SANFORD - Central Carolina Community College men's basketball coach Brad McDougald looks forward to coaching the 2021-2022 edition of Cougar basketball.

"I'm really excited about the potential in this year's team," said McDougald. "We will have a good balance of both experience and new guys who are ready to make an impact."

Returning players (with high school and hometowns listed) are Joshua Bell (Purnell Swett H.S., Maxton), Darnell Carver (Western Harnett H.S., Lillington), Wesley Case (Eastern Wayne H.S., Goldsboro), Derek Gardner (Topsail H.S., Hampstead), Sabastian Haidera (John T. Hoggard H.S., Wilmington), Montell Moore (Cape Fear H.S. Fayetteville), and Ababacar Thiam (Wakefield H.S., Raleigh).

Newcomers on this year's team (with high school and hometowns listed) are Devante Gathers (Alger B. Wilkins H.S., Fayetteville), Dehaun Jones (New Life Christian Academy, Wilmington), Kalil Holmes (New Hanover H.S., Wilmington), Demarcus McLaurin (Laney H.S., Wilmington), Alphonzo Mason (Meadowbrook H.S., Richmond, Va.), Alijah Miles (Cape Fear Christian School, Fayetteville), Chadwick Moore (Jordan-Matthews H.S., Siler City), Ricardo Polk (New Life Christian Academy, Fayetteville), and Frank Waldeck (Hoggard H.S., Wilmington).

"What is exciting about this upcoming team and season is the fact that we will be able to play a little different from past teams. We will have some size that we haven't had in previous years," said McDougald. "I'm excited and fired up about this season."

The schedule:

Nov. 1 - at Louisburg College (7 p.m.), 3 - at Davidson-Davie CC (7 p.m.), 5 - Shooting 4 Greatness Academy at Sandhills CC (5 p.m.), 6 - Anne Arundel CC at Sandhills CC (1 p.m.), 8 - Catawba Valley CC (7 p.m.), 10 - at Fayetteville Tech CC (7 p.m.), 13--Lenoir CC (7 p.m.), 16 - Cape Fear CC (7 p.m.), 20 - Oxford Emory College (2 p.m.), 27 - at Catawba Valley CC (3 p.m.), 29 - at Methodist University JV (8 p.m.).

Dec. 4 - at Oxford Emory College (2 p.m.), 5 - at Oxford Emory College (2 p.m.), 11 - Brunswick CC (4 p.m.).

Jan. 8 - at Cape Fear CC (3 p.m.), 9 - at Lenoir CC (1 p.m.), 12 - at Sandhills CC (7 p.m.), 14 - at Dabney Lancaster CC (7 p.m.), 18 - Fayetteville Tech CC (7 p.m.), 21 - Methodist University JV (7 p.m.), 26 - Sandhills CC (7 p.m.), 29 - Davidson-Davie CC (3 p.m.).

Feb. 5 - Dabney Lancaster CC (2 p.m.), 6 - Dabney Lancaster CC (2 p.m.), 9 - at Sandhills CC (7 p.m.), 12 - Hosanna Bible College (3 p.m.)