OKLAHOMA CITY -- The John Brown University men's basketball team has been selected to finish fifth, according to the 2025-26 Sooner Athletic Preseason Poll, as voted on by the league's coaches, the conference office announced Wednesday morning (Oct. 22).
The Golden Eagles earned 85 points and received one first-place vote, garnering a second-straight season with a fifth-place prediction. John Brown finished tied for fourth in the conference last season with an overall record of 18-11 and a league mark of 16-8 before falling to Wayland Baptist (Texas) in the conference tournament quarterfinals.
Nelson (Texas) and Langston (Okla.) tied for the top spot in the preseason poll, each earning 113 points. Nelson grabbed six first-place votes after claiming the SAC regular season title with a 24-9 overall record and a 19-5 league mark. The Lions advanced to the conference championship game before falling to Langston, then reached the second round of the NAIA National Championships before losing to LSU Alexandria. Langston received five first-place votes after posting a 26-7 overall record and a 17-7 league mark last season. The Lions won the conference tournament before advancing to the national tournament quarterfinals, where they fell to College of Idaho.
Wayland Baptist secured third place with 96 points. Mid-America Christian (Okla.) claimed fourth with 90 points.
John Brown returns three standouts that landed SAC honors last season. Junior Trae Oetting received Third Team All-SAC honors after averaging 13.5 points and 4.8 rebounds per game. He shot 42 percent from the field and knocked down 54 three-pointers. Sophomore guards Carter Carbonell and Jack Ullom both earned All-Freshman Team recognition. Carbonell shot 46 percent from the field and 42 percent from three-point range while averaging 5.0 points per game off the bench. Ullom contributed 5.2 points and 3.4 rebounds per game while shooting 48 percent from the field.
The roster will have nearly a brand-new look in 2025-26, with nine new faces, including four freshmen and five transfers.
Kamran Akbar lettered three years at Bentonville High School in the 6A West Conference. The 6-foot-4 guard from Bentonville, Arkansas, scored 17 points against Rogers High School and posted 13 points with 11 rebounds against Little Rock Central High School as a senior.
Ma'aiki Dauda comes to John Brown from Bentonville High School. The 6-foot-6 forward from Bella Vista, Arkansas, put up 23 points against Willard High School during a tournament his junior season. The three-year letterwinner earned back-to-back 6A West All-Defense honors and added 6A West All-Conference honorable mention recognition as a junior before landing 6A West All-Conference honors as a senior.
James Delia led C.I. Gibson High School to a 30-3 record and the Government Secondary Schools Sports Association regular season title. The 5-foot-9 guard from Nassau, The Bahamas, averaged 28.2 points and 4.2 assists per game at the Tarkanian Classic Tournament in Las Vegas. He scored a single-game high of 36 points at the event. Delia was named GSSSA Basketball MVP during the 2022-23 season and captured tournament MVP recognition at the Noble Prep Tournament in 2023 and the Providence Storms Christmas Tournament in 2022. He was named Most Outstanding Male Athlete of the Year at C.I. Gibson.
Connor Kern brings three years of experience from the University of North Texas at Dallas. The 7-foot-4 senior from Prosper, Texas, posted 20 points, 12 rebounds, and three blocks against Central Christian. He added 15 points, 10 rebounds, and three blocks against Texas Wesleyan during his time with the Trailblazers.
Donovan Lovelace arrives after starting his collegiate career at Shawnee State University. The 6-foot-9 junior from Murphy, Texas, helped Prestonwood Christian Academy capture the TAPPS 6A state title while earning tournament MVP honors. He dropped a single-game high of 35 points and earned first team All-State and first team All-Conference recognition during his prep career.
Jordan Martin transfers in after two seasons at NCAA I North Carolina A&T State University. The 6-foot-1 junior from Columbia, South Carolina, helped Cardinal Newman School win back-to-back South Carolina Independent School Association 3A state titles in 2019 and 2020. Martin scored a game-high 17 points during his senior season.
Marko Malekinusic spent last season at Florida Institute of Technology, where he appeared in 24 games and made five starts. The 6-foot-7 junior from Zagreb, Croatia, totaled 57 points, 42 rebounds, 10 steals, seven assists, and three blocks with the Panthers. He previously competed at Colby Community College.
Lucas Schneider lettered two years at Bentonville High School. The 6-foot-3 guard from Rogers, Arkansas, hit a career-high four three-pointers in a single game against Rogers High School as a senior.
Maliq Sosa helped Springdale High School capture the conference championship this past season. The 6-foot-4 guard from Springdale, Arkansas, earned Newcomer of the Year, All-Conference, and All-State honors during his senior campaign in the 6A West conference.
The Blue and Gold open the 2025-26 campaign with the annual World-Famous Toilet Paper Game™ against Ecclesia (Ark.) next Saturday evening (Nov. 1). The Golden Eagles open the season with a three-game homestand before traveling to Tulsa, Okla. to take on NCAA I Oral Roberts (Okla.) in exhibition action on Nov. 8.
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