Gaston College looks forward to first official basketball games in 50 years

After a four-game scrimmage schedule against teams that competed in the National Junior College Athletic Association playoffs last season, Gaston College is ready to make its official men's basketball debut for the first time in 50 years.

The Rhinos head coach David "Dickey" Nutt and associate head coach Jamie Rosser open their season on Friday at Charlotte's Johnson & Wales University at 8 p.m. before Saturday's 4 p.m. home opener against Erskine College at Gastonia's Piedmont Community Charter School.

Nutt, also the school's athletic director, wants to invite all former Gaston College students to attend Saturday's historic home opener.

"We're asking anybody who attended or was associated at Gaston since 1964 when it opened until now to come and be a part of our reunion," Nutt said. "Admission is free and we want to engage with our community and make this a special day in our school's history."

Gaston College had teams from the 1964-65 season to the 1971-72 season before discontinuing its program.

As part of Saturday's home opener, Nutt and his team will hold a "Meet and Greet" with fans at 2:30 p.m. before preparing for Saturday's 4 p.m. tipoff.

The 2021-22 Rhinos enter the start of the regular season with the momentum of winning three of their four scrimmages.

After defeating Coastal North of Bay Minette, Ala. and Southern Crescent, Ga. and losing to Columbia State, Tenn., Community College in an Oct. 9 Juco Report Showcase at Cumming, Ga., the Rhinos won at Hickory's Catawba Valley Community College on Oct. 27.

"We were glad to win the game," Nutt said. "That was the good part. The thing I was particularly encouraged about is that we carried over our effort in practice to the game. We were excited. The players wore their uniforms and we looked the part. Not only that, but I was appreciative of all the Gaston College fans that drove up to see the game."

Nutt thinks his defense is ahead of the offense at this time but is confident the team can continue to improve.

"It was a building block for us," Nutt said ."But now it starts for real for us next week. We start on Friday night and we need to be ready to go."

Standouts in the preseason have been sophomores Damon Davis, Jaylen Bates, Kalil Camara and Zavion Jackson and freshmen Dee Merriweather, Demarco Watson and Joshua Johnson.

"We all certainly have room for improvement but it's been good to see how we compete," Nutt said. "I'm really proud of our guys. We feel like we've got about seven or eight ready to go and we want to get to about nine of 10."