Former Jamestown High School star Jaysean Paige, left, drives to the basket during a National Professional Basketball League game. Photo courtesy of Fuerza Regia on X

Jaysean Paige (Jamestown/Jamestown) is making the most of his opportunity in the National Professional Basketball League, the top pro league in Mexico.

The former Jamestown High School star was averaging 23.5 points and 4.0 rebounds while shooting 53.1% from the field in his first two games with first-place Fuerza Regia Monterrey (23-7) to earn Player of the Week honors.

Paige’s best game was against the Diablos when he poured in 29 points, grabbed seven rebounds and dished out five assists in Fuerza Regia Monterrey’s 100-87 victory.

The shooting guard, who was a standout at West Virginia University during his collegiate days, has played professionally in the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Hungary, North Macedonia, Puerto Rico and the United States.

As a junior at Jamestown High School in 2010-11, Paige, 30, was The Post-Journal’s Player of the Year.

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Bryan Hodgson (Jamestown/Jamestown) is entering his second season as the men’s head basketball coach at Arkansas State University.

It’s clear he’s been up to the challenge so far, and others are taking notice.

After finishing last season 11-7 in the Sun Belt Conference last season, the Red Wolves have been picked to finish first in the conference in the 2024-25 Preseason Coaches Poll.

Arkansas State received 12 of 14 possible first-place votes and earned 193 of 196 possible points to be selected as the league favorite for the first time in school history.

The Red Wolves finished fourth in the league last season after being picked ninth in the preseason. They also reached the Sun Belt Conference championship game.

Arkansas State opens the season at home against reigning Mid-American Conference champion Akron on Nov. 4.

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Quarterback Cole Snyder (Lakewood/Southwestern) has led the Eastern Michigan football team to a 4-2 record so far, including 1-1 in the Mid-American Conference.

In those six games, he has completed 121 of 186 passes for 1,168 yards and four touchdowns. He has also rushed for 146 yards and three TDs.

Mercyhurst wide receiver Cameron Barmore (Panama/Panama) continues to impress for the Mercyhurst University football team.

The 6-foot-6, 230-pound wide receiver has 41 receptions for 515 yards and eight touchdowns for the Lakers, who are 2-5 so far this season. Barmore collected two TD passes in each of four games.

Also a member of the Mercyhurst team is offensive lineman Andrew Bernard (Lakewood/Randolph). A graduate student, Bernard appeared in all 11 games on the offensive line in 2023 and started 10 of 11 games in 2022.

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Sincere Green (Jamestown/Jamestown) is a junior linebacker on the Buffalo State football team.

In five games this season, the 6-foot-1, 192 pounder has been credited with 41 tackles, including 10.5 for loss, three sacks, four pass breakups and one forced fumble.

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Kylie O’Brien (Jamestown/Jamestown) finds herself among the SUNYAC leaders in several categories through Fredonia State’s first 22 women’s volleyball matches.

In conference, the sophomore is first in matches (22); second in kills (63), kills per set (4.20), points (69.5) and points per set (4.6); and third in total attacks (153) and total attacks per set (10.20).

At last report, the Blue Devils were 9-13 overall and 2-2 in the SUNYAC.

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The SUNY Brockport football team rolled to a 53-0 victory over Hartwick last Saturday, the Golden Eagles’ third shutout of the season.

Local players on Brockport’s roster included Jamestown High School graduates Caleb Bane and Julian McGaughy, who are both junior offensive linemen.

At last report, the Golden Eagles were 4-1 overall and 2-0 in the Empire 8.

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Darien Swanson (Westfield/Westfield) earned medalist honors to lead the Mercyhurst University golf team to victory at the Mercyhurst Fall Invitational at Lake View Country Club in North East, Pennsylvania.

Swanson shot back-to-back rounds of 72.

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Mike Hanlon (Brocton/Dunkirk) was named a Hilbert College Athlete of the Week after rushing for 126 yards on 35 carries for the Hawks’ football team in its game against Alfred University on Oct. 5.

Also a member of Hilbert’s special teams, Hanlon returned a kickoff 39 yards. For the season, Hanlon has rushed for a team-best 446 yards on 119 carries and two touchdowns. His longest run from scrimmage was 81 yards.

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Cortland, the defending Division III national champion, sports three area natives on its football roster this fall.

They are junior linebacker Matt Lotter (Fredonia/Fredonia), sophomore linebacker Sean O’Brien (Jamestown/Jamestown) and freshman defensive lineman Owen Rush (Fredonia/Fredonia).

Cortland (5-0, 3-0 Empire 8), ranked No. 2 in the country, defeated Utica last weekend for its 17th straight game overall, dating back to last September, and its 22nd consecutive Empire 8 game going back to the final league game of 2019.

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Micah Willink (Clymer/Clymer) caught a 7-yard touchdown pass for Heidelberg’s only score in a 35-7 loss to Marietta College last Saturday.

Willink has four receptions on the year for Heidelberg, which is 2-3 overall and 1-3 in the Ohio Athletic Conference.