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Jaylen Bates (13), Zavion Jackson (0), Damon Davis (4) and Kalil Camara (5) were honored on Gaston College's "Sophomore Day" to end the 2021-22 basketball season.
Jaylen Bates (13), Zavion Jackson (0), Damon Davis (4) and Kalil Camara (5) were honored on Gaston College's "Sophomore Day" to end the 2021-22 basketball season.
Posted: Jul 01, 2022

2021-22 REVIEW: Top 10 moments of the year - No. 7 Basketball celebrates "Sophomore Day" in style

On a night that former head coach David "Dickey" Nutt called "bittersweet," the architects of Gaston College's 2021-22 basketball season went out with a bang on Feb. 28 at South Point High School.

Honored before the game on "Sophomore Day," all four departing players made contributions in a 106-93 win over Hosanna Bible College before arguably the largest home crowd of the season.

Jaylen Bates poured in 36 points to make his final appearance in a Rhinos uniform one to remember. Damon Davis chipped in 14 points and four assists, Kalil Camara added 13 points and seven rebounds, and Zavion Jackson scored eight points and pulled down seven boards.

The Rhinos finished with an 18-10 overall record and were clearly playing their best basketball at the end, even though the startup program was not eligible for postseason play. The sendoff for the sophomores and the positive wrap-up to the season made for one of the most compelling moments of the Gaston College sports year.

After the game, Nutt praised the leadership of that foursome who made a commitment to a program that started from scratch.

"I really am proud of our sophomores," said Nutt, who left Gaston College in April to become an assistant coach at NCAA Division Missouri of the Southeastern Conference. "Those guys came and committed to me and (associate head) coach (Jamie) Rosser and our program when we didn't have uniform, a place to play or practice or even a ball and they said 'we will do it," Nutt said. "There will always be a special place in my heart for these guys and this whole group for committing to come play for us here at Gaston College. The foundation had to be set with guys with outstanding character first and foremost, and these guys have it."

Bates, a 6-7 forward who averaged 13.5 points and 6.4 rebounds per game for the Rhinos, eventually committed to Florida A&M, a Division I school in Tallahassee, Fla., and Camara, Davis and Jackson all are expected to wind up on four-year collegiate rosters this fall.