Gaston College basketball continues preseason in scrimmage at 4-year Clinton College

Gaston College's basketball team continues to progress towards its November 2 regular season opener after last Saturday's scrimmage loss at four-year Clinton College.

"We're looking to get in one more scrimmage," interim head coach Jermaine Williams said after a 103-77 loss to Clinton at their Rock Hill, S.C., gymnasium on Saturday afternoon. "I got a lot out of this. There's a lot of bullet points for practice. We've got to grow our IQ on offense and defense."

Saturday's game was the first scrimmage Gaston College has played that used regular season clock timing after playing three teams each in weekend jamborees in Georgia with a running clock.

The host Golden Bears knocked down 45.7 percent of its field goal attempts, including nine 3-point conversions, while outrebounding the Rhinos 65-44 in cruising to the victory. Clinton scored the game's first five points, Gaston College closed within 14-12 before a 12-0 Golden Bears' run put them comfortably ahead the rest of the contest.

Williams employed a starting lineup of Kush Carter, Ajaden Gray, Asil Hoyle, Judah Ravenell and Jamal Ukaegbu and used all seven reserves (Branden Burnell, Jalante Edwards, Chance Jefferies, Tyheim Love, Jaeshaun Murchison, Mason Rivera-Lind and Sabastian Taylor) and three others were out due to injuries.

Love (14 points, 5 rebounds), Ukaegbu (13 points, 5 rebounds), Hoyle (11 points, 5 rebounds), Carter (10 points) and Ravenell (9 points, 8 rebounds) led a balanced Gaston College effort.

"We've got a chance to get better," Williams said. Freshman "Chance (Jefferies of Lincolnton) stood out. He was unassuming but got an opportunity to play and he took advantage of his playing time by making the right plays. He may not have scored but he is improving his stock within the team. We are looking for separation within the group so we can figure out who gets the minutes - in general and when the game matters.
"Our first scrimmages in Georgia told us a lot and then we were different in practice leading to the games that next weekend. The second week after the second scrimmages in Georgia it was the same thing after the last game assessment - Where are we? How did we play? and What do we need to work on to get better?"
"I think we get a lot from playing against compeition and using different personnel. We're working to get ready for that first game."

The Rhinos officially open their 2023-24 season on November 2 against first-year Cleveland Community College at 8 p.m. at Gastonia's Ashbrook High School gymnasium that will again be Gaston College's homecourt.