A Tar Heel for Life

[Wayne23]

DDSCB: A Tar Heel for Life

I was born 35 years ago, right here in Durham, North Carolina. My parents named me Nathan Charles just so they could call me NC, and that’s always been what I answer to. Born in this state, never plan to leave here. My dream is to some day coach at either Duke or UNC, don’t much care which.

I just got hired as head coach at my alma NC Central. It was a long journey, from high school assistant to high school head coach, to five years as an assistant here. It’s a small school, not highly thought of in the hoops world, but it’s my school, and I hope to improve the quality of the hoops played here. We’re in the mid-Eastern Athletic conference, which isn’t highly thought of either.

I’m big on grades and discipline, I’m ambitious, and I will NOT cheat, even if I’m lucky enough to get to one of those big schools where it might help. I want to be a role model for my athletes.

I talk with a deep North Carolina drawl, but I don’t aim to try to reproduce it in this journal.

How long will I stay here? Until I higher rated school in North Carolina offers me their head coaching job.

[Wayne23]

5/1: Settling in. We can’t afford to buy any reports, so we’ll have to do what we can. “We” means my staff and I. The staff is made up of three high school coaches I hired this week. We can’t afford top notch assistants, and I’m not making a whole lot of money either.

We’ll run the Princeton and Triangle offenses, play man to man D about ¾ of the time, and the 1-3-1 the rest. We won’t press much, but when we need to, we’ll go full court man to man.

The team I got back looks a lot stronger outside than inside3. We hope to be competitive in our conf., but the only goal my GM, Hoss Wrightcart set for me was not to finish last in conf.

6/26: We got 4 scholarships to fill. We need guards, but there seem to be more bigs interested in us.

8/21: I offer to three bigs and a PG. If I get 2 of them I’ll jump for joy.

9/18: No luck with recruits yet.

A very soft schedule. Wins will help with recruiting.

10/2: Still no luck with recruits. First day of practice, which is exciting.

We’re picked 8th in our 14 team conf. I’d love to finish in the top half, but I wouldn’t cry if we finished 8th.

11/6: STILL no luck with recruits. A 9 man rotation:

Frosh Matt Walk is at PG. Soph Coe Fero starts at SG, subs at PG. Junior Ban Hawk and soph Ike Mead sub at SG.

Frosh Jeff Moye is at SF, backed by senior Josh John.

Senior Cole Laye starts at PF, subs at C. Juniors Nate Mews and Tom Alex sub at PF.

Soph Dave Lang is at C.

[Wayne23]

11/20: 2-0. Great start. The front court, as expected, is our strength. Center Dave Lang is definitely our best player so far.

11/27: The Durham News: Jeff Caine on Sports

The never memorable NC Central Eagles are flying high. After 5 straight losing seasons, they’ve started the year 4-0, the last 3 at home. Under Coach NC Home, who played here a decade or so ago, and who served as an assistant during the last, disastrous coaching regime, has spruced up the Eagles’ wings. Dave Lang, a soph who was not ready to fly last year, is leading the team with 27.2 per game. He and senior Captain Cole Laye are really bringing down the rebounds.

Not sure how long it can last, but for now, people are keeping an “eagle eye” on the Eagles!

12/11: My kids are still getting it done, 9-0. As I said a while back, the competition is not impressive, but hey, we’re winning! Even better, we’re winning the close ones, our last two were both OT wins! A coach LOVES to see that.

12/25: We end the pre-conf. season at 10-1, after a tough road loss. I will more than take it! RPI #30 which is ridiculously high, considering who we’ve played. +7.9 PPG, #9 in scoring in Div. I! 6.4 RBs. +1.0 TOs. Dave Lang gets 19.4 and 6.4. Coel Laye gets 12.2 and 6.6. Guards Coe Fero and
Matt Walk get 12.4 and 12.2. SF Jeff Moye gets 11.0. 6th man Tom Alex is fighting for minutes. He does a great job when he gets in. Ike Mead is our 3rd guard, and he’s doing just fine. We’re down from the 9 man rotation we started with to these 7. The other guys only come in if there’s garbage time.

