Joliet Junior College men's basketball opened the 2025–26 season on a strong note, earning a 76–61 victory over McHenry County College on Saturday afternoon at home.
The Wolves led 35–31 at halftime before pulling away in the second half to secure the win and move to 1–0 on the season. Kareem Parker led the way with 15 points and nine rebounds, while Jeffrey Fleming added 12 points, six rebounds and five steals to set the tone defensively.
Levi Goad recorded a triple-double with 10 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists along with six steals.
Fleming and Goad both displayed relentless effort, diving for loose balls and creating extra possessions that fueled JJC's momentum throughout the game. Victor Yatou also recorded a double-double wih 11 points and 10 rebounds, helping the Wolves dominate on the boards.
Head coach Danny Turner praised his sophomore leaders for their performance.
"Our sophomores really stepped up," Turner said. "Jeffrey Fleming understands the expectations after being nominated for All-American last year, and Levi is much improved and super aggressive now. Overall, we had really good rebounding from our team."
Sophomore standout Jeffrey Fleming reflected on the team's mindset entering the season.
"It's our sophomore year, our last year and we're trying to make a statement with nine new freshmen," Fleming said. "We're just trying to make it to the end."
The Wolves look to carry their momentum into their next matchup as they are back home Tuesday to face Kishwaukee College at 7 p.m.
