The 2024-25 season didn’t go the way Ohio Bobcats coach Jeff Boals and his squad wanted. After being projected to finish at the top of the conference, near-unanimously, the Bobcats struggled to stay healthy, finishing 16-16, 10-8 in Mid-American Conference play, and losing in the first round of the MAC Tournament to Toledo.
“We played nine games together, the whole roster, and we were 7-2 in those games,” Boals said. “In 30 years of coaching, I’ve never been through that many significant injuries.”
The end of the season also marked the last game in the Green & White for seniors AJ Clayton, Shereef Mitchell and Vic Searls, as well as transfers AJ Brown and Elmore James – all of whom made starts for Ohio throughout the season.
That said, there’s reason to be optimistic for this year’s Ohio team. Sure, fans will have to learn some new names – some new to Athens entirely, others making their debut after a year in waiting – but this reloaded Bobcats team packs a new kind of punch.
“We’ve got a good core, returning group of guys, and added some really good pieces,” Boals said. “We have seven new guys that we’re adding to the roster, so chemistry (on and off the court) is going to be important.”
Headlining the core returners for Ohio are seniors Jackson Paveletzke and Aidan Hadaway. Paveletzke, the former Wofford and Iowa State point guard, played his first season in Athens this past year, putting up single-game career highs across the board, including a 28-point performance in the MAC Tournament. Paveletzke also set the Myrtle Beach Invitational record for total assists with 23, surpassing former Villanova guard Collin Gillespie.
Hadaway was one of the many Bobcats to suffer through injury. His season was cut short in just the fifth game of MAC play when Ohio, 4-0 in MAC play at the time, took on undefeated Akron. Hadaway returned against Toledo in the MAC Tournament and will look to provide his trademark energy and athleticism to this year’s Ohio team.
Two other contributors Ohio returns are sophomore Elijah Elliott and senior Ajay Sheldon, both guards. Sheldon has spent all four years at Ohio, providing hard-nosed defense and microwave scoring from deep, while Elliott showed out as Ohio’s most electric athlete, making massive strides throughout the season.
“You look at Elijah and you’re hoping he’s going to make that freshman-to-sophomore-year jump that most kids we’ve had have done,” Boals said. “He had a really good freshman year for us, and losing the guys we lost, it’ll be a great opportunity for him.”
Ohio will also look to its more untested second-year players to contribute. Sophomore Ayden Evans, as well as redshirt freshmen Kiir Kuany and Jesse Burris, will likely step into minor roles with the team early, having spent a year with the program.
The Bobcats’ transfer class is one of the deepest they’ve had to date. Ohio made a splash early, bringing in former Toledo big Javan Simmons for his redshirt junior season. Simmons held a 5-0 record against Ohio in his two seasons, highlighted by a 10-of-10 shooting, 22-point performance to cap off the 2024-25 regular season.
“(Simmons) is going to demand a double team,” Boals said. “He’s just such a load down low, and he’s really worked on his 3-point shot.”
Ohio has also brought in UNC Greensboro center Jalen Breath and Appalachian State guard Dior Conners to provide depth. Breath was a starter for two seasons with UNC Greensboro, averaging 6.6 points and 7.0 rebounds in just over 20 minutes per game, while Conners averaged 8.0 points per game for Appalachian State, shooting 40% from 3-point range in a slower-paced offense.
Ohio also brought in a talented trio of freshmen. While 6-foot-7 Pemberton, New Jersey, native Zay Mosley will be sidelined for his true freshman season, wings JJ Kelly and Jordan Fisher will look to earn roles throughout the year for Ohio.
“JJ’s a dynamic athlete; he was a great track, high jumper, triple jumper, long jumper … I think he might have won the state title (in Pennsylvania),” Boals said. “Jordan Fisher, obviously coming from a great program, he’s very well-coached … He’s a really good, dynamic offensive player.”
It’s a new look for Ohio, lacking some of the mainstays that have grown into fan favorites, but that’s not to say Ohio’s in a bad spot. It has reloaded with winners, day-one producers and athletes at all five positions, giving the team a chance to avenge what was a disappointing season in 2024-25.
“This is probably one of the deepest teams we’ve had,” Boals said. “The biggest thing is trying to build that chemistry … understanding that there’s going to be sacrifices individually and sacrifices as a team in order to win a championship.”
