Gaston College basketball preps for challenging weekend in Georgia tournament

The road doesn't get easier for the Gaston College basketball team as the Rhinos prepare for this weekend's Bobcat Classic at East Georgia State College in Swainsboro, Ga.

After dropping a pair of games to perennially-strong National Junior College Athletic Association Division II teams Henry Ford College of Dearborn, Mich., and Montgomery College of Rockland, Md., Gaston College faces a pair of Division I teams this weekend.

On Friday at 7 p.m., the Rhinos meet host East Georgia State College.

And on Saturday at 3 p.m., the Rhinos meet South Georgia State College.

"I'm looking at it as learning experiences every time out," said Gaston College interim coach Jermaine Williams, whose team takes a 3-4 record into this weekend's back-to-back games. "I don't believe in moral victories but Davidson-Davie is nationally-ranked and Henry Ford is nationally-ranked and we were relevant against both of them.
"So we're playing real good teams but we've got to do the little stuff, listen and trust each other to give us a chance to win."

The East Georgia State College Bobcats are off to a 2-5 start and are coming off a 13-15 record last season. One of the Bobcats' wins came in their last game on Nov. 18 when they defeated Gaston College's new Region 10 Division I rival Wake Tech 66-59.

The South Georgia State College Hawks are to a 4-2 start and entered the season with the most wins of any college basketball team in the state of Georgia (97) in the previous four seasons. The stretch is highlighted by an appearance in the 2023 NJCAA national championship tournament in Hutchinson, Kansas. Earlier this sesaon, South Georgia State defeated Wake Tech of Region 10 by an 80-63 margin.

"We know we're facing strong teams," Williams said. "We're game-planning and preparing to get better every day we practice."

Through seven games, the Rhinos' identity has been to create an extraordinarily balanced attack as five players are averaging 10.0 or more points per game and the top eight rotation players average 3.9 points or more.

Leaders this season for Gaston College have been sophomore Asil Hoyle (12.9 points per game, 2.7 rebounds, 3.3 assists), freshman Kush Carter (12.4 points, 3.0 rebounds), freshman Tyheim Love (12.4 points, 2.6 assists), sophomore Michael Smith (11.4 points, 6.6 rebounds), sophomore Jamal Ukaegbu (10.2 points, 6.7 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.8 steals), freshman Judah Ravenell (8.7 points, 4.7 rebounds), freshman Jalante Edwards (6.0 points, 4.4 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 1.7 steals) and sophomore Ajaden Gray (3.9 points, 3.1 rebounds)