Gaston College impressive in 2022-23 season-opening victory

Gaston College had a slow start but a fast finish in a 125-75 season-opening victory over Gaddis Watts Prep Academy of Charlotte on Wednesday at Gastonia's Ashbrook High School.

Gaddis Watts, with guard Demetrius Martin scoring a game-high 37 points, led by four points three times in the first four minutes - the last at 10-6 - before the Rhinos found their footing.

Sophomore DaMarco Watson (15 points, 8 rebounds, 8 assists, 3 steals) sparked a 17-9 surge late in the first half that put the Rhinos ahead 50-39. And Gaston College closed the half with 12 straight points after two Gaddis Watts free throws cut the Rhinos' lead to 50-41. It gave Gaston College a 62-41 lead at the break and the Rhinos poured it on in the second half, leading by 50 or more points for much of the final eight minutes.

"I take my hat off to Gaddis Watts," said Jamie Rosser after his first game as Rhinos head coach. "They came out and played hard. But we have to do better with our starts. We talk about executing in the first two minutes of the game. And we didn't execute the first two minutes of this game."

Watson's all-around play sparked the turnaround on a night in which Gaston College's 125 points tied for sixth all time in school history - and the most since the school's 1971-72 season. The school record is 174 points in a 102-point victory over Montreat Anderson on December 15, 1969.

"Da'Marco understands how to play at the pace that we want to play the game," Rosser said. "He's my veteran of the team. He understands and, hopefully, we can get these other guys to understand as well."

Four other Rhinos reached double figures; freshmen Michael Smith (22 points, 3 rebounds, 4 steals) and Asil Hoyle (20 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists) led an offense converting 62.2 percent of its 82 field goal attempts.

Other top contributors for Gaston College were freshman Tyree Bracey (16 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 blocked shots), newcomer Jordan Guthrie (13 points, 5 rebounds, 7 assists), freshman Jamal Ukaegbu (8 points) and sophomores Dedrick Givens (8 points, 4 rebounds) and Kirk Scoggins (7 points, 4 rebounds).

Gaston College returns to action this weekend at a tournament in Tennessee; the Rhinos meet host Walters State at 6 p.m. on Friday and play Motlow State at 4 p.m. at Walters State on Saturday.

The next home game is November 9, at 8 p.m., against Combine Academy at Gastonia's Ashbrook High School.