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SIDNEY — Size. Depth. International flavor. 

Those are just a few of the characteristics that stand out as the Montcalm Community College men's basketball team prepares to open the 2026-27 season today at Minnesota North College-ITASCA. 

Entering his fourth season, Centurions head coach Zach Ingles believes this year's roster is the deepest and most diverse group he has assembled, featuring players from across the United States and around the world. 

"This team is the most diverse group I've ever had," Ingles said. "Three Indiana kids, two Kentucky, one Colorado, four from Florida and five international kids. You have a great melting pot, all walks of life coming together and playing and working together." 

The Centurions return four sophomores from last year's squad that reached the NJCAA Region XII quarterfinals: 

  • Taylen Carver, guard (Louisville, Ky.) 

  • Jahmere Evans, forward (Indianapolis, Ind.) 

  • Joel Washington, forward (Gainesville, Fla.) 

  • Vlada Djordjijevic, guard (Vranje, Serbia) 

Joining them is a talented freshman class that includes: 

  • Aeris Lawson, forward (Westlake, Fla.) 

  • Jamarey Harris, guard (Riviera Beach, Fla.) 

  • DeVonte Spears, guard (Tampa, Fla.) 

  • Tomas Thomasson, guard (Reykjavik, Iceland) 

  • Jason Stroope, guard (Aurora, Colo.) 

  • Cage Taylor, forward (Lexington, Ky.) 

  • Jackson Enearu, center (Valkenswaard, Netherlands) 

  • Sergio Munoz, center (Barcelona, Spain) 

  • Marcel Ksiazek, forward/center (Warsaw, Poland) 

The program also has five redshirt players developing behind the scenes: 

  • Arik Brice, forward (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 

  • Jeryn Frisbie, guard (Belding, Mich.) 

  • Camari Keller, forward (Vincent, Ala.) 

  • Javen Medaris, forward (Indianapolis, Ind.) 

  • Evan Rolston, guard (Stanton, Mich.) 

The most noticeable difference from previous MCC teams may be the size. 

With three frontcourt players standing 6-foot-9 or taller, Ingles expects the Centurions to look much different than the teams he has coached in recent years. 

"You're going to see a little bit different scheme this year," Ingles said. "We're deeper. We're really big. Big on the wings, too. Our style will alter." 

Ingles said the additional depth and length should allow the team to play more in line with his preferred style. 

"Our offense and defense change as the team changes," he said. "Our style will be much more indicative of how I've always played." 

The international component of the roster is also unique. 

Ingles spent six years playing professional basketball overseas, helping him establish recruiting connections throughout Europe. 

"Where these kids are from, I played there," Ingles said. "It's all about networking." 

He said each player brings a different perspective to the game. 

"Serbians play a different style. Spanish players play different from Serbians and so on," Ingles said. "It's cool to have different cultures coming into MCC." 

While Ingles believes the talent level may exceed last year's squad, he cautions that chemistry remains a work in progress. 

"As an individual group, they're more highly talented than last season," he said. "But last year they played really well together. This team needs to learn that." 

The coach's immediate focus is not wins and losses but continuing to build the program. 

"Obviously, we want to keep progressing the program forward," Ingles said. "We made a step from Year 1 to Year 2, and now we want to make a step from Year 3 to Year 4." 

That philosophy extends to the team's goals. 

"We are in a sheer and utter get-better phase," he said. "We have to put pieces together and buy into what our program does and buy into each other." 

The Centurions will be tested almost immediately. Ingles said MCC has scheduled nine preseason opponents that either entered the year ranked or received national recognition. 

"We upped the schedule," he said. "We want them to retain what they've experienced and keep nudging them forward and be uber competitive." 

With a roster loaded with size, athleticism, and international experience, Ingles believes the ceiling is high. 

"If they all buy in and we see progress on that front," he said, "we can reach whatever goals we set."