WINSTON-SALEM N.C. (WWAY) – The New Hanover boys basketball team perfect season falls just short on the biggest stage.
“This bunch set a school record for wins in a season,” Head Coach Kirk Angel said of his Wildcats. “These guys take a lot of pride in their program, how we do things, and the culture.”
New Hanover loses to nationally ranked North Mecklenburg 57-47 in the 4A state title game at Wake Forest University. While the one loss to end the year stings, the 32 victories before it set a school record. Despite that, Coach Angel thinks this group is uniquely the ‘underdog’.
“They are workman like. They come to work every day. Once the practice plan goes down, it’s time to work. The season starts November 1st, not for us. We are all year round. I hate dead period, we don’t want them, but we have to do it for the rules.”
“They are gym rats. They compete and they compete and they keep competing. We don’t have guys with stars, we just have culture. These guys personify every bit of that.”
Coming off a fourth-round playoff appearance last season, the Wildcats took a step further this season. Coach Angel thinks getting to the Final Four, winning the semifinal, and all of the experience of this weekend will pay dividends for 2025.
“They just tasted it,” said Angel. “These guys have been on the stage now. They understand what it feels like, the preparation … that’s huge for the maturation. This bunch for to a 4th round last year as a bunch of sophomores. We built on that, and we’ll build on this.”
New Hanover’s star players echoed that sentiment. Even though junior guards Rodmik Allen and Zeus Batts shot a combined 8-30 in the biggest game they’ve played, their body of work points to much more efficient production against highly ranked opponents all season.
Allen told the room full of reporters at Wake plainly: “Y’all will see us again.”
“We’ are going to get in the gym, and we’ll be back. I know we’ll be back. The guys we have are tough. I told all the returning guys to soak it in (watching North Meck celebrate the title).”