Gaston College opens 2025-26 basketball with impressive home victory

Gaston College opened its 2025-26 basketball season in impressive fashion on Saturday afternoon with a 122-61 victory over the Pfeiffer junior varsity team at Gastonia's Ashbrook High School gymnasium.

The Rhinos had five double figure scorers and got points from each of the 13 players who saw action.

Six-foot-10 sophomore post player Kaleb Siler had 21 points, including 15 in a first half where Gaston College built a 65-28 advantage. Siler is the most highly-recruited player in school history as he has received attention from 20 NCAA Division I schools. Siler also had four rebounds and three steals.

Freshman Ian Howard (15 points, 5 rebounds), sophomore Spencer Breeden (14 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals), E.J. Joyner (14 points), Ryan Evans (13 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists), Trimell Dunlap (7 points, 4 rebounds), J.R. Watson (6 points, 5 rebounds, 7 assists), Jozohn Price (6 points, 7 rebounds), Ben Stevens (6 points, 5 rebounds), Tony Goodman (6 points, 4 rebounds) and Kush Carter (6 points) were other big contributors.

"I thought we showed our depth," Gaston College second-year head coach Benny Moss said. "The thing I was most excited about is that a year ago, I think we sometimes played the score and we didn't continue and push out leads. Today I thought we did a good job of playing one possession at a time and not playing the score."

Gaston College was without of its players as sophomore DeAngelo Canty was attending a funeral for a close friend who recently died in a car accident.

"First and foremost, our thoughts and prayers go out to DeAngelo, his friends and his family," Moss said. "It's been a tough week for him.
"Sometimes, things are more important than basketball. He needed to be there for the funeral today just for his own peace of mind - and for his family and friends. So we're thinking about him, we're praying for him and we can't wait to welcome him back."

Gaston College returns to action on Tuesday at 6 p.m. at nearby rival Cleveland Community College, a National Junior College Athletic Association Division II school that opened its season with a victory at Division I East Georgia.

"East Gerogia is one of the top two or three teams in that region year in and year out so a heckuva start for them," Moss said of Cleveland Community College. "It's a rivalry game. It's on the road. And we've got to get focused and take care of our business."

Gaston College's next home game is Nov. 15 against Cleveland Community College at 2 p.m. at Gastonia's Ashbrook High School.