City of Basketball Love

Ari Rosenfeld (@realA_rosenfeld)
--

Over the last several years, head coach Terry