AHS kicks off strange start to hoop season

ASHEBORO — As with most high school basketball teams, the Asheboro High School Blue Comets have shown some good signs early in the new season along with areas in which improvements are needed. And those improvements need to be made as quickly as possible.

The Blue Comets had a 2-0 record as it entered a busy week with home games against Southern Alamance on Tuesday, Uwharrie Charter Academy on Wednesday and Southwestern Randolph on Friday. It’s a stretch that could give AHS an opportunity to improve on what has not gone well so far.

“We’re struggling on offense, which I knew we would because you lost two really big pieces in Jerquarius (Stanback) and Cam (Walker),” AHS coach Brian Nance said of his graduates, who combined to average nearly 41 points per game last year. “No one is going to replace Jerquarius. We’re looking for a group effort between Osiris (Rodriguez), Zak (Blackwell), Jewel Barrett-Riggins and DJ Scott.”

In their first two games of the season, the Blue Comets defeated Southwestern Randolph 65-42 and then topped Providence Grove 47-32 last Friday in the Headliners Challenge at High Point Wesleyan. The Blue Comets averaged nearly 70 points a game during their 23-4 season last year.

“They did compete, they played hard,” Nance said of the win over Providence Grove. “We just didn’t play well offensively. You’re not going to hold everyone to 30 points.

“It’s not a lack of effort, it’s not finishing. It’s not just on the perimeter, it’s all shots. It’s 3-point shooting, layups, we have some guys who can hit free throws and some guys who can’t right now. We need someone who can make the outside shot.”

Jalil Timmons is certainly capable. The 5-10 senior guard was 11 of 26 from 3-point range last year.

“He knocked down two or three (Friday) and if he can come around, that will go a long way,” Nance said.

It has been a little unusual in the weeks leading up to the start of the season. The AHS football team finished its regular season and was projected to make the state playoffs, so practice continued during the extra bye week given to teams to allow schools in the Western part of the state to make up games lost due to Hurricane Helene. But on Wednesday of that week, new projections had AHS out of the playoffs so all basketball players from the football team were released and began basketball practice. 

But that Saturday, Asheboro's football team officially earned a spot in the playoffs and players had to return to the football field to prepare for a playoff game with Dudley.

Then AHS’ opening against SWR was scheduled for Nov. 22, but because the Cougars and the Blue Comets were playing for state soccer championships that weekend in Charlotte, that game was postponed until Nov. 25.

“It was a weird start to everything,” Nance said. “Once we get in the groove of being in school and playing a couple of games a week, we’ll get some flow going.”