Men's Basketball Season Preview: New Faces, Same Standards for Cochise Men’s Basketball

MBB Season Preview
October 22, 2025

DOUGLAS, Ariz. — The 2025–26 season marks another chapter in the storied tenure of Cochise College head coach Jerry Carrillo, a member of the ACCAC and NJCAA Hall of Fame, as he leads a young but promising Apache squad into a new campaign with the same championship mindset that has defined the program for decades.

"Our goals are to honor the process daily," Carrillo said. "But we aim to win — we want to compete for championships year in and year out."

Cochise enters the season with a dramatically different roster after graduating its entire starting five and a key reserve from last year's lineup. Despite that turnover, Carrillo said the group has had "a very good fall pre-practice season" and features several talented newcomers ready to carry on the Apache tradition.

A Fresh, Fast Identity

This year's Cochise team will look to push the tempo and turn defense into offense.
"We hope to be up-tempo offensively — pushing the ball and attacking the rim," Carrillo explained. "Defensively, we want to apply pressure out on the floor and create offense with our defense."

Newcomers to Watch

Among the new faces are several exciting prospects:

  • Gabe Grant, a 6'9" post from Baltimore (Md.) / Florida Prep, brings length and athleticism inside.

  • Devin Falk-Ramirez, a point guard from Eastwood HS (El Paso), is "a winner who understands the game and plays with great maturity."

  • Teron Murray (6'5") and Emmanuel "Manny" Samuel (6'3"), both from Camden HS (N.J.), arrive as state champions and represent what Carrillo calls the "continued East Coast Camp Cochise pipeline."

  • Davon "DJ" Jones from Watts, Calif., a first-team All-City selection in Los Angeles, adds elite speed and athleticism on the wing.

Leaders Return

While young overall, Cochise does have returning leadership.
Jhace Johnson returns at point guard after stepping into a starting role last season when injuries struck, while Naeem Colston, a 6'5" forward, was a key contributor off the bench and will anchor the front line. Local standout Deandre Hawthorne (Sierra Vista, Ariz.) and Jeremy Calixte-Bea provide additional sophomore presence and depth.

Challenges and Opportunities

Carrillo is realistic about the challenges ahead in a competitive ACCAC Division 1 field.
"Our biggest challenge will be our lack of experience," he said. "We only have four players who logged college minutes last season, and two who played significant time. Our newcomers are talented but must learn the rigors of high-level NJCAA basketball."

A Message to Apache Fans

Through it all, Carrillo said the team remains focused on upholding the culture that has made Cochise a regional powerhouse.
"Our fans are the best," he said. "We hope they'll see a great group of guys who celebrate one another and play for each other. We want to show an exciting brand of basketball and keep the culture of Camp Cochise strong in the Stronghold Gymnasium."

Coach Carrillo and the 2025 Cochise Men's Basketball team open the regular season on Friday, October 31st, as they host Community Christian College at 4:00 pm in Douglas, AZ.