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I’d like to thank Mark Bunker who is the head coach of the Scottsdale Community Fighting Artichokes in Scottsdale, Arizona in the ACCAC in the NJCAA in the JUCO level of basketball. 2020 has been a tough year for for athletes as they have been unable to workout together in their various facilities due Covid-19 until recently for some teams and not at all still for others. The Fighting Artichokes players have had to work out at local fitness centers and parks since they are unable to workout at their facilities still. Coach Bunker shared with The Cannon Network, “I believe that this season will be a challenge for us and all the JUCO programs across the country given the landscape that we all are trying to navigate. I also think this will be a great opportunity for JUCO programs to shine since all of us continuously have to adjust on the fly to changes on a yearly basis, not just a season with a pandemic. JUCO coaches wear so many hats throughout the year that they become a jack of all trades and this will show how well versed all of us are.” The Fighting Artichokes are coming off a 2019-20 campaign with a 23-8 overall record and a record of 15-7 in ACCAC play. Under coach Bunker’s leadership, the Fighting Artichokes have had many players sign with 4 year colleges and universities including Xavier Fuller who signed with the University of South Dakota Coyotes in The Summit League in NCAA DI, Nick Sessions who signed with the Benedictine University Mesa Redhawks in the Cal-Pac in NAIA and Austin Denham who signed with the Utah Valley University Wolverines in the WAC in NCAA DI.