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Asil Hoyle had his first career double double with career-highs of 10 rebounds and 13 assists in Saturday's game at Brunswick Community College.
Asil Hoyle had his first career double double with career-highs of 10 rebounds and 13 assists in Saturday's game at Brunswick Community College.
Posted: Jan 30, 2024

After first Region 10 victory, Gaston College faces daunting challenge as it begins 5-game road trip

Now that Gaston College's basketball program has broken through against Region 10 competition following Sunday's 74-61 victory over Denmark Tech, the Rhinos enter the most challenging part of thair 2023-24 schedule.

Starting with Wednesday's game at defending regular season champion Caldwell Tech, the Rhinos play five straight road games against the teams that occupy the top five spots in the current Region 10 standings.

That begins with Wednesday's meeting at No. 23 Caldwell Tech (18-1, 6-0). The Cobras last week became the first Region 10 team to get a National Junior College Athletic Association Division I national ranking since March 2020.

It also marks the fourth meeting this season for the Rhinos against a nationally-ranked team.

"I've seen them," Gaston College interim head coach Jermaine Williams said of Caldwell Tech. "We'll look at them again on film. I cherish the opportunity to play a ranked team."

So far this season, the Rhinos have lost to No. 4 NJCAA Division 2 Davidson-Davie Community College, No. 6 NJCAA Division 2 Henry Ford and No. 14 NJCAA Division 1 Chipola, Fla. (Davidson-Davie was No. 2 in this week's poll, Henry Ford fell out of the rankings last week and Chipola was No. 9.)

Gaston College had previously lost all three meetings to nationally-ranked teams - once in the 2021-22 season and twice in the 2022-23 season.

This year's Rhinos (8-11 overall, 1-5 Region 10) have had a balanced attack all season long.

Guards Asil Hoyle (12.4) and Tyheim Love (12.4) share top scoring honors with forwards Kush Carter (10.4), Yarayah Evans (9.4), Judah Ravenell (9.3), Jamal Ukaegbu (8.8), Michael Smith (7.6), Jalante Edwards (5.4) and Branden Burnell (5.0) close behind.

Ukaegbu (6.6), Ravenell (5.7), Smith (5.3), Edwards (5.0) and Evans (5.0) are the team's top rebounders, Hoyle (3.3), Love (2.4), Edwards (2.2) and Ukaegbu (2.2) lead in assists with Ukaegub (1.5) leading in steals and Evans (1.7) in blocked shots.

After Wednesday's game, Gaston College visits Wake Tech (11-11, 4-4) on Saturday at 3 p.m., then make a two-day, two-game road trip at Cape Fear Community College (10-6, 4-3) on Feb. 9 at 6 p.m. and Brunswick Community College (12-7, 5-1) on Feb. 10 at 3 p.m. before visiting Richard Bland (9-12, 4-4) on Feb. 15 at 7 p.m.

The Rhinos' next home game is Feb. 18 against Wake Tech at 3 p.m. at Gastonia's Ashbrook High School gymnasium.