Revamped Ohio Men's Basketball Set for 2026-27 Season

ATHENS, Ohio – It is almost time for basketball season in Athens, with the Ohio men's basketball team starting its season on Monday, Nov. 2 with a road game against South Alabama in the MAC-Sun Belt Challenge.

The Bobcats are entering year eight with head coach Jeff Boals at the helm of the program and are coming off a MAC tournament appearance last season.

Last year's team was led by a great veteran duo of Jackson Paveletzke (Kimberly, Wisc) and Javan Simmons (Columbus, Ohio). Both of those players are returning, with Paveletzke coming back for his fifth year of school and his third at Ohio, while Simmons enters his redshirt senior season.

"I thought last year towards the end he was playing dominant basketball, and this year he came in in really good shape," Boals said of Simmons. "This summer and fall, he's done a great job with his body. I think number one, he really likes it here. Number two, he kind of had a sour taste in his mouth how the last season went, and kind of wanted to right the ship a little bit."

As for Paveletzke, he is coming off the heels of a second team All-MAC season and will look to cap his college career with more success in the green and white.

"He likes it here; he's obviously comfortable with our system," Boals said. "He didn't want to risk his last year going in, learning a new system, and having a whole roster already put together at different places, and you know thankfully we had that scholarship open."

Ohio returns other contributors as well, with redshirt sophomores Kiir Kuany (Melbourne, Australia) and Jesse Burris (Delaware, Ohio) returning for their third years.

"Kiir made a big jump this summer. He did a good job changing his body, got stronger, added weight," Boals said.

Following the end of the season, Boals and his staff made it a priority to bring in new, experienced talent, and they found that through the international leagues, bringing in four players from four different countries.

"Those kids have played against grown men for a couple years and there's a maturity to them," Boals said on his international transfer additions. "There's a mentality to them, and then getting them over here, there's a really a strong appreciation for everything they get and what they have."

One of those additions is Siebe Ledegen, a forward who is coming to Athens from Aalst, Belgium, and at 6'7" he provides needed size and shooting for the Bobcats.

"He's a very cerebral kid, he's probably one of the smartest kids I've ever coached in 32 years," Boals said. "He's had some practices and scrimmages where he's lit it up, and (he will) definitely be a big addition for us."

Dusan Makitan (Banja Luka, Boszia & Herzegovina) is another European addition to the roster that will look to make an immediate impact.

Makitan provides more size and projects to be more of a traditional big man standing at 6'8", while also adding valuable experience, winning two league titles in the last two years in Bosnia's top pro basketball league.

"Every practice he gets more comfortable, more familiar with what we want him to do, how we want him to do it," Boals said. "He's a high motor guy, very good rebounder, very good passer."

Ohio added some talented guards in the transfer portal as well, bringing in Southeast Ohio native senior Kyler D'Augustino (Albany, Ohio) and redshirt junior Kolton Mitchell (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho).

D'Augustino is coming into this season on the heels of an explosive year last year with IU Indy, where he was third in the Horizon League in scoring with 18.5 points per game. He brings hustle and energy to the team as well with a motor that never stops.

"I think he's just an intangible kid. He's a tough kid, high energy, always competing," Boals said. "If there's a loose ball, he's going to be on it. He's got an unbelievable motor. He's like a Timex watch man. He just keeps ticking."

Mitchell brings more scoring and ball-handling ability to the team as well, while also bringing NCAA tournament experience, finishing his season last year with Idaho in March Madness.

"He played against Houston in the NCAA tournament, had 14 points," Boals said. Probably most importantly, I think he had one turnover in that game. But he's a high-quality shot maker. He can take tough shots, make tough shots."

With the key returners and big transfer portal additions, the Bobcats are set for another exciting year of Ohio basketball in Athens.

#OUohyeah

Players Mentioned

Jesse Burris

Kyler D'Augustino

Kiir Kuany

Siebe Ledegen

Dusan Makitan

Kolton Mitchell

Jackson Paveletzke

Javan Simmons

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