Season reflection: NGU men’s basketball journey
Photo courtesy of Devonaire Willoughby
Jesus Arce, Staff Writer
After a season full of strong emotions, cheers and tough moments, North Greenville men’s basketball has finished the season with a record of 11-18, losing their last game to Lees-McRae College in the second round game of the Carolina Conference Tournament.
Chad Lister, head coach, reflected on the past season highlighting the challenges they faced and the good and bad moments they experienced during the season.
“We didn’t win as many games as we had hoped. But I am very proud of our team for how they continued to fight and work with a good attitude throughout the season,” he said.
Despite the negative record, the team showed a winning attitude. The team lost eight games by just two or three points, indicating that the team’s record did not reflect the effort made by the players, leaving Lister proud of the work done.
The regional tournament was also a highlight, as the team was underestimated by Converse University in the first-round game. In the third overtime, the North Greenville Crusaders pulled out the victory with a score of 96-94.
“This gave us great satisfaction because we were able to win one of those close games when it mattered. And even though we didn’t advance further in the tournament, I’m really proud of how our team competed in crucial situations,” Lister said.
Lister also said that you can’t just judge a season based on a winning record. Despite not having an outstanding record, the team faced strong, high-caliber opponents and they came close to winning on several occasions. The coach highlighted the team’s spirit of determination.
Being aware of the outcome of the season, it must be added that the difficulties faced by the technical staff were certainly something to learn from for next season. This includes the lineup changes and injuries that occurred as the games went on.
Six of the team’s players will be graduating this coming May. This represents a real challenge for the coach and his staff as they look to hit the ground running next season.
Young players coming out of high school and players from the transfer portal will be key to the rebuilding of the team. Recruiting will make a big part of the difference in the coming year.
“We are working on recruiting new talent and improving production on the court. Our goal will always be to compete for a conference championship,” Lister said.
Lister believes that the mistakes made this season will serve to build a championship team for seasons to come, where recruiting and player retention will make the difference from previous years.
Finally, Lister was very grateful to the fans for their support during the season, where he emphasized that their support and presence was undoubtedly one more player on the court of the university.
“We are grateful for every person, every student who decided to come and cheer us on. It makes a big difference,” he said.
