Richardson. As for new faces, Artaz noted that his program welcomed three transfers over the offseason. “It somewhat terrifies me,” he said. “That’s not something we normally do. But we’re excited to see what they bring to the table.”
On the recruiting front, the criteria list for Artaz was simple. “We tried to get bigger this offseason,” he said. “We brought in a lot of guys with height and wingspan. For us to be the best we can be, we need to have all of these new guys buy in.”
To conclude his time, Artaz admitted that the depth of his group would be young and inexperienced. "… but we’ll be ready to go out and compete,” he said. “It’ll take some time, but we’ll be ready to go.”
The Threshers were projected third in the media poll, fourth in the coaches’ poll, and will open their season on Oct. 27 against Northern New Mexico College in Espanola, N.M. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m.