SAVANNAH, Ga.- During Tuesday's Meet & Greet, Savannah State head men's basketball coach Clevan Thompson received congratulations and well wishes from Tiger fans on last season's conference tournament title run and for the upcoming season.

Thompson, along with senior Javonte Landy as well as the rest of the team were on hand in the university's Student Union Building to field questions from local media and SSU followers about the 2025-26 season.

SSU, who was picked to finished second in the SIAC East, is ready for the challenge.

Thompson, who is entering his first full season as the Savannah State head coach, returns a solid nucleolus of talent with Landy, Davis, Michael Swift and Kasai Fontanez in the backcourt and Jordan Mickel in the post. Chancellor Wilson is back after missing last season with a injury. Khalil Grace and Kelvin Cochran also return.

Landy was named to the SIAC Preseason Second Team. The Savannah, Georgia native scored a career-high 23 points in the conference title game a year ago and finished the season averaging 10.1 points, three rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.8 steals per game.

The 5-11 senior guard is a Tiger legacy, following the footsteps of his father, LaVon Landy, who was a SSU point guard in the mid-1980s. "It's a great feeling to follow in his footsteps but I'm trying to create my own legacy."

Landy added that he learned a lot from participating in last season's NCAA Division II National Tournament.

"Being on that level, it takes hard work and dedication."

Swift, a junior guard contributed 5.6 points and 2.5 rebounds last year. After averaging 5.0 points and 2.4 rebounds a night as a freshman, the 6-foot-7 Mikel was slowed by an injury early last season and never showed his old form, finishing the season with 1.7 points and 1.9 rebounds averages, but he is at full strength now.

During the off-season, the Tigers added several newcomers from the junior college ranks and the transfer portal. Among them are Savannah natives James Leach and Zyere Edwards.

Leach played the past two seasons on the juco level at St. Petersburg College and before that the 6'6" forward was a all-region player at Beach High School while Edwards comes to SSU from Augusta University. Edwards, a 5'10" guard, was the GIAA Player of the Year as a senior at St. Andrews in 2022.

Thompson was sure to add size to his front court with 6'11" D'ontaye Strawter,  6'9" Ladarrius Chigano, 6'6" Brandon Johnson and 6'5" Mekhi Witter. Strawter (Coastal Georgia) and Chigano (Valdosta State) comes to Savannah State via the transfer portal.

Other newcomers are guard Braylon Jackson and 6'4" freshman guard Isaiah Isichei.

Thompson, who is a former SSU linebacker, stated that winning has helped the program recruit better players.

"We brought in some guys we normally would not have been able to get. They will compliment the guys we already have."

Under Thompson, Savannah State went undefeated at home. "It can be hard to play in Tiger Arena. The energy from the fans have is electric. I call them our sixth man."

Another addition that Thompson made was to add Michael Jaudon to his coaching staff. Jaudon comes to SSU from The Habersham School where he served as the head coach and led the Patriots to the semifinals of the Georgia Association of Private and Parochial School. Before that, the Savannah native was an assistant on the prep level in the city at Johnson, Savannah Country Day, Savannah Christian and Jenkins high schools.

Savannah State will open the season on the road in Tampa Bay at Saint Leo on November 14, then on the 15th, SSU heads to Lakeland, Florida to battle Florida Southern. The Tigers first home game is December 4 at 7:30 p.m. against Central State (Ohio).

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