CCCC’s Cougars ready to hunt conference title this season

Last year, Central Carolina Community College’s (CCCC) basketball team made it to the Region10 semifinals, where they fell to the conference’s No. 1 seeded team.

That taste of tournament play made them hungry for more.

“I really want to try that again,” said team member Jeremiah Henson, a sophomore studying business at CCCC.

Along with Reid Albright and Justin Brown, Henson is part of a trio of returning players who have the potential to lead the team to take the conference banner this year, according to Head Coach Brad McDougald.

“It’s an exciting time, going into our season opener this Sunday,” McDougald said, speaking ahead of the team’s first official game this fall, a 3 p.m. home game on Nov. 1 against Brunswick Community College. Home games take place in CCCC’s gym, located in Powell Hall on CCCC’s Lee Main Campus in Sanford.

McDougald also pointed to several notable newcomers, including sophomore transfer students Bryan Epperson and Ray Faison Jr. and freshmen Nicolas Farrow and Tayshaun Whitner.

This year’s team, he said, is athletic and fast, with lots of options for different styles of play.

“We will be able to apply pressure, pretty much the entire court,” he said.

Brown and Albright pointed to the bonds the players have made from practicing and hanging out together.

“It’s a good group of guys that all love each other, but have that competitive spirit at the same time,” Albright said.

For More Information

Visit www.cccc.edu/sports for additional information, including team rosters and schedules. Watch games and extra content at www.4cnclive.com. Follow CCCC Athletics on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ccccathletics.

Oct. 29, 2026

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