Gaston College basketball opens exhibition schedule on Sunday at West Georgia

Exactly one month away from the start of their 2022-23 regular season, Gaston College and new head basketball coach Jamie Rosser will begin the 2022 preseason schedule on Sunday.

The Rhinos are among 45 teams participating in the Corry Black JUCO Jamboree at the University of West Georgia in Carrollton, Georgia.

Gaston College will face Shelton State Community College of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, at 1:00 p.m. on Court 2; Chattanooga State Community College, Tennessee, at 3:00 p.m. on Court 7; and Southern Union State Community College of Wadley, Alabama, at 5:00 p.m. on Court 7.

Gaston College restarted its program last season and finished 18-10 overall and one game out of first place in Region 10.

The Rhinos have six returning players from last year - guards Joshua Johnson, Dee Merriweather and DaMarco Watson; guard-forward Dedrick Givens; and forwards Yaya Evans and Kirk Scoggins - and eight newcomers. Two of the newcomers are transfers, guard Jordan Guthrie (USC Salkehatchie) and forward Caleb McCarty (Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College), and the others are guard Michael Smith of Tallahassee, FL; center Ajaden Gray of Benton, AR; guard Jamal Ukaegbu of Silver Spring, MD; guard Chaundre Bratcher of Greensboro; and guard-forward Tyree Bracey and point guard Asil Hoyle of Charlotte.

Gaston College has three more exhibition events before opening its regular season against Gaddis Watts Prep Academy on November 2, at 7:00 p.m. at the school's new homecourt at Gastonia's Ashbrook High School.

The Rhinos will compete in the Battle of the South Jamboree at Cumming, Georgia, on October 8 - before playing two exhibition games at nearby schools on October 19 (at Clinton College of Rock Hill, South Carolina) and October 27 (at Catawba Valley Community College of Hickory).