SANFORD - Speed and shooting will be the strengths of the Central Carolina Community College men's basketball team for 2015-16.

"Our strength is speed and shooting. We have a lot of good shooters," said CCCC Coach Doug Connor, who is in his 11th season with the Cougars. "We will press a lot this year because of our speed and quickness."

Coach Connor has two returning starters from last year's team - Tarvis Gilbert of Apex and Jeremiah Jenkins of Spring Lake.

Other team members are Jonathan Buie of Sanford, Jamyson Floyd of Whiteville, Evan Gillis of Asheville, Jared Gunter of Broadway, Jawane Harris of Raeford, Kendrick Purdie of Pembroke, Greg Smith of Clinton, Brian Staten of Spring Lake, Kenshay Stewart of Greensboro, Zach Underwood of Clinton, Tre'von Watson of Sanford, and Bryant Youngblood of Sanford.

The Cougars compete in the National Junior College Athletic Association Division III. Coach Connor said the Cougars compete in "very competition league," noting that his team will need to play its best game every night. "If we do that, we have a great chance for good things to happen," he said.

"The biggest test for our guys is to remember to be a student-athlete first and basketball player second."

The Cougars open their season on Nov. 1 at home against New River CC, Va. Among the schedule highlights is a game with the University of North Carolina junior varsity team on Jan. 30 in Chapel Hill.

The schedule:

Nov. 1 -- New River CC, Va., 4 -- Wake Tech CC, 6 -- Methodist, 8 -- Anne Arundel CC, Md., 11 -- at Guilford Tech CC, 14 -- at St. Andrews Univ. JV, 18 -- Mt. Olive Univ. JV, 21 -- at Region 10 Blast Off at Sandhills - Bryant & Stratton, 22 -- Region 10 Blast Off at Sandhills - Vance Granville CC.

Dec. 5 - at Cape Fear CC, 6 -- at Brunswick CC, 8 -- Vance Granville CC, 10 -- Louisburg College, 12 -- at Caldwell CCTI, 19 -- at New River CC, Va.

Jan. 6 -- Sandhills CC, 9 -- at Wake Tech CC, 14 -- Mt. Zion Prep, 18 -- Guilford Tech CC, 20 -- Davidson County CC, 23 -- Caldwell CCTI, 25 -- at Methodist, 30 -- at UNC JVs.

Feb. 6 -- at Davidson County CC, 8 -- at Guilford College JV, 10 -- at Sandhills CC.