ROSTER | TICKETS | ABOUT CHATTANOOGA BASKETBALL
 
We're trying something new. The Chattanooga Mocs men's basketball program is turning the page to the 2019-20 season, and if you click the roster link above, you'll see 15 player names. The idea is to reveal the roster in a series of short feature stories on GoMocs.com introducing the squad throughout June and July.
 
We saved Justin Brown. He's the last returning student-athlete to be profiled in this series. When you plan something like this project, you know there's going to be a hiccup. In this case, writer's block will strike and you're just not sure where you want to take a story.
 
So you save one. In this case, we're talking about Justin. He and I have a good rapport. There'll be no writer's block…it'll be easy. What did they say about the best laid plans of mice and men? We get to Justin and I go blank.
 
So as our former Chattanooga Times Free Press beat writer Gene Henley would say, let's go to the sources. We asked three teammates what comes to mind when they think of Justin Brown. Our trio included Maurice Commander, Rod Johnson and Malachi Smith. Commander played with Brown in high school, Johnson has been around him for more than a year now and Smith is a new teammate. A pretty good cross section. Where did they take this story?
 
Justin Brown is the ultimate team guy. It's clear and simple. We started with Malachi.
 
"He was here on my visit," Smith shared. "Being from Illinois, we had a connection from seeing each other on the circuit. It made it easier to click. I love him as a teammate.
 
"He's a good big man that runs the floor. He's very talkative, very positive. He gives max effort whether he's getting the ball or not."
 
Not shocking at all to hear that. Brown's career got off to a slow start. An upper body injury kept him out for the 2017-18 campaign. He played in 25 games a year ago as a reserve in the post averaging 3.5 points and 2.5 rebounds in 10.8 minutes per game.
 
His best performance came in the victory at The Citadel. Brown tallied 10 points and five boards in 11 minutes off the bench. It included a nifty turnaround jumper on a baseline in-bounds play with just one second left on the shot clock.
 
The most impressive part of that performance? He wasn't used in the previous six games. Don't think junior forward Rod Johnson was surprised at all.
 
"He's all about the team," Johnson added. "He puts everyone before himself. All he wants to do is win. He'll always step up to the plate to do what needs to be done. He's always about the team."
 
When we sat down with Justin, the first question was simply how he'd define the ultimate team guy?
 
"The first word that comes to mind is unselfishness," Brown began. "Just putting everyone else first. A leader by voice and example. A lot of people are good at vocal leading but struggle by example. Also be as good a listener as giver of advice."
 
Then…what does it mean to you that your teammates consider you the ultimate teammate?
 
"I feel like that's really an honor," he responded obviously taken aback with that designation. "From early in my basketball career, I don't think it's something I've really tried to be. For my teammates to see that and think that, it's really an honor.
 
"It makes me want to continue that and build on it."
 
Maurice Commander knows him better than anyone in the program. They shared the court in Chicago in high school and now are college teammates as well.
 
"He's a real good teammate," Reese stated while trying to sum up his friend's constant contributions. "He has everybody's best interests. Off the court, he's friends with everybody and it translates on the court. He's unselfish."
 
Every successful team has glue guys. Urban dictionary cites it as "the guy who helps everyone work together". I think that hits the nail on the head when talking about Justin Brown.
 
ROSTER REVEAL SERIES
4 – Maurice Commander: http://bit.ly/Commander4
1 – Jonathan Scott: http://bit.ly/Scott01
0 – A.J. Caldwell: http://bit.ly/Caldwell0
15 – Ramon Vila: http://bit.ly/RVila15
32 – Matt Ryan: http://bit.ly/Ryan32 
5 – Jaden Frazer: http://bit.ly/Frazier5
3 – David Jean-Baptiste: http://bit.ly/DJ-B3
11 – Rod Johnson: http://bit.ly/rjohnson11
14 – Grant Ledford: http://bit.ly/ledford14
24 – Prosper Obidiebube: http://bit.ly/Prosper0bi24
13 – Malachi Smith: http://bit.ly/MSmith19
12 – Ashton Smith: http://bit.ly/ASmith12
10 – Alex Tostado: http://bit.ly/Tostado10
2 – Jamaal Walker: http://bit.ly/JWalker2
 
SEASON TICKETS ON SALE
Season tickets are on sale now. They can be purchased on GoMocs.com (at the link above) or by calling (423) 266-MOCS (6627) or 425-5740. Fans can also stop by the Gate 1 ticket office at McKenzie Arena.
 
Full season tickets range from $105-190 for lower-level reserved seating. Take advantage of the July prize giveaway for season ticket renewals or new purchases. Learn more about it here.
 
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