Gaston College basketball newcomers ready to make impact in their first year with the program

When new Gaston College head coach Benny Moss was hired in April, he went to work with associate head coach Jermaine Williams and assistant coach Blan Hodges to build the Rhinos' roster.

Among the 14 newcomers in the program include three players with strong resumes and college recruiting attention.

Jordan Brown, a 6-foot-2, 195-pound guard from Atlanta, Ga., transferred to Gaston College from Shelton State, Ala.

And 6-2 freshman guard Spencer Breeden (Dry Ridge, Ky.) and 6-10 freshman forward Jozohn Price (Charlotte) bring impressive credentials from their high school careers.

Brown could become the first early NCAA Division I signee when the 2024 early signing period begins on November 13. He's already received an offer from North Carolina A&T and have received attention from Charlotte, Georgia Southern, Marshall, Middle Tennessee State and many other NCAA Division I schools.

"Really, the coaching staff attracted me to coming here," said Brown, who averaged 9.3 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 27 games (16 starts) last season for Shelton State. "Coach Moss, coach Jermaine and coach Hodges were great. I met them over the summer. I thought it was the best situation for me.
"I want to be a part of a winning program that's wanting to go to Hutch."

"Hutch" means Hutchinson, Ks., which is the longtime home of the National Junior College Athletic Association Division I basketball championship tournament.

Gaston College has competed for a Region 10 title that would grant a berth in that prestigious event five times in its history dating to the 1960s, winning only in 1971 when it advanced to the title game. The last two seasons, the Rhinos have lost in the Region 10 quarterfinals.

This season, the Rhinos and the seven other Region 10 schools each will be three wins away from a berth to Hutchinson when they play the Region 10 championship tournament March 13 through 15 at Hickory's Catawba Valley Community College.

Brown says that pursuing a goal of reaching the NJCAA national tournament feels more real each day the team works out together.

"Guys are coming in every day competing hard and working hard," Brown said. "It's just a winning culture."

Breeden joins the program after scoring 1,500 career points at Grant County High School while Price is a two-time N.C. Independent Schools Athletic Association state champion from Arden's Christ School.

Breeden credits Jordan Griffin, a former Coastal Carolina player (2009 to 2012) when Moss was a Chanticleers' assistant, for steering him to the Rhinos' program.

"I trusted him and he had a great relationship with coach Moss," Breeden said. "I was trying to get out of Kentucky and explore. I had two other jucos I was looking at - one in Illinois and one in Mississippi.
"But I like it here. It's a good change. I think we've gotten very close very quickly. I think on the court we're going to mesh really quickly."

Price spent his early schooling years at Charlotte Country Day School before joining the powerful Christ School program as a high school freshman.

Price's Greenies went 31-4 and 26-5, respectively, the last two years while winning the NCISAA Class 4A title each season.

"The coaching staff was impressive to me and it seemed like a great opportunity," Price said of picking Gaston College over NCAA Division II and NCAA Division III offers. "I think we have a lot of talented players and we should have a good season."

After completing its preseason scrimmage schedule, Gaston College opens its 2024-25 regular season at perennial power Davidson-Davie Community College on November 2 at 3 p.m.