November 15, 2008
Commodores lose at buzzer
News Herald (By Josh Weinfuss ) - OCALA - A basket at the buzzer was overturned Friday afternoon and Gulf Coast lost its second game in three outings. Marquis Gilstrap scored 24 points to lead the Commodores. The next highest scorer was Brad Reese with 10. "He played pretty good," Gulf Coast coach Jay Powell said of Gilstrap. "We've got to get more people strong with the ball and finish like men." The Commodores were 1-1 on their road trip to the central part of the state, defeating Seminole on Thursday night. The story Friday night for Gulf Coast was a matter of two halves. The Commodores led 32-26 at halftime but didn't shoot well in the final 20 minutes, Powell said. "Our defense played well," he said. "We held them to 60 points, and in a junior college basketball game, that should win that for you. "You run the same offenses and you get the same looks and when you're open you got to make it. In men's basketball if you can win one out of two going down to Seminole and Central Florida you can at least say the trip was not a total failure."

November 13, 2008
Gilstrap, Reese sign with Division I schools
News Herald (By Josh Weinfuss ) - PANAMA CITY - Two very different recruitments came to an end Wednesday morning in the lobby of the Billy Harrison Field House at Gulf Coast. Marquis Gilstrap has known for months that he was going to Iowa State to attend college and play basketball after his year as a Commodore. Brad Reese couldn't figure it out. He took two official visits earlier this fall, verbally committed to Oklahoma State and reneged.
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November 9, 2008
GCCC Men fall for first time
News Herald (By Josh Weinfuss ) - AMERICUS, Ga. Six Commodores scored in double figures, but it was the inability to stop one player that resulted in Gulf Coast's first loss of the season. Jae Crowder scored 38 points for South Georgia Tech, hitting 5 of 9 from 3-point range and 15 of 23 overall from field. "We just could not stop him," said Gulf Coast coach Jay Powell. "It seemed like every time he shot the ball, it went in."
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November 8, 2008
GCCC teams roll to 3-0
News Herald (By Josh Weinfuss ) - AMERICUS, Ga. - Two homegrown players - Mosley grad Derio Green and Bay grad Jonathan Murner - were among the leaders for Gulf Coast on Friday in its 81-53 men's basketball victory over Truett McConnell College. Green scored 20 points, on 7 of 10 shooting from the field, and had six assists. Murner scored 11 points, on 5 of 6 shooting, and grabbed six rebounds. Marquis Gilstrap led the Commodores with 22 points and 10 rebounds. Gilstrap was a perfect 12 of 12 from the free throw line. Brad Reese added 15 points. Gulf Coast led 37-36 at halftime, but held Truett McConnell to 17 points in the second half.
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November 1, 2008
Juco basketball: GCCC teams both 2-0
News Herald (By Josh Weinfuss ) - AIKEN, S.C. - Marquez Gilstrap hit a 3-pointer at the halftime buzzer and Gulf Coast rode that momentum to a 90-80 win over No. 21 Aiken Technical College in South Carolina. Gilstrap scored 17 of his team-high 24 points in the second half to get Gulf Coast's first win of the season over a nationally ranked opponent. Brad Reese scored 22 points, Gabriel Charley 15 and Mosley graduate Derrio Green 10. "The best thing I saw out of our guys was a fiery competitive nature that I haven't seen much out of them," Gulf Coast coach Jay Powell said. "They buckled down and tried to play defense and got loose balls. It's like they flipped the switch on."
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October 31, 2008
GCCC teams open season with wins
News Herald (By Josh Weinfuss ) - Three Commodores scored 20 points or more, led by Marquis Gilstrap's 21 in their season opener in Aiken, S.C. Eric Buckner, a 6-10 freshman from Earhardt, S.C., added 20 points and 13 rebounds in his first college game for the Commodores. Derrio Green, a freshman guard from Mosley, also scored 20 points. Brad Reese chipped in 14. Gulf Coast led 38-36 at haltime and built an 18-point second-half lead before settling for an 11-point win. The Commodores play Aiken Technical College at 6 p.m. CDT Saturday.
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October 30, 2008
Recruiting success
News Herald (By Josh Weinfuss ) - PANAMA CITY - Jay Powell recruited more than a basketball team this summer. He added the finishing touches to his family. Powell and his wife, Kara, adopted two children during the offseason, 9-year-old Gannon and 5-year-old Jaelynn. They'll be mainstays at the Billy Harrison Field House this season, as they watch their father and the Commodores try to improve on an 18-win season. With the season starting Friday, Powell has seen himself change in more than the obvious ways, such as rising earlier to wake the kids and make lunches and getting to work later. He's also coming home to homework and family dinners. He's watching a lot more Disney Channel these days and not much of his favorite show, Law & Order. Kara outlawed the program in the house around Gannon and Jaelynn. "It's changed a lot of perspective on some things," Powell said.
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October 24, 2008
Commodore Fall Basketball Camp
Gulf Coast Men's Basketball team will have their fall camp for players age 8-15 on November 26, 2008 (1 pm - 4 pm) at the Billy Harrison Field House. The camp will feature the Gulf Coast Basketball staff and players. Each player will receive individualized instruction. The cost of the camp is $30. To register, contact the Gulf Coast Office of Admissions. Same day registration will be done at the field one hour before the camp begins. Child's Social Security Number is REQUIRED for registration.

Camp Brochure     >>     Click Here

October 1, 2008
GCCC basketball opens practice on Wednesday
News Herald (By Josh Weinfuss ) - PANAMA CITY - The new shoes are out of their boxes, the new balls are inflated and the new practice uniforms are hanging in the lockers. Wednesday marks the first official day of practice for the Gulf Coast men's and women's basketball teams. And both have new, young squads. Both teams have 30 days to get the 11 freshmen women, and seven freshmen men ready for the Oct. 31 season opener. Entering his second season as the men's head coach, Jay Powell will turn up his intensity when the whistle blows at 3 p.m. on Wednesday. The Commodores were 18-12 under Powell in 2007-08. "Not literally, but figuratively, I try to kill them," Powell said. "Our practices will be set up 65 percent defense, 35 percent offense. They'll be set up that way until the week before the first regular-season game.
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August 22, 2008
Highly touted recruits dot Gulf Coast men's roster
News Herald (By Josh Weinfuss ) - PANAMA CITY - Marquez Gilstrap's life has been on fast-forward the past three months. The freshman men's basketball player moved to Panama City from Covington, Ga., in May to take summer classes. In July, he attended a basketball camp for junior college players where he was seen by Iowa State coaches. Just a few weeks ago, he verbally committed to play basketball for the Cyclones. All that before he has played one minute of basketball for the Gulf Coast Commodores. If the summer seems like a whirlwind, it should, especially compared to the past two years.
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