Tag Archive for: #vanguardsbasketball

VGCC honors Men’s Basketball sophomores

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— courtesy VGCC

Three sophomore student-athletes on the Vance-Granville Community College Vanguards men’s basketball team were recently honored on the completion of their playing careers at the college.

From left, VGCC student-athlete Mitch Beck, Men’s Basketball Head Coach DeMarcus Oliver and student-athletes Kenneth “KJ” Finley and Calvin Malik Manley are seen here during a ceremony to recognize the sophomores, right before their last home game at Aycock Recreation Center in Henderson. (VGCC photo)

Just before the start of the Vanguards’ last home game of the season, versus Guilford Tech Community College on Feb. 24, VGCC Head Coach DeMarcus Oliver recognized three departing players — forward Mitch Beck of Raleigh (a graduate of East Wake High School), point guard Kenneth “KJ” Finley, Jr., of Louisburg (Wakefield High School) and combo guard Calvin Malik Manley of Louisburg (Louisburg High School).

Beck is also a VGCC student ambassador and will soon complete the Associate in Arts program. Finley and Manley are both finishing up their associate degrees in Criminal Justice.

For more information on joining the Vanguards next season, contact Jermiel Hargrove at 252-738-3246 or hargrovej@vgcc.edu.

–VGCC–

VGCC announces 2017-18 Vanguards Basketball schedule

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— courtesy VGCC

Click Here for Full Schedule

The Vance-Granville Community College Vanguards men’s basketball team is scheduled to play at least 28 games during the 2017-2018 season, including 11 home games. This is the program’s second season under the leadership of head coach DeMarcus Oliver.

The Vanguards compete in Region X of the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division II, which includes 11 two-year colleges in North Carolina and Virginia.

For VGCC, the regular season starts with a visit on Nov. 8 to Pfeiffer University in Misenheimer, N.C., to play the Falcons’ JV squad. The Vanguards’ first opponent at home will be Patrick Henry Community College, on Nov. 15 at 7 p.m. All of VGCC’s home games are scheduled to be played at Aycock Recreation Center in Henderson. There is no charge for admission.

The second home game, on Nov. 17 at 7 p.m., will be the annual “Vanguard Night” game. VGCC will host Wake Tech Community College in that contest, which features special activities and attracts a large crowd of students, faculty and staff.

For the third straight year, VGCC will travel to the Dean Smith Center in Chapel Hill to play the UNC Tar Heels JV squad. That game is scheduled to take place Feb. 19 at 7 p.m. Last season, the Vanguards defeated the Tar Heels for the first time.

The regular season is scheduled to conclude on Feb. 24, with VGCC’s final scheduled game on the road at Guilford Technical Community College. After the regular season ends, the Vanguards are scheduled to participate in the NJCAA Division II Region X tournament. The first two rounds of the tournament are to be played at Richard Bland College in Petersburg, Va., on March 3-4. The semifinals and finals will follow at Sandhills Community College in Pinehurst, on March 9-10.

For more information, contact VGCC Coordinator of Student Activities & Athletics Jermiel Hargrove at (252) 738-3246 or hargrovej@vgcc.edu.

–VGCC–

(VGCC is an advertising client of WIZS.)

Beverly returns to leading role with Vanguards

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Vance-Granville Community College sophomore Tyrek Beverly of Oxford scored 23 points Jan. 5 as the Vanguards men’s basketball team faced the University of South Carolina-Salkehatchie. He and his teammates fought hard, but the visiting squad eked out a narrow win, 74-71, at Aycock Recreation Center in Henderson.

As a freshman in 2014-15, Beverly was often the team’s leading scorer, but at the beginning of this season, he was sidelined by an injury and only started to get back on the court in late November. His strong performance versus the USC Salkehatchie Indians marked a return to form for the J.F. Webb High School alumnus. Beverly had three rebounds and two steals, as well. Also scoring in double figures were Raekwon Hall of Raleigh, with 15 points, and Ty’Quon Reid of Durham, with 11. Donal Gooch of Raleigh had the most rebounds (8) for the Vanguards.

VGCC’s last three games of 2015 were also losses. On Nov. 24, the Vanguards fell to the reigning national champions, the Statesmen of Richard Bland College, by a score of 102-81 in Petersburg, Va. Hall and Reid led their team in scoring, with 27 and 25 points, respectively. Reid posted 6 rebounds to lead the Vanguards in that statistic.

On Dec. 2, VGCC returned home and played area rival Louisburg College in the second annual “Vanguard Night” game. Festivities included a DJ, prize drawings and performances by the Vanguard Spirit Pep Squad and a step team from a Granville County youth organization, “Un-Rappin’ the Gift.” After a close first half, the Hurricanes pulled away in the second, winning 89-77. Reid’s 30 points made him the Vanguards’ top scorer. Hall contributed 18 points. Gooch recorded 6 rebounds.

The calendar year ended with a 117-111 double-overtime loss to Central Carolina Community College in Sanford on Dec. 8. Hall put up 35 points, while Beverly showed improvement by scoring 22, just one more point than Reid. Gooch again led in rebounding, with 9.

Upcoming VGCC home games at Aycock Recreation Center are scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 7, at 7 p.m., versus Lenoir Community College, and Wednesday, Jan. 27, at 6:30 p.m., versus Catawba Valley Community College. Admission is free.