RBC HOOPS RANKS IN TOP 20 OF NJCAA NATIONAL POLL

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) announced the National Poll ranking for Division II men's basketball on Wednesday afternoon. The Richard Bland Statesmen basketball team has earned the eleventh spot on the preseason rankings in the National Poll.

The Statesmen are one of two teams who ranked in the top eleventh from the Region X conference.

Richard Bland, which finished 27-4 in 2013-2014 and advanced to its first semi-finals since the program became reinstated last season.

Nine letter winners return from last season's squad, including top scorer and first team all-conference Tavon Mealy (Richmond, VA) and third team all-conference in Melvin Gregory (Weems, VA).

Mealy, a 6-foot-3 sophomore forward dropped in a team-high 16 points per game last year, while Gregory a 6-8 sophomore forward, followed with 13 points per game.

Also returning is sophomore forward Avery Ugba (Silver Springs, MD) who saw action in all 31 games last season, averaging eleven points per game.

The Statesmen open up the 2014-2015 season with a home opener against CCBC Dundalk on Saturday, Nov. 1 at 3 p.m. in Statesman Hall.

For more information on RBC men's basketball, log onto www.rbcathletics.com.

Follow RBC athletics on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/rbcstatesmen, Twitter at @GoRBCStatesmen and Instagram at @gorbcstatesmen.

#GOSTATESMEN