Expectations High as Flyers Prepare For a New Basketball Season
Seven returnees and 15 newcomers participated in the Sandhills Community College basketball team's first official practice for the 2021-2022 season last Thursday at the Hangar.
Beginning his 11th season as coach of the Flyers, Coach Mike Apple's team made an almost seamless move up to Division II last season, finishing in sixth place at the national tournament in Danville, IL after winning the NJCAA Division III title in 2020.
The Flyers, who will return to Division III this season, have been engaged in limited workouts since classes began in August.
"I'm very pleased with the athleticism of our team," Apple said before Friday's practice. "The work ethic has been off the charts. They are very competitive young men.
"Two thirds of the team is new so we are trying to get everybody on the same page collectively, doing the repetitions of what we need to do to be successful at Sandhills. I try to get them to understand the team concept is always better than the individual concept."
The first preseason game is on Saturday in Cumming, GA where a total 28 teams will participate in the Battle of the South Jamboree. Flyer followers can get an in-person look in a scrimmage at The Hangar against Fayetteville Tech on Wednesday, October 13.
The first regular season game is at Lenoir CC on November 3 followed by the home opener against Anne Arundel CC on November 5.
This will be the third rodeo, so to speak, for sophomore Keegan Brayboy. The Red Springs High School Alum traveled with the team to Rochester, MN in March, 2020 as a red-shirt freshman when it won the basketball program's second national title, compiling a record of 34-2.
The 6-foot-3 guard started all but one game last season as the Flyers finished 21-6, including a 15-3 mark in the Region 10 conference.
"Winning and getting better is always the ultimate goal," Brayboy said before the practice. "These guys play extremely hard, on every drill, every time we scrimmage. I love that."
In addition to Brayboy, the returnees include forwards, Bryan Quiller who led the Flyers in scoring (15.2 ppg) and was second in rebounds (6.3), Camron Zachary, Jeremiah Murphy, and Zac Sledge. Also back are guards Nasir Johnson and red-shirt freshman Jordan Coleman.
Apple feels that success at the Division II level has helped recruit a promising group of newcomers.
One of the areas of focus will be the point guard position where Corry Addison (St. Andrews) and Nathan Yow (Campbell) have moved on to play at four-year colleges.
Freshmen Chris Hunter (Cox Mill) and Alon Hanani (Geon Haygarden, Israel), and returnees Johnson and Coleman, are among the those with experience.
Another new addition is guard, Darryl McCaster, who played at St. Andrews University in 2019-2020 before sitting out last season. He averaged 28 points per game as a senior at James Kenan High School.
"I'm very excited for what this season has in store for us," he said. "I'm hoping we can win a national championship.
"It's not just about scoring. I want to get in there in whatever role coach has for me and buy into it."
The first-year Flyers also include guards, Jesse Taylor (Butler), Talli Price (Cary), K.J. Perry (Concord Academy), LeNijel Robinson (Concord), Rayshaun Wooten (Southwest Edgecombe), Sam Stoltz (Pinecrest), Kendall Wooldridge (Cox Mill), and forwards, Joey McMullin (Orange), Nate Willis (East Wake), Justice Asante (JL Chambers), Jamal Williams (Mount Pleasant) and Isaiah Nelson (Cox Mill).
Apple plans to travel with 15 or 16 players during the regular season. It is anticipated that some of the freshmen will red-shirt as has proved to be beneficial for players like Brayboy and others in the basketball program over the years.
"This year's team with seven guys coming back feels like a new team," the coach said. "The last three years it felt like we had the same nucleus.
"I'm looking forward to the excitement of having fans in the gym. We have a good fan base so it's a home court advantage when our fans get in the gym."
In addition to Addison and Yow, other former Flyers expected to continue their college basketball careers this season include: Chase Barnett and Calvin Ahoume (Chowan), Elijah Idlett and Evan Davis (Montreat), Winston Bryan and Casey Clarkson (Dean), Derreco Miller (Mount Olive) and Will Boyd (University of the Virgin Islands).
C. Bergmann