Gaston College basketball closing in on first day of practice for 2022-23 season

Gaston College head basketball coach Jamie Rosser is closing in on the official start of his first practice for the 2022-23 season.

The Rhinos, who restarted their program last season with Rosser as associate head coach, have a 30-game schedule slated for the 2022-23 season now as the new head Basketball coach.

"Strength and conditioning are the focal points, and open gym 'Free play' has been gratifying for other coaches to come in and see our athletes," Rosser said. "On October 1, we officially get after it, putting plays in, and getting ready for the season.
"One of the biggest benefits of open gym has come in the form of college coaches visiting from four-year programs. It gives our guys a chance to show their work ethic and desire to improve daily. I think it's very important to give these players a chance to show off their talent in front of coaches while they are here recruiting and evaluating them."

Six players are returning from last year's team - guards Joshua Johnson, Dee Merriweather, and DaMarco Watson; guard-forward Dedrick Givens; and forwards Yarayah Evans and Kirk Scoggins. Watson (11.9 scoring average) and Merriweather (10.8) are the leading returning scorers from a team that finished 18-10 last season and one game out of first place in the Region 10 standings. Watson (19 starts), Merriweather (13), Givens (7) and Johnson (4) all have starting experience while Scoggins was a reserve and Evans redshirted last season.

Eight newcomers have been added to the team - two transfers and six incoming freshmen. Guard Jordan Guthrie (USC Salkehatchie) and forward Caleb McCarty (Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College) are the transfers with Michael Smith of Tallahassee, FL; Ajaden Gray of Benton, AR; Jamal Ukaegbu of Silver Spring, MD; Chaundre Bratcher of Greensboro; and Tyree Bracey and Asil Hoyle of Charlotte.

"The talent is there," Rosser said of his team. "Talent is never the problem, we have to get these guys mentally and physically prepared for the daily grind of college. For some, this day-to-day regimen is brand new, even to the transfers, so we must help them transform their bodies and minds.
"We have a great number of first-year college student-athletes, and they don't necessarily understand yet what it takes to play and operate at a high level, whether it's on the court or in the classroom. I'm proud because our returning guys are really stepping up to the plate and directing their younger teammates the right way.
"What we do have is a lot of pieces that can play several different positions, and we have to use that to our advantage where we see fit."

Gaston College plays in two multi-team events - the Corry Black Hoops JUCO Jamboree at Carrollton, GA, on October 2, and the Battle of the South Jamboree at Cumming, GA, on October 8 - before playing two exhibition games at nearby schools on October 19 (at Clinton College of Rock Hill, SC) and October 27 (at Catawba Valley Community College of Hickory).

The Rhinos open their regular season against Gaddis Watts Prep Academy on November 2, at 7 p.m. at the school's new homecourt at Gastonia's Ashbrook High School.