By Bob Sutton
Special to The Alamance News
Even before the start of the season there were twists and turns on boys’ basketball rosters for The Burlington School and Burlington Christian Academy.
The teams have been among the top cluster of teams in the North Carolina Independent Schools Athletic Association in recent years.
A few days before last month’s opener, TBS lost a player expected to be a major contributor. Charles Chienggan Pur, a 6-foot-9 player, left for Spire Academy in Geneva, Ohio.
“It’s just part of the game now,” TBS coach George Marshall said. “Crazy roster changes. It’s a way the game has shifted. I’m not saying for the good or bad.”
Chienggan Pur, a junior, enrolled at TBS in June, Marshall said, after playing the two previous seasons for BCA. He had been in the TBS program previously as an eighth grader.
Karon Watlington, a 6-4 point guard, also departed BCA for TBS. Watlington averaged 14 points per game for BCA last season, second on the team behind Chienggan Pur (15.8), who also had 9.8 rebounds per game.
“Just a matter of reaching one of my dreams,” Watlington said of the move. “I like the work that we’re doing.”
Upon Chienggan Pur’s departure, there was limited practice time before the Spartans defeated N.C. Good Better Best Academy 87-31 to open the season.
“We had to quickly, quickly adjust,” Marshall said.
As for Pur, Marshall said his college recruiting stock should remain high. “We think he’s going to be in a good position,” he said.
In the meantime, Geren Holmes, a 6-5 junior for TBS has picked up massive recruiting interest. He racked up 25 points last week on 11-for-15 shooting from the field when the Spartans belted Mount Zion Christian Academy 85-46, a result that lifted TBS to an 8-5 record.
BCA, the reigning Central Carolina Athletic Conference Tournament champion, is under second-year coach Noal Myrick.
“It’s a process, like always,” Myrick said.
There has been movement from TBS to BCA as well.
Former TBS player Jack Baker, a sophomore guard, is a starter for BCA.
“He has done a good job and it has worked for us,” Myrick said.
Junior Manny Vanhook is BCA’s leading returning scorer at 9.3 points per game.
Following a two-week layoff, BCA takes a 7-5 record into a matchup with Mallard Creek on Saturday in the Mike Gminski Classic at Cox Mills in Concord.
“A couple of weeks off to reboot,” Myrick said.
