JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Jacksonville University men's basketball announced its newest additions to the 2022-23 team on Tuesday.
 
The Dolphins added seven newcomers, three four-year transfers, two junior college transfers, one local freshman and one international freshman, to a team that won 21 games and got to the doorstep of the NCAA Tournament last season.
 
"We're excited to welcome this great group of young men to our program," said Head Coach Jordan Mincy. "Each of them bring unique skillsets and experience to JU, and we cannot wait to get them to campus to start building together for the upcoming season."
 
JARIUS COOK
 

• Spent four seasons with the North Dakota State program, playing in three
• Started all 32 games last season for the Bison, averaging 8.5 points per game on 43% FG, 40% 3-pt, 73% FT
• Dished out nearly an assist per game, while grabbing 2.3 rebounds per game and recording a career-high eight blocks
• Scored in double-figures 11 times, with a season-high 17 points coming twice, home vs. Tarleton State and on the road at Montana State
• Career-high of 22 points at TCU in 2020-21 season
• Contributed to the NCAA Tournament Team in 2018-19, scoring six points against Duke as a true freshman, two-time Summitt League champion
• 6-3 guard hails from Brooklyn Park, Minn., two-years of eligibility remaining

 
SEJR DEANS
 

• Spent last season as a developmental player with the Tasmanian Jack Jumpers of the National Basketball League in New Zealand
• Averaged 10.2 points per game, 3.5 rebounds per game and 2.9 assists per game with NW Tasmania of the NBL1 League
• Played a pivotal role on a 2018 Australian team that won gold at the U-15 Oceania Championship
• Participated in the NBA Global Academy and played for the U-20 Australian Junior Championship
• 6-2 guard is from Launcheston, Australia and maintains dual citizenship as a Danish-Australian, joining JU as a true freshman

 
OUMAR KOUREISSI
 

• Played last season at Dodge City Community College
• Averaged 11.9 points per game and 4.9 rebounds per game on 55% FG, 36% 3pt and 65% free throws
• Added 23 blocks and 23 steals
• Scored in double-figures 24 times, with a one double-double (15 points/10 rebounds)
• Topped 20 points once, with a 23-point outing against Barton on 8-12 FG and 6-12 FT with a made three-pointer and five rebounds
• Helped the Conquistadors to the Elite Eight of the NJCAA DI National Tournament last season, where they were ranked as high as #4 during the season and claimed a Regional Championship for the first time in 40 years
• 6-10 forward hails from Harlem, N.Y. and prepped at National Christian Academy in Maryland, has three-years of eligibility left

 
JALEN NESMITH
 

• Played for Albany Tech in Georgia after starting his career at Eastern Florida State
• 6-0 guard from Bronx, N.Y. attended Bishop Snyder High School in Jacksonville, where he played for former Dolphins Russell Powell and Vince Martin
• Scored 11.4 points per game and grabbed 4.4 rebounds per game while dishing out 6.2 assists per game last season
• Shot 44 percent from the field and 36 percent from three
• Scored in double-figures in all but four games played last season
• Two-years of eligibility remaining

 
DYLAN O'HEARN
 

• Played the last two seasons at NJIT after transferring in after two seasons at Western Oklahoma State College, joining the Dolphins as a grad transfer
• Started all but one game last season for the Highlanders, averaging 11.8 points per game on 37 percent shooting from deep
• Scored in double-figures 13 times, topping the 20-point mark four times, including exploding for a career-high 42 points at Lafayette on Dec. 5, 2021, the Division I program record for points in a game at NJIT, and earned America East Player of the Week honors for his performance
• Was an NJCAA Division I Region 2 All-Region honoree at Western Oklahoma State
• 6-4 guard was born in Winsor, Ontario, Canada, grew up in Michigan and prepped at Carolina Basketball Academy
• He holds dual citizenship in Canada and the United States

 
OMAR PAYNE
 

• Spent last season at Illinois, after his first two years he played at Florida
• Shot 62 percent from the field and was second on the team with 24 blocks while appearing in 32 games for the Illini
• Started 15 games over two years with the Gators, playing for JU head coach Jordan Mincy
• Top-50 recruit in the Class of 2019, ranked No. 44 by ESPN and No. 45 by 247Sports
• Prepped at Monteverde Academy, helping them to a 22-3 record and a semifinal appearance in the 2019 GEICO Nationals
• Won the 2017 Class 9A State Championship at Osceola High School in Kissimmee, Fla.
• 6-10 forward played on three NCAA Tournament teams

 
JOSIAH SABINO
 

• Local product from Orange Park High School
• 6-4 guard is a 3-star recruit on Rivals and considered the top high school prospect in the area
• Averaged over 20 points per game as a junior and a senior for the Raiders, also grabbing over six rebounds a game in both years
• Led Orange Park to the Class 5A-District 3 Championship this season
• Also competed in track and field and swimming, excelling in the high-jump, triple-jump and 300m hurdles and 50- and 100-yard freestyle