The 2019-20 Dabney S. Lancaster Community College men’s basketball team had a successful first season. The Roadrunners, their home towns and their home high schools or their previous school affiliations are (seated, from left): K’knowledge Rawlings of Charlottesville, from Charlottesville High School; Cartier Key of Charlottesville, from Albemarle High School; Koty Baker of Buena Vista, from McDaniel College; Austin Lefler of Clifton Forge, from Alleghany High School; Dayshawn Hamilton of Johnson City, TN, from Northeast State Community College; Jaylon Hudson of Charlottesvile, from Charlottesville High School; Isaiah Roman of Clifton Forge, from Alleghany High School. Standing, from left: Deondre Dabney of Richmond, from Bridge Academy; Quinton Hunter of Covington, from Covington High School; Ty Brown of Lynchburg, from Holy Cross; Assistant Coach Kelly Decker of Buena Vista; Assistant Head Coach Paul Pelter of Lexington; Head Coach Brandon Garrett of Buena Vista; Assistant Coaches Stephen Peters of Schuyler and Will McCurdy of Lexington; Tre McCrary of Elizabethton, TN, from Bluefield College; Anthony Darcus of Clifton Forge, from Radford University; and Shama Baggot of Covington, from Alleghany High School.
DSLCC Roadrunners Complete Big First Season
The inaugural season of the Dabney S. Lancaster Community College Men’s basketball team, launched in November of 2019, was a big success by any measure, finishing with a respectable 14-10 record, with a final win against the VMI Club team on February 19.
“Coming into the season, I think I knew there were certainly going to be some growing pains and some adjustments,” said Head Coach Brandon Garrett. “It was kind of learn along the way. Any time you put a group of totally new players together, especially in a new environment, there will be some ups and downs.”
“I think our coaches and players handled the season very well,” he continued. “We played some really good teams, and we have seen where we want to be. Now, we just have to put in the work to get there.”
Recalling some of the more memorable games the Roadrunners played, Garrett remarked: “The first game (against the Mid-Atlantic Christian University’s jayvee team) was surely something to remember. We trailed most of the game, and we were down with about 10 seconds left. We called a time out and set up a play and Jaylon (Hudson) came out the other side and knocked down a three.
“They tried to get the ball out quick with the time running down and Dre (Dabney) stepped in and stole it and hit a lay-up as time expired” he continued. “I think at that point we all knew this was real. The first game we had played and to win like that was pretty amazing.”
Playing against Sandhills Community College from Pinehurst, NC, was also special, he said. “Even though we were blown out in both games, we played a really good first half. Playing against the number one team in the country is something special, and we got to do it twice this season, and once at home. They were national champions in 2012 and then again in 2015. I think that is where we want to be eventually. Their program is legit all the way around, and I think it was an eye opener for us.”
There were other contests that stand out, Garrett added. “We played on the road at Ferrum College, and we played a complete game. I think overall we slowly but surely started to become a team. Our players started to bond. We were having fun and building relationships, and that’s what it’s all about.”
“Our athletic program could not have had a better first season,” commented DSLCC President Dr. John Rainone. “Not only was the team very successful, I am proud how these student-athletes were not only honorable on the court, but excelled academically in the classroom. Thank you to the coaches and to the team members for playing for DSLCC with pride.”
As for the future, Garrett noted that he and his staff have been in constant contact, “networking and looking for the right players to come in and be a part of an extraordinary community and part of this program that I feel has the makings of a special place. It is imperative for us as coaches to find the right fit for what we are trying to accomplish, and I think we are off to a good start. We will continue to look and reach out to players over the next several months.”
“I was extremely pleased with how our inaugural season went,” added Carl “Shorty” Wolfe, III, Athletic Director. “This was a new experience for us here at DSLCC. There were some speed bumps we encountered along the way, but from an administrative standpoint, there was nothing too difficult we couldn’t overcome. I believe, for a first year program, everyone did a fantastic job.”
“Brandon and his team of coaches and assistants did a really good job of utilizing the strengths of their players,” Wolfe continued. “They ran the floor exceptionally well and defended with great energy. One opposing coach told me, ‘You guys are living up to the name Roadrunners’.”
“I am excited to see what next season is going to bring with our men’s team,” Wolfe added. Next season the Roadrunners should be eligible for post-season play. “Judging by some of the games that we played against nationally ranked opponents, I believe Brandon will have our Roadrunners competing for a playoff run in our second season.”
In the meantime, DSLCC is getting ready for the launch of the women’s season next fall. Wolfe, who is also serving as head coach for the women’s team, has been recruiting area high schools for some talented female players, with Julie Agee, a point guard from Greenbrier West (WV) High School, being the first to officially sign on.
“We have several current students who are going to be playing for us this upcoming season,” says Wolfe. “We are encouraged and excited to field a women’s team for the 20-21 basketball season. We will be hiring an assistant coach as well in the very near future.”
Garrett said he has been particularly pleased with the number of people associated with the College who made the program work. “So many people have stepped up to the plate and supported the whole program,” he noted. “I was lucky to have some dedicated assistants to help me along the way.”
“It has truly taken a village to make this all come together, but I really feel like the hardest parts are over,” said Garrett. “We have gotten our feet wet now, and we know what to expect and where we need to improve as a program moving forward.” Wolfe added that they couldn’t have been successful without sponsors and volunteers who manned the ticket booth or the concession stand or the clock. “We couldn’t do it without our community,” he said.
Several sponsors helped make the season happen, said Rachael Thompson, Executive Director of the DSLCC Educational Foundation, including:
Corporate Partner: Alcova Mortgage, LLC
Benefactor: Anonymous, in memory of Steve Bower, ’82, DSLCC Baseball Coach, and Darrin Nicely, ’89, DSLCC Baseball Team
Patrons: Highlands Community Bank and LewisGale Hospital Alleghany
Sponsors: Alleghany Highlands Chamber of Commerce & Tourism, Balchem Corp., Bath Community Hospital, Burns Auto Repair, Chef's Catering Company, CornerStone Bank, Cucci's Pizzeria & Luca’s Pizzeria, Everbrite, Joseph Hagy, Image Express, Jack Mason's Tavern & Brewery, Jackson River Community Credit Union, Newkirk Family, Nicely Funeral Home, Diana Kling Smith, Spencer Home Center, Inc., The Taphouse & Tizzone, Valley Termite and Pest Control Co., WestRock, Anonymous, in honor of “Clifton Forge = College Town”
Donors: Huffman Insurance, Loving Life Community Outreach and The Way Coffee Shop.
For more information about becoming a sponsor for the 2020-2021 season, please contact Thompson at rthompson@dslcc.edu or (540) 863-2934. For more information about DSLCC Athletics, please contact Carl “Shorty” Wolfe, III at cwolfe@dslcc.edu.