NMSU men’s basketball gearing up for 2024-25 season

LAS CRUCES, New Mexico (KTSM) — The New Mexico State men’s basketball team was back at its practice facility on campus on Tuesday for its second official practice of the 2024-25 season.

NMSU had its first official practice of the season on Monday and held it at Organ Mountain High School due to an issue with one of the baskets at its practice facility.

This season will be Jason Hooten’s second as the program’s head coach. In his first season at NMSU, Hooten was tasked with rebuilding the program after the program went through a tumultuous 2022-23 season, on and mostly off the court. The entire coaching staff of that 2022-23 squad was gone and Hooten put together his own coaching staff.

Last season, New Mexico State went through its ups and downs and finished the season with a 13-19 overall record and 7-9 record in Conference USA play.

NMSU heads into this season with a new-looking squad. There’s 11 new players and four returnees. Senior guard Christian Cook, graduate forward Christopher Biekeu, senior guard Jaden Harris, and graduate forward Robert Carpenter are the four players from last year’s squad that are back for this season.

The newcomers are senior guard Dionte Bostick (Cal State Northridge transfer); freshman guard Gabe Pickens (Dream City Christian); Zawdie Jackson (West Georgia transfer); freshman forward Jae’Coby Osborne (Bella Vista Prep); sophomore guard Carl Cherenfant (Memphis transfer); grad forward Peter Filipovity (Maine transfer); senior forward Nate Tshimanga (Utah Valley transfer); graduate forward Emmanuel Tshimanga (UC San Diego transfer); junior forward Edward Nnamoko (Georgia State transfer); freshman forward Marvin Cox (Clovis High School); and junior guard Azavier Johnson (UTSA transfer).

Cox and Johnson are the only two players that were not on the roster during the team’s summer workouts. The other 13 players were in Las Cruces for summer workouts which has NMSU feeling pretty good about where it’s at right now is it continues its preparations for the upcoming season.

“I like our talent. I like what we have. I like our attitude; I like our work ethic. We are learning to be tougher and learning how to try and come in and be everyday guys.” Hooten said.

“Last year, around this time, we did not have all of our players, so having a full team since summer and we’ve been practicing all together, so our team chemistry is coming together. I feel really good about this team.” NMSU senior guard Christian Cook said.

New Mexico State will begin its season with an exhibition game against Western New Mexico at the Pan America Center on Oct. 28.

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