Jamestown’s Michael Davenport looks to make a play while Raleigh’s Jaimee Jackson defends during The Basketball League action on Sunday at Jamestown Community College’s Physical Education Complex. P-J photo by Valory S. Isaacson

Before Jamestown tipped off its season finale Sunday afternoon, Kayla Crosby, president of #IntegrityFirst and the Jackals’ general manager, was presented The Basketball League’s Executive of the Year.

The presentation was made by Dave Magley, TBL president.

“Our whole focus is to be a different league and that means community, and no one does that better than Kayla,” Magley told The Post-Journal following Jamestown’s 112-101 victory over Raleigh. “(The players) are in schools every day and (the players) are in churches every night. She’s giving back so much, so she has the right to get this kind of support.”

Magley noted that when he walked into the Physical Education Complex on yesterday there were 20 volunteers helping with the game-day experience for a large crowd.

“Everybody knows she works on a shoestring, but she doesn’t get discouraged, she stays positive and she works hard, so (the Executive of the Year) was a no-brainer. Frankly, I don’t think there was a close second. She’s that much better than everybody. We are going to try and create a model of her that all new teams will have to follow to have a chance. That’s how important she is.”

Jackals’ coach Mark Anderson called the pregame presentation “wonderful.”

“When I look at the other teams and I see what’s in the stands and then come out here and I see what we have … outside of Yakima (Washington), I don’t think there’s better community support in the league,” he said.

Anderson also praised the living arrangements for the players in the form of a 12-bedroom home on Fairmount Avenue in West Ellicott.

“We have the best housing situation in all of minor league basketball,” Anderson said. ” … It’s phenomenal. The way the community people support us it’s just been a blessing for all of us.”

Crosby called the award an “honor.”

“It’s just a testimony of all the volunteers and different supporters who have made this happen,” she said. “It was a vision I was given four years ago, but so many people have stepped up.”

Moving forward, both Magley and Crosby acknowledge the franchise needs to get more corporate sponsorship.

“The only negative of (the Jackals franchise) being here for three (previous) years, they’ve established a price point that is pretty low,” Magley said, “so we’ve got to get more community support and sponsors to keep prices where they want to be.

“That’s about the only thing we have to keep figuring out.”

Added Crosby: “We’re going to start working very soon to get ready for next year to try and get more corporate sponsorships and things set up so that next year we’re not stressed paycheck to paycheck, trying to make sure we can make ends meet.”

When asked if that confirms the Jackals will definitely return for the 2019-20 season, Crosby said, “Most definitely (and) for years to come.”