SANFORD - Central Carolina Community College men's basketball coach Brad McDougald looks forward to coaching the 2018-19 edition of Cougar basketball.

"We have a good mixture of freshmen and sophomores who work really hard and push each other every day in practice. We will have lots of speed and quickness, with the ability to put the ball in the basket at a high rate," said Coach McDougald, who is in his second season with the Cougars. "I look forward to coaching this group and helping them progress through this upcoming season."

Coach McDougald has three returnees from last year's team -- Chris George (Cape Fear High School, Fayetteville), Trey North (Lee County High School, Sanford), and Daniel Mantangira (Atkins High, Winston-Salem). George (8.8 ppg) and North (13.3 ppg) are returning starters.

Newcomers are on this year's team are Rodney Alston (Rocky Mount High School, Rocky Mount), Russell Bradley (Carver High School, Winston-Salem), Jamar Butler (Western Harnett High School, Lillington), Darnell Carver (Western Harnett High School, Lillington), Demetrius Everett (Wake Forest High School, Wake Forest), Keyon Grant (Knightdale High School, Knightdale), Ja'Hari Guthrie (Bessemer City High School, Bessemer City), Joel Jones (Pine Forest High School, Fayetteville), Landon McClure (Broughton High School, Raleigh), Montell Moore (Cape Fear High School, Fayetteville), Jackson Reid (Panther Creek High School, Cary), and Matt Wright (Homeschool, Apex).

"Our strengths with this team for this year will speed, quickness, and athleticism," said Coach McDougald. "We will be able to play at a high pace and will be deep at every position. We will also be able to score the basketball at a high pace."

The Cougars compete in the National Junior College Athletic Association Division III. "I think this year's team will do well in the conference," said McDougald. "We have a very tough non-conference schedule, which will prepare us for conference play."

Among the schedule highlights is a game with the University of North Carolina junior varsity team on Feb. 23 in Chapel Hill.

The schedule:

Nov. 2 -- at Sandhills Invitational vs. Wake Tech (5 p.m.), 3 - at Sandhills Invitational vs. Shooting For Greatness (1 p.m.), 7 - at Guilford Tech (7 p.m.), 9 - at Sandhills Invitational vs. Oxford Emory College (5 p.m.), 10 - at Sandhills Invitational vs. New River CC (3 p.m.), 13 - at Johnston CC (8 p.m.), 16 - Blue Lights College (7 p.m.), 18 - Mt. Olive JV (3 p.m.), 20 - Davidson CC (7 p.m.), 26 - at Methodist University JV (8 p.m.).

Dec. 2 - at Mt. Olive JV (3 p.m.), 5 - Sandhills CC (7 p.m.), 8 - Pitt CC (3 p.m.), 14 - at Catawba Valley CC (6 p.m.), 15 - at Catawba Valley CC vs. Guilford Tech (1 p.m.)

Jan. 3 - at Davidson CC (7 p.m.), 7 - at Louisburg College (7 p.m.), 9 - at Brunswick CC (7 p.m.), 12 - Johnston CC (3 p.m.), 14 - Mt. Zion (7 p.m.), 21 - Methodist University JV (7 p.m.), 23 - at Sandhills CC (7 p.m.)

Feb. 2 - at Johnston CC (2 p.m.), 5 - Blue Lights College (7 p.m.), 9 - at Cape Fear CC (3 p.m.), 12 - Mt. Zion (7 p.m.), 20 - Sandhills CC (7 p.m.), 23 - at UNC JV (TBA), 25 - at Wake Tech (7 p.m.)