Losing four talented sophomores will hurt but Gaston College already looking forward to 2022-23 season

Gaston College's return to college basketball in the 2021-22 season came with conditions.

While head coach David "Dickey" Nutt and associate coach Jamie Rosser constructed a roster of talented players, many of whom are drawing recruiting interest from NCAA Division I schools, they weren't able to compete in the Region 10 or National Junior College Athletic Association postseason tournaments since they were a first-year school.

Next year, the Rhinos won't have any conditions and will be able to pursure regional and national championship glory.

No one could have expected that the first year basketball team would be competitive in the very tough and talented Divison I in Region 10, much less finishing one game out of first place.

But after winning six of their last seven games to become arguably the hottest team in the conference in February, no one in the league would have wanted to play the Rhinos in the tournament.

The four departing sophomores led the charge throughout the season.

But with Jaylen Bates, Kalil Camara, Damon Davis and Zavion Jackson - who collectively accounted for 43.6 points, 23.8 rebounds and 7.6 assists per games - is that possible?

Nutt and the players certainly think so even as they also know it will take adding more talented players to the roster while also seeing improvement from those who do return.

"We have several guys returning for next season and then we will add to this group." Nutt said after completing the season with an 18-10 overall record and 8-6 Region 10 record that was one game out of first place. "Recruiting goes on year-round, and we want to make sure we are looking at every potential student-athlete in this community and within a 100 mile radius and certainly in our very talented state of North Carolina, and then we can go nationwide.
"We have a lot to sell with our campus, location and very strong academic history. We got a pretty good feel of what we need to compete for championships in this division and we will do everything we can to try and get to this championship level."

The returning and departing players agree with their head coach.

"They set the expectations high for us because, as a first-year program, I doubt anybody thought we would do very good," said freshman guard DaMarco Watson of departing sophomores Jaylen Bates, Kalil Camara, Damon Davis and Zavion Jackson. "Coach Nutt put a lot of expectations on the sophomores and created a culture and demanded these upper-class guys to be our leaders. They did a good job leading us and created some big shoes to fill for those who come in next year and those of us who are coming back."
"That will be the goal for next season."

Watson (11.9 points, 3.1 rebounds) and Dee Merriweather (10.8 points) are the top returning players but also eligible to return who played in the season finale are Joshua Johnson, Naysean Baisy, Jared Funderburk, Dedrick Givens and Kirk Scoggins.

Merriweather agreed that replacing the sophomores will be a challenge.

"When things were tough this season, the sophomores really helped us get through everything," Merriweather said. "It will be a chance for us that return to become the leaders and set the tone because we know what coach Nutt and coach Rosser wants. It will be our time to lead the new guys."

Givens, a backup post player to Bates and Jackson much of the season, is likely to have a more expanded role and it's a challenge he welcomes.

"Next year, I think we can step up our defense a little more, our offense a little more and for sure to pursue a (championship) ring next year," Givens said. "Especially with the guys that are coming back. We understand now what it takes compete at a high level every night."

Added Funderburk: "Losing those four guys will be tough, but we'll just have to gel together again as a team and be ready every single day practice and games."

Bates, who earned All-Region 10 honors after leading the team in rebounds (6.4) and was second in scoring (13.5) behind Davis (14.3), is confident Nutt, Rosser and the returning players will find a way to help the program improve next year and beyond.

"I think this year is the start of something very big," Bates said. I know that coach Nutt and Rosser have contacts all over this country, so I know they will get good players. "I would give anything to have this team play together for two years. We were just starting to play consistently well the last month of the year. I think next year they might just win the conference. The players that are going to return have been pushed every day in practice and I'm confident they will be ready."