SANFORD, N.C. - Central Carolina Community College men's basketball coach Brad McDougald looks forward to coaching the 2023-2024 edition of Cougar basketball.

"We will be strong offensively, being able to make extra passes and many threats knocking down shots," said Coach McDougald. "This team will be able to produce points very quickly and at a high rate."

"What excites me about this team is that we have guys that can play multiple positions and also defend them as well," said Coach McDougald.

Players on this year's team (with player numbers and hometowns listed) include #1 Jacquari Johnson (Murfreesboro, Tenn.), #2 Patrick Malott (Winston-Salem, N.C.), #3 Jesse Mitchell (New Hill, N.C.), #4 Thomas Stafford (Raeford, N.C.), #5 Kendrell Brooks (Mebane, N.C.), #10 Jacob Laney (Phenix City, Ala.), #12 Nathan Willis (Wendell, N.C.), #13 Deondrea Leach (Raleigh, N.C.), #14 Nick Avery (Lillington, N.C.), #21 Keon Lassiter (Brooklyn, N.Y.), #22 Dontavious Pettaway (Greenville, N.C.), #24 Amir Mapp (Siler City, N.C.), #33 Jackson Lavengood (Sanford, N.C.), #54 TJ Lester (Gibsonville, N.C.).

"I'm just really excited for the opportunities that each of these players will have this year and I'm proud to be their coach," said Coach McDougald, who praised assistant coaches Patrick Hair and Emari White for their contributions.

"What will make this season a success will be finishing with a good seed going into the tournament. In doing that, the team will have opportunities to show themselves to next level coaches who will be recruiting them," said Coach McDougald. "This group works really hard in the classroom, and getting these guys graduated is always a top priority."

The schedule:

Nov. 4 - Davidson-Davie CC (3 p.m.), 8 - at Fayetteville Tech CC (7 p.m.), 11 - Lenoir CC (3 p.m.), 15 - at Louisburg College (7 p.m.), 18 - at Cleveland CC (3 p.m.), 19 - at Catawba Valley CC (1 p.m.), 29 - Johnston CC (7 p.m.).

Dec. 2 - Pitt CC (3 p.m.), 6 - at Guilford Tech CC (7 p.m.), 8 - Bryant & Stratton CC (7 p.m.), 10 - at Brunswick CC (3 p.m.), 13 - at Wake Tech CC (6 p.m.), 29 - Cougar Classic vs. Mountain Gateway CC (7 p.m.), 30 - Cougar Classic vs. Patrick & Henry CC (3 p.m.).

Jan. 6 - at Davidson-Davie CC (3 p.m.), 8 - Louisburg College (7 p.m.), 10 - Catawba Valley CC (7 p.m.), 14 - at Johnston CC (3 p.m.), 20 - at Bryant & Stratton CC (3 p.m.), 22 - at University of North Carolina JV, 25 - Methodist JV (7 p.m.), 28 - at Southwest Virginia CC (2 p.m.).

Feb. 7 - Sandhills CC (7 p.m.), 10 - Cleveland CC (3 p.m.), 17 - at Pitt CC (3 p.m.), 18 - at Lenoir CC (2 p.m.), 22 - Fayetteville Tech CC (7 p.m.), 25 - Southwest Virginia CC (2 p.m.), 28 - Guilford Tech CC (7 p.m.