In a game that was somewhat high scoring in the first slowed to a snail’s pace in the second frame as the Gold squad edged the Black 64-61. On paper, this was a game where the Gold team should have rolled. One could have labeled the Gold squad as the returning letterman, and the Black squad as the newcomers. Not one player on the Black squad has played in a game of record at Appalachian.

The Black squad did give fans their first glimpse of Jay Canty, the Xavier transfer, and Tevin Baskin, who began his career at Quinnipiac before transferring down to Chipola College. Canty was a force from the start, scoring twelve of his seventeen points in the opening minutes of the game. Canty can score from anywhere on the court has he hit 6/12 shots and was 2/5 from behind the arc. Baskin got a good portion of his 23 points from the foul line, stroking eight of his ten attempts. Baskin also added five rebounds and four blocked shots. If Baskin is not a starter, he will be a very valuable sixth or seventh man. Look for Appalachian to lean heavily on him in late game situations, as he can hit foul shots, rebound, and handle the ball.

The Gold squad featured four letterman in Nathan Healy, Mike Neal, Tab Hamilton and Brian Okam. Healy, Hamilton and Neal all played the entire forty minutes, while Okam’s minutes were split with freshman Rantavious Gilbert. Despite only playing twenty minutes, Okam was called for six fouls and only grabbed three rebounds. Neal finished with 17 points, six rebounds and five assists on 6/10 shooting. Hamilton scored 13 points on 6/18 shooting.

Jamaal Trice (fever) and Jonathan Frye did not play in the scrimmage. Michael Obacha suffered an ankle injury in the scrimmage and did not return. As a team last year, Appalachian was a 65% free throw shooting team and was 30/44, (.682) during the scrimmage. The Mountaineers were picked to finish fourth in the SoCon North by coaches and media. No Mountianeers were recognized as preseason all conference players.