FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. — Fayetteville Tech men’s basketball has announced a 12-player roster for the spring 2021 season.
FTCC begins play later this month, a schedule delay put in place by the NJCAA in response to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Trojans welcome back six returning players from last year’s squad, boasting experience in both the front and back courts.
Head coach Brian Hurd, who has steered the program since its inception in 2016, said each of the returners was a contributor to the success of last year’s team, when the Trojans reached the quarterfinals of the NJCAA Region 10 Tournament.
“Everybody that’s coming back knows the expectations and knows what the competition in the league is like,” Hurd said. “They’re mentoring the young guys and teaching them that there are no “gimme” games.”
The team’s top two scorers, guard Collin Lewis and Tyreik McCallum, return. Lewis, a versatile shooter who shot 77.9 percent from the foul line, averaged 10.4 points per game. McCallum averaged 10 points and a team-high six rebounds.
The Trojans bring back a pair of seasoned post players in Donte Johnson and Jawon Eddie.
Eddie, a 6-foot-9 Raleigh native, scored 6.5 points and pulled down five rebounds per game.
“Jawon is sitting right at double-digits in his offers from NCAA Division II schools and has interest from half a dozen Division I schools,” Hurd said. “He’s really getting a lot of the attention right now.”
Johnson, standing 6-foot-5, averaged eight points and five rebounds per game. He was the only Trojan to see time in all 31 games.
Versatile guard George Jones Jr. and small forward Jekael Gay round out the returners.
The Trojans pick up one transfer, guard Isaiah Lewis. The guard spent his freshman season at Chowan, where he averaged 11 minutes in 21 games.
Hurd said the pickup gives the Trojans another explosive option on offense.
“One thing we’ve been working on in the offseason is our scoring ability,” Hurd said. “Obviously, Collin is a part of that, but having Isaiah gives us more scoring punch from the wing. And he can handle the ball.”
Freshmen Chance Minott and Kameron Mack will likely share point guard duties, said Hurd, filling in the gap left by the graduation of two-year starter Josh Haymer.
Adam Carey, a 6-foot-2 small forward, gives the Trojans the option for a speedy, small lineup. Carey is one of three players on the team, along with Collin Lewis and Isaiah Lewis, from Millbrook High School.
“They played at a high level in high school at Millbrook, and one of the things Millbrook team are known for, is defense,” Hurd said.
Rounding out the freshman class are Cody Peyton and Nasir Mack, two redshirt players from last year’s team that move to the active roster.