Youth movement means ups, downs for UCA hoops

Published 3:12 pm Wednesday, November 20, 2024

By Jason O. Boyd

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

CHOCOWINITY, N.C. — Unity Christian Academy’s varsity boys and girls basketball teams are in the middle of a youth movement. With that comes growing pains.

With no football program, UCA got its season started on Nov. 7 at Albemarle School in Elizabeth City. Along the way, both programs have had their ups and downs as they work to get adjusted to each other while continuing to grow and improve.

UCA’s boys are now 2-4 after a 61-30 loss to Eastern Christian Home School (TEACH) on Tuesday. The UCA girls’ team is now 0-6 after falling 41-11.

We’re young, we’re a very young team,” UCA boys coach Corey Rogerson said. “A lot of the games we go into, we are outmatched and outsized. But, you know, the guys have bought into the program and they’ve played their hearts out out there on the court.

“And, you know, they’re doing a good job in learning the game. By the time we get to be the older guys, we’ll be getting a lot of paybacks. But right now we just take some licks as we go.”

The boys’ team features one junior, Shane Fisher, and four sophomores with no seniors. The girls’ team is in pretty much the same shape with three seniors on a 14-member squad.

I mean, we’re very, very, very, very young,” said Coach Ken Leys, who had much success previously at Terra Ceia Christian School. “The seniors I have, three of them, it was the first year they’re playing. So, yeah, we’re young.”

UCA’s boys got off to a good start with TEACH, trailing 13-11 after the first quarter. However, that youth and inexperience began to show as TEACH scored six straight. The two teams traded baskets but the Warriors trailed 23-17 at the half.

A 16-0 run to start the third quarter extended TEACH’s lead to 39-17. A 2-3 zone and hustle by the Trailblazers made scoring opportunities tough for the Warriors.

“We’ve played one conference game so far and we’re 1-0. That’s our main focus,” Rogerson said. “Of course, you like to pick up every win you can pick up.

“We’re really focused on the conference schedule and moving forward towards our conference tournament at the end of the year is our main goal. Playing good teams like this, we knew coming into the game, TEACH is a great program. They’ve got a lot of great players on the team.”

TEACH’s girls trailed 16-1 after the first quarter and also gave the Warriors fits when trying to get something happening on offense. There was a lot of hustle but not many opportunities resulted in baskets. Moments like that are teachable and with the youth on the team, Leys knows progress will come but will take time.

They’re learning, They’re just young,” Leys said. They’re eighth-graders, ninth-graders, and they’re getting beat around. But they are hustling, they are definitely doing that.”

More Sports

Ladies day out: Inaugural flag football games big hit for Beaufort County schools

Bath Elementary basketball teams win host tournament

Four named all-conference for Washington tennis

Washington, Southside fall in first round of state football playoffs

Print Article

SportsPlus

  • Polls

    How do you feel about Martin Marietta Materials' permit application to discharge up to 12 million gallons per day of fresh water into the headwaters of Blounts Creek?

    View Results

    Loading ... Loading ...