VGCC Takes Basketball to the Next Level

There’s a new kid on the block in college basketball: Vance-Granville Community College.

Late last year, the college made its first foray into basketball by forming a team of students to play in the Henderson-Vance Parks and Recreation department men’s basketball league. In October, the college is set to step up to a new level by playing other colleges and prep schools.

VGCC Student Activities coordinator Peyton Boyd said that many students have expressed interest in athletics, so VGCC is developing sports-related activities. “This year’s basketball season will be a big leap forward, upon which we hope to build in the future,” he said. Boyd also plans on beefing up intramural sports, in which VGCC students and campuses can compete against one another.

The college’s first attempt at basketball was well-received, giving the school the confidence to take its program up a notch. The Parks and Recreation league consisted of 12 teams created by individuals and businesses in the community. In its debut season (January and February of 2007), VGCC managed to finish with a .500 (7-7) record, and went on to its own “March Madness” Parks and Recreation tournament.

This year, the VGCC Vanguards, as an independent team, will play other two-year colleges, including Piedmont Community College (Roxboro), Roanoke-Chowan Community College, Johnston Community College, Davidson County Community College (Lexington) and Louisburg College’s junior varsity squad.

In addition, the Vanguards are scheduled to square off against a team from Kittrell Job Corps Center in Vance County and teams from college-prep schools such as Stevens Prep Academy in Raleigh and Mt. Zion Christian Academy in Durham. Mt. Zion has produced a number of successful college and professional basketball players, including NBA star Tracy McGrady.

Coaching the VGCC team will be Avery L. Wilson of Louisburg. Wilson, a VGCC graduate himself, is a detention officer at the Franklin County Detention Center who has been a basketball coach and assistant coach for Terrell Lane Middle School, Franklin County Parks and Recreation and the Louisburg Clippers, an AAU team that became an independent club. As director and head coach for the Clippers, Wilson faced the top prep school squads in the nation, including some that VGCC will be playing. He coached the Clippers to an AAU summer league regular season and tournament championship in 2002.

“Our goal this year is develop a competitive team that represents Vance-Granville in a positive manner,” Wilson said. “I’ll expect our players to be gentlemen on and off the court.” Wilson hopes to have some of his VGCC players recruited by four-year colleges and universities, and he also wants to develop all the students — including those who are not going to play at a higher level — into productive, successful young men. Members of the new team will have to be enrolled students and must maintain a grade point average of at least 2.0.

The new season is scheduled to start with scrimmages on Oct. 16 at Kittrell Job Corps and on Oct. 18 at Davidson County Community College.

The Vanguards’ first regular-season game — and first home game at Western Vance High School in Henderson — will be versus Kittrell Job Corps on Oct. 27 at 7 p.m. The complete <a