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by Steve Hanf
The High Point Enterprise
November 1, 2009
New programs always experience growing pains, and the Davidson County Community College men’s basketball team is no exception.
Well, except for the small fact that the Storm owns a 47-14 record in its first two seasons following a 25-year break.
But head coach Matt Ridge wants more for his team after two straight losses in the regional tournament title game. He wants DCCC to win Region X. He wants to then win that district playoff game. He wants to see DCCC in the field of the National Junior College Athletic Association Division III Championship, where the elite eight gather in Delhi, N.Y., March 11-13.
“We’ve been in the regional finals two years and last year’s loss still lingers in my mind every day, how it played out,” Ridge admitted. “Hopefully we can learn from that, because our ultimate goal is a regional championship.”
The Storm posted a 25-7 record last season and continued its impressive play at Brinkley Gym, where the team is 28-1 in its two years, yet suffered a heartbreaking defeat in its finale. DCCC led Catawba Valley by two points with 10 seconds to play before a 3-pointer at the buzzer gave CVCC the spot in the district playoffs.
Catawba Valley, in Hickory, shifted to the D-II ranks this season, and Davidson County returns three starters to its two-year program. That likely leaves the Storm as the Region X favorite when Ridge’s team opens the season at home Sunday at 3 p.m. against Wytheville (Va.) Community College. In all, DCCC plays nine games in November – including at Guilford Tech on the 11th and at the UNC-Chapel Hill junior varsity on the 15th – prior to opening the Region X schedule Dec. 5 at Oxford.
“We are very excited, but we also realize we have by far the toughest schedule we’ve ever had ahead of us,” Ridge said. “The month of November will be a big-time challenge for us, but we hope it prepares us for the conference schedule and regional.”
Brinkley serves as host of this year’s regional tournament as well as the one-game district playoff, so the Storm will have that in its favor. Home fans also will be treated to an ultra-rare sight on Wednesday, Jan. 27, when the Tar Heel JV visits for its lone road game of the season.
“One of the main reasons we were fortunate enough to schedule the Carolina game at our place is the fact our community has a great reputation for coming out and creating an exciting atmosphere,” Ridge praised. “Playing in a community college is not always a great atmosphere, but our community has done a great job of coming out and supporting us, and they make Brinkley Gym an exciting place to play.”
A number of familiar faces dot the roster, headlined by three returning starters. Roderick Geter, a 6-foot-1, 165-pound guard from Newton-Conover, led the team in scoring at 19 points per game and shot 42 percent from the 3-point line. The 6-1, 190-pound Phillip Williams, from Durham Riverside, and 6-4, 180-pound Eric Potts of Trinity, provide impressive play and will start again for the Storm. Potts has missed early practice time with a hand injury.
“They’re the glue of our team, great leaders,” Ridge said. “The junior college turnover ratio is unbelievable, so we’re fortunate to have three solid returners who understand what it takes to win at this level. Hopefully they’ll help these freshmen understand the importance of getting better every day.”
The newcomers include impressive point guard Justin Glover, a 6-2, 180-pound star from Jordan-Matthews who turned down an NCAA Division I offer to work on his game at DCCC. Glover, along with Page’s A.J. Finney (5-9, 160), provide great speed and athleticism on both sides of the ball.
Another Riverside product, Kimani Hunt, is a 6-5, 185-pound forward who can score inside and out, rebound and defend anybody on the floor. Joining Potts in the Trinity pipeline is Zack Williams, who headed to Liberty to join the football team last year but is back on the hardwood now. The 6-5, 200-pounder is another hard-nosed Bulldog who rebounds and scores in the paint. The seventh player in the mix of regular starters this season should be Robbie Rives, a 6-3, 180-pound guard who left Mount Airy as that school’s all-time winningest player.
Among the other newcomers are North Forsyth forward Tim Simpson (6-6, 195 pounds) and Randleman forward Bryan Roberts (6-10, 220), both of whom have been nursing injuries; Shelby point guard Derrick Mayo (5-11, 160); Kannapolis Brown guard Demarcus Phifer (6-0, 165); and North Stanly walk-on Bryan Ellen (6-0, 185).
Ridge’s associate head coach this year is Brandon Mullis, and new assistants Jeff Walton and Chase Ellis also have joined the staff.
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