CHARLOTTE— It was one of those years where no one expected Catawba College’s men’s basketball team to make the Division II playoffs.
But it did.
And once the Indians made the postseason, no one expected them to lose in the first round to Augusta State.
But they did.
So there were plenty of mixed feelings after Catawba’s 96-84 defeat Thursday night in Johnson C. Smith’s Brayboy Gym. Coach Jim Baker was a bit emotional over the last game of his senior star Ned Gusic. And he was emotional when thinking about what is coming back next year: practically everyone from a 25-5 club that tied for the South Atlantic Conference regular season title and won the tournament.
“25-5 — I’ll take it,” Baker said. “I hope we can build on it. We were young. I looked out there one time (against the Jaguars) and we had three sophomores and two freshmen on the court. We‘ll reload a little bit, bring in one or two players.”
Those youngsters admittedly were frightened of the spotlight of the national playoffs.
“But we got a taste of it and it’s a good taste,” Baker said.
Baker and 6-foot-6 leaper Brian Carter could hardly contain themselves when talking about next season.
“Coach said we’re going to start right after spring break,” Carter noted. “We want to come back here and perform well.”
Carter will join a front line that will be touted as the SAC’s best. 6-6 Terrence Hamilton, who suffered a broken leg on Jan. 17, will return for his senior season and could easily be the leading scorer.
Alex Luyk, a 6-9 center, was dominating games at the end of the season and should be the league’s top center as a sophomore. After a redshirt year at Georgia Tech, bumping and grinding with Jason Collier and Alvin Jones, he had to adjust to this level.
“D-I is a lot slower tempo,” he said. “I had to get a little quicker and get used to a faster game.”
Reggie Proctor, a solid 6-7 force inside, returns for his sophomore season. Also returning is forward Chris “Chief” Everett.
Highly-touted will be Baker’s backcourt of sprinters Kevin Petty, a sophomore, and Duke Phipps, who just played his first season of college ball. Both can shoot, pass and defend.
The bench is loaded with Jacob Parks, a burly 6-8 center whose scruffy beard and headband remind some of a Bill Walton lookalike. Quentin Bryant is a defensive whiz and former North Stanly teammate Britt Jernigan is a deluxe 3-pointer bomber. Tevon Raikes and Brad Hagaman, yet two more freshman, can challenge him beyond the arc.
Regardless of the talent, the returnees know there is a huge void to fill: Gusic.
The senior was a take-control kind of guy that will be desperately missed.
“Someone has to step up and replace Ned,” Luyk said.“Whenever we have been in trouble, he’d take over, go 1-on-1 and create.”
Gusic, who hails from Croatia, turned his game around this season, driving more and holding off on shooting too many 3s.
“This year made me happy and a better player. I’d like to thank Coach Baker and his staff for taking care of me for four years,” Gusic said.
His payback came by leading the team into the national playoffs for the third time in 4 seasons.
Gusic will be playing for money overseas next winter.
For the teammates he left behind, it should be money time for them as well.
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Ronnie Gallagher is the sports editor of the Post.
Ronnie