I am thrilled with how we’re doing so far. Let’s see what we can do in conf. play!

I NEED to get some recruits committed. We’re only losing Cole Laye, but I need bodies; I only have 11 scholarship athletes.

[Wayne23]

1/4/2019: Jeff Caine on Sports: The 10-1 NC Central Eagles, after a terrific pre-season run, start conference play tonight, at NC A & T. Fans are hoping what they were able to do so far can continue into MEA play. Time will tell!

1/8: 11-2, 1-1. The road is tough in conf.

1/15: 12-3, 2-2. REALLY not happy about our last game, a home loss to a mediocre team (at best). We were awful all night long, terrible D, poor rebounding. We didn’t move without the ball on O.

1/29: Jeff Caine on Sports. The NC Central Eagles are holding thei own in MEA play. They’re 14-5, 4-4, tied for 6th in a very bunched field. If they can win a couple of road games they could finish near the top. Dave Lang continues to lead them with 20.1, and Cole Lave leads in RBs with
7.2. As to team stats, they’re +4.9 PPG, +6.7 RBs, and -0.5 TOs.

Coach NC Home still has not landed a single recruit. He needs to grab a couple.

2/12: 17-6, 7-5, RPI #55. In a 3 way tie for 4th, and 3 of our last 4 are at home. I like our position!

We got our first recruit, a PF.

2/19: My guys lost a home game we should have won, not happy. 18-7, 8-6, tied for 7th. 2 to play, one at home.

2/26: 20-7, 10-6, RPI #51, in a 4 way tie for 3rd. The #5 seed. We exceeded all of my expectations.

+4.3 PPG, +6.5 RBs, -0.6 TOs. Lang gets 19.6, 6.8. 14.1, 7.8 for Laye.

We get another PF.

[Wayne23]

2/28: We play #12 seed MD Eastern Shore, 10-17, 6-10. Beat them twice in the regular season.

Jeff Caine on Sports: The NC Central Eagles have had a great regular season. A team that drew 100-200 fans to their home games during the last 5 awful seasons, saw attendance increase as this season progressed. By mid-January they were selling out every game at 3056 seat Mac Gym. They’re hosting MD Eastern Shore in the play in round of the MEA tourney, and tickets are impossible to get. I’ll be courtside. Let’s see if the Eagles can make a little post season noise!

3/1: Jeff Caine on Sports: The NC Eagles were red hot last night in a 91-66 win over MD Eastern Shore. 22, 10 for PF/C Cole Laye, the Captain, and the only senior who gets significant minutes. Soph Center Dave Lang had 22 and 8. All 5 starters had 10 or more in an easy win. Sixth man Tom Alex had 9 and 10. +12 on the boards.

Coach NC Home said, “I was generally pretty happy with our hustle tonight, and we were making shots all night long. We could have been a little better with ball handling.”

It’s #4 seed Coppin ST, 19-8, 10-6, at their place in the quarter finals. They won by 16 there during the regular season, and they look to have an edge in the backcourt, while the two teams match up fairly even inside. The Eagles will need to fly.

3/2: Jeff Caine on Sports: It was a shootout at the Coppin ST corral and the NC Central Eagles had more ammunition, coming out of it with a 95-90 win. Both teams left the D in the locker room; the Eagles shot 57.9%, 61.5% on threes, and 21-21 from the line. Coppin ST was just a little less effective, 50.8%, 50% on threes, and 19-21 from the line.

Senior Cole Laye led the way with 22 and 12, 4 points and 3 RBs in the last minute. SG Coe Fero had 19, and 5 guys had 11 or more.
I talked to Coach Home and he was not happy with the ballhandling or the D, but loved the shot selection and the movement without the ball on offense.

The Eagles are off to the nation’s capitol to play #1 seed Howard, 19-9, 12-4, in the semifinals. Howard beat us by 15 there in January. The match ups look pretty even in this one.

3/3: Jeff Caine on Sports: The Eagle landed hard last night, losing to Howard 83-94.

Coach NC Home said, "I guess our lack of D and poor ball handling were bound to catch up with us. When you score 83 you should win, but you gotta play D, and you gotta take care of the ball!”

24 and 6 for Lang, 16, 12 for Laye.

The Eagles are 22-8, 10-6, RPI #48. Is that good enough to be invited to a post season tournament? It won’t be the big one, but I think they’ll get an invitation somewhere.

3/12: NIT, #2 Midwest, vs. #7 Butler, 15-13, but they’ve played a much tougher schedule, being in the Big East. We need to play D and take care of the ball.

3/13: 63-75. Their D stopped us, but 21 TOs did us in. 27, 9 for Lang, 18, 7 for Laye.

Great first season. I would have liked a win or two in the NIT, but I can’t complain.

4/3: #13 Cincinnati is the champ.

4/4: Awards: Senior Dave Lang is MEAC POY and 1st team, along with soph Dave Lang. SF Jeff Moye is Frosh OY. I get the COY award, probably because of the big turnaround from 9-18 to 22-9.

Will I be back here next year? Depends. As I’ve said, I’m staying in North Carolina. If a better NC team offers, I’ll go. BUT… I’d be happy to stay!

4/9: Some really, and I mean REALLY good teams came calling, some with a TP as high as the mid-40s. But none of them are located in North Carolina. I’m staying.

4/10: Jeff Caine on Sports: NC Central Eagles head coach NC Home told me that he is staying here for another season. He wouldn’t name names but he said he received offers, or at least feelers, from some very good schools, but that since none were here in North Carolina, he’s staying with the Eagles.

“I’m a Tar Hell for life! The only way I’ll move is to another in state school. Until that happens we’ll try to make the Eagles a little bit better every season!”

I, for one, am happy to have Coach Home back. He did a hell of a job this year, and he has six new players coming in.

4/16: We get a bunch of late recruits, winding up with 4 PFs, 2 PGs.

4/23: I ask for money. We get $4,000. At a small school like this, I’ll take it!

22-9, 10-6. Great first season.

[Wayne23]

5/1: No reports

6/5: Interested in a few transfers.

6/12: We get two PFs.

6/26: 3 scholarships. We need guards.

8/21: We offer to 3 PGs.

9/18: We get a PG, #113.

10/2: Got a PG, #141. Lost one.

1st day of practice. We’re picked to win the MEAC.

11/6: 9 man rotation to start:

Junior Coe Fero starts at PG, subs at SG. Senior Ban Hawk and soph Matt Walk sub at PG. Frosh Kirk Bain is at SG.

Frosh Sam Form starts at SF, subs at PF. Soph Jeff Moye and frosh Sal Heno sub at SF.

Senior Tom Alex starts at PF, subs at C. Junior Dave Lang is at C.

[Wayne23]

11/20: 2-0 start. Schedule is slightly more challenging than last year’s.

Both recruits sign. Hoping to land one more.

Jeff Caine on Sports: The NC Central Eagles are flying high again this season under Coach NC Home. They’ve started their season at 4-0, with three of the wins being on the road. Returning junior Center Dave Lang leads the way with 15.5 and 8.5, but frosh guard Kirk Bain is getting 14.8 and playing excellent D. Forward/Center Sam Form gets 13 a game. Several other guys contribute. Looks like another great season in the making!

12/11: 6-2. A 1 point road loss, which doesn’t bother me all that much, we played hard and came up short. But a 3 point home loss really bothers me. It was against a lousy team and we didn’t play as hard as we should have.

12/25: We go to MEAC play 9-2, RPI #135. +8.6 PPG, +5.9 RBs, +2.6 TOs. Frosh guard Kirk Bain gets 15.4 PPG. Dave Lang gets 15.2, 8.5. Sam Form gets 13.6.

Two weeks off until conf. play begins.

[Wayne23]

1/8/2020: 11-2, 2-0. We can score both inside and outside with this team, which is a big advantage.

1/15: Jeff Caine on Sports: The NC Central Eagles are 13-2, 4-0. They lost by 3 and by 1 in OT, and have looked very impressive. Kirk Bain, 17.3 scores outside, and Dave Lang 14.9, scores inside. Sam Form, at SF and PF, gets 14.1, and he scores both outside and inside. This little team in a little conference, is making some big noise!

1/29: 16-3, 7-1, RPI #49. 1 up on Savannah ST, 2 or more on the rest. +8.9 PPG, +6.0 RBs, +2.9 TOs.

2/12: 18-5, 9-3, RPI #59. We’re struggling. Still tied for 1st though.

2/26: 21-6, 12-4, RPI #44. 2nd place. Bain gets 16.1, Form 15.9, Lang 14.8 and 8.7 +9.4 PPG, +5.3 RBs, +3.4 TOs.

[Wayne23]

3/1: We play #10 seed NC A & T, 14-14, 7-9, first. Beat them by 12 and 21.

3/2: 85-78. We were down 16 early, 10 at the half. We just kept chipping away. The final score was our largest lead. 20 each for Lang and Bain.

#3 seed FL A & M, 22-6, 10-6, in the semis. Beat them by 9, but lost by 18 there. Shapes up to be a close game.

3/3: 98-87. 24, 4, 4 for Sam Form, 22 for Bain, 18 for PG Coe Fero. Only 6 TOs.

#1 seed Savannah ST, 23-6, 13-3, for the title. We won by 11 at our place. We can beat them again, but we need to play good ball.

3/4: 88-78, and we’re in the NCAA tournament for the first time in school history. WOO!!! We led for the last 35 minutes, but never by more than
10. 23 for Bain, 12, 10 for Lang, 12, 9 for Alex.

24-6, 12-4, RPI #36. I’m guessing we’ll be a #12 seed.

3/12: #9 West. We play #8 Missouri, 17-13. They’ve played a much stronger schedule. They’re an inside team.

3/17: 73-86. My guys played hard, but they were in over their heads. Tough night, but a good season!

4/3: #1 Duke, from right here in NC, wins the title.

4/4: Awards: Junior Dave Lang is MEAC POY and 1st team. Kirk Bain is Frosh OY and 1st team. Sam Form also makes 1st team. I get COY again!

4/9: Charlotte, that’s Charlotte, NORTH CAROLINA, in Conf. USA, offered. I accepted!

This is not a bad team. They finished 5th in conf. and are only losing one starter. Weak at guard though.

4/16: I’m keeping all three assistants.

4/23: I ask for money. I get $11,000.

Jeff Caine on Sports. The NC Central Eagles say goodbye to Coach NC Home after two excellent years. He’s moving to Charlotte, and we wish him well there.

24-7, 12-4. Overall, 46-16, .742.

[Wayne23]

5/1: We buy national basic.

6/5: Looking at transfers. There are 3 we really like.

6/16: Didn’t get any of them.

6/26: 8 scholarships.

8/21: I offer to 4 PGs, an SF, a PF, 2 Cs.

9/18: Got 3, a PF, #66, a PG, #84, a C, #85.

Preseason NIT vs. #1 Duke. Not happy about that.

9/25: Got one, lost three. Got a PG, #76.

10/2: Lost 3 more. We still have 4 slots to fill. I’d be happy to get one big guy and one guard, and we need to do that.

We’re picked to finish 2nd, behind UTEP in Conf. USA.

1st day of practice. I like our starting five, but we are NOT deep.

10/9: We lose 3 more.

11/6: Senior Dale Robb starts at PG, subs at SG. Senior Mo Gore starts at SG, subs at PG. Senior Tom Pinn subs at SG.

Frosh Aron Rode starts at SF, backed by senior Gabe Will, who was expected to start. He’ll need to earn that job now. Rode outplayed him in practice and in the exhibition games.

Senior Paq Rowe starts at PF, subs at C. Senior Reg Watt subs at PF.

Junior Brad Hank is at C.

Let’s see what happens with the Charlotte 49ers!