Bryan College Triangle

Catherine Rogers
Multimedia Editor

Senior point guard Demond Craig attempts a move around Virginia Intermont players / Triangle Photo by Catherine Rogers

The Bryan College men’s basketball team hosted the Virginia Intermont College (Bristol, Va.) Cobras last Wednesday in a conference game expected to continue the Lion’s winning streak. The Cobras took the win, 65-61.

Both teams took turns leading during the first half, but the halftime buzzer left the Lions trailing the Cobras, 37-29.

The rest of the game was led by the Cobras until just over five minutes remained on the clock. The two teams fought for the lead for several minutes until the Cobras took a one point lead in the final minute of the game. With 22 seconds left, the Cobras moved to a three point lead. Twelve seconds remained and a Virginia Intermont player hit a free throw putting their lead at four points. Read full story »

by Catherine Rogers
Multimedia Editor

Senior forward Derek Batt taks a shot on the basket during last Wednesday's game against Tennessee Wesleyan College / Triangle photo by Daniel Jackson

After defeating the Tennessee (Athens) Wesleyan Bulldogs, 71-57, in a home game last Wednesday, the men’s varsity basketball team travelled to Bluefield (Va.) College on Saturday and gained their second win of the week with a score of 67-54.

“It’s our first win [at Bluefield] in the seven years I’ve been at Bryan,” said Head Coach Don Rekoske. “And when you’ve never won up there and you’re playing a team that’s only a game behind you in the conference you’re worried, but I thought we were extremely responsible defensively.”

In the first half, the Lions’ defense kept Bluefield shooting only 24 percent overall and built their lead to 12 points. The score at halftime was 28-16.

“We executed our game plan pretty well,” said senior forward Astral Guerrier. “We shut them down on the defensive end, we out rebounded them and we eliminated fast break points.”

The Lions advanced their lead to 19 points in the second half until the Rams cut it down to nine points just 26 seconds before the final buzzer.

“What really helped us, not only in this game but throughout the year, was bench play,” said Senior guard Xavierian McCall. “[Several players] came in and really gave us a lift.” Read full story »

by Tim Baldi
Staff Writer

This week, I interviewed Don Rekoske, head coach of the men’s varsity basketball team about his goals for the season.

So coach, how has your season been going so far?

So far it’s going real well, we’re 7-3. We’re ranked just outside the top 25 at number 27 in the country.

[There are a] lot of seniors on this year’s team, a group of guys that I’ve really enjoyed coaching. A lot of these guys have played for me for four years. A couple of them are transfers that have played for me as juniors and seniors. We have a good group of guys, good chemistry. It’s been a real pleasure to work with this group.

Editors Note: As of Dec. 6, the Lions are ranked number 25 in the country.

Who are the team’s top players?

We have three all-conference players returning. We are a very balanced team first of all, but we still have our go-to guys. Senior forward center Scott Newton is the league’s runner-up MVP. Junior forward center Astral Guerrier and Senior forward Keith Bauer are second team all-conference players that are returning. Senior guard Dominique Clements has come in this year as a redshirt giving us a nice sixth man off the bench averaging about 11 points a game. Beyond that, Senior point guard Demond [Craig] has had a really good year so far as [point guard]. He’s been a four-year starter for us. That’s always a real luxury to have a kid play [point guard] that’s been a four-year starter. He’s been very productive. Senior guard Xavierian McCall really gets it done on both ends of the floor.

What are the team’s strengths and weaknesses?

Well, we have weaknesses; we’re still a work in progress. We’ve been trying to address those weaknesses over these past 10 days.

by Krissy Proctor
Copy Editor  

Couch potatoes remain seated. Channel-surfers put down your remotes. Familiar faces are now appearing on televisions across the region as students and faculty from Bryan star in local commercials for the Women’s Care Center of Rhea County.

For the past 25 years, Bryan College has been well-known for its involvement with the neighboring community. However, over the last two summers it has brought that involvement into the 21st century by donating time and effort to producing eight, one-minute commercials, a 30-minute promotional film and a 12-part web series for theEDGE, a teen risk-avoidance program established by the Care Center.

According to the program’s website, the EDGE, “initially began in 1993 to equip the youth in Rhea County with information so they would not find themselves in an unplanned pregnancy situation. It has grown into a program that not only encourages abstinence-until-marriage, but also helps youth make smart decisions in all aspects of life.”

The media project, produced by Bryan alum Taylor Hollingsworth, has used almost 30 Bryan students, alumni and faculty over the two-year period of filming.

Current students who were involved include seniors Jason Hundley, Emily Hendrix, Taylor Gentry, Justin Winters and Xavierian McCall, juniors Yuri Lopez and Nick Tuttle, sophomore Emilie Belisle and freshman Jake Ricketts, as well as faculty members Dr. Randy Hollingsworth, Dr. Ken Turner with wife Reagan, Chris Clark and Paulakay Ricketts.

According to Connie Arnold, education director for theEDGE, students and faculty were mostly contacted by word of mouth, with emphasis on prior familiarity with staff members, though auditions were held last summer for the film “The Ripple.” Read full story »

By Billy Findley
Sport Editor

In their final game of the season, the Lions basketball team defeated the University of Virginia College at Wise 85 – 69 Saturday night. This victory places the team in a four- way tie for first place in the AAC. This is the first time the men’s varsity basketball team has achieved this status since 2000.

Photo by Billy Findley

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Junior point guard Demond Craig drives toward the basket. Craig tied his career high of eight assists Saturday night.

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