The Lander Bearcats have been selected as the preseason favorites to claim the 2026-27 Peach Belt Conference Men’s Basketball title by the league’s coaches. Lander received nine first-place votes, while Columbus State and USCA each received one first-place vote.
The preseason coaches’ poll is listed below, followed by the 2026-27 Preseason All-Conference Team. Coaches were not permitted to rank their own teams or vote for their own players.
Lander enters the 2026-27 season as the preseason favorite following a historic 2025-26 campaign. The Bearcats claimed the PBC Regular Season and Tournament titles, the NCAA Southeast Region title and advanced to the NCAA Division II National Championship game. Lander finished 17-3 in PBC play and 30-6 overall, winning 15 consecutive games before falling in the national championship game. The Bearcats returning class is highlighted by Navaughn Maise while welcoming a number of new faces to the roster including Jameel Rideout and Amir Reaves.
Columbus State has been selected to finish second in the 2026-27 preseason poll. The Cougars have established themselves as a consistent contender in the PBC, finishing among the league’s top two teams in each of the past two seasons. Columbus State finished 15-5 in conference play and 23-9 overall last season before falling to Lander in the NCAA Southeast Region semifinals.
Flagler has been tabbed to finish third in the 2026-27 preseason poll. The Saints finished tied for fifth in the PBC standings in each of the past two seasons and advanced to the PBC Tournament semifinals last season before falling to Lander. Flagler finished the 2025-26 campaign with an 11-9 record in conference play and an 18-12 overall record.
The 2026-27 PBC men’s basketball season gets underway in November, with all 11 conference teams set to compete for the regular-season and tournament championships. With a mix of returning talent, experienced veterans and newcomers across the league, the season is set for another competitive campaign. The 2026 PBC Basketball Tip-Off is set for tomorrow, Sept. 23, at GCSU Centennial Center in Milledgeville, Ga., where players and coaches from all 11 teams will participate in interviews streamed live on the PBC Network.
| Rank |
Team |
Points |
| 1. |
Lander (9) |
99 |
| 2. |
Columbus State (1) |
86 |
| 3. |
Flagler |
74 |
| 4. |
North Georgia |
69 |
| 5. |
USC Beaufort |
63 |
| 6. |
USCA (1) |
60 |
| 7. |
Augusta |
43 |
| 8. |
GCSU |
42 |
| 9. |
Georgia Southwestern |
37 |
| 10. |
Middle Georgia |
20 |
| 11. |
Clayton State |
12 |
2026-27 Preseason All-Conference Team
Lee Langstaff II, Columbus State
Senior, Guard
- Played and started 30 games, averaging 25.1 minutes per game
- Averaged 10.1 points and 2.6 rebounds per game
- Finished the season shooting .482 from the field and .364 from three-point range
- Ranked third on his team in scoring and steals
C.J. Jones, GCSU
Junior, Guard
- Played and started 26 games, averaging 27.7 minutes per game
- Averaged 16.5 points, 3.2 assists and 3.0 rebounds per game
- Finished the season shooting .438 from the field and .385 from three-point range
- Led his team in scoring, assists and steals
- Named to the PBC All-Conference First Team
Amir Reaves, Lander
Senior, Guard
- Played and started 29 games, averaging 31.2 minutes per game
- Averaged 15.7 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game
- Finished the season shooting .461 from the field and .375 from three-point range
- Led his previous team in scoring while ranking third in assists and steals
Zack Hawkinson, North Georgia
Junior, Forward
- Played and started 30 games, averaging 26.7 minutes per game
- Averaged 9.8 points, 5.1 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game
- Finished the season shooting .577 from the field and .308 from three-point range
- Ranked second on his team in rebounds, blocks and assists and third in scoring
- Named to the PBC All-Tournament Team
Jonah Lawrence, USCA
Sophomore, Guard
- Started 28 of 29 games played, averaging 29.6 minutes per game
- Averaged 14.3 points, 5.6 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game
- Finished the season shooting .390 from the field and .306 from three-point range
- Led his team in assists while ranking second in scoring and rebounds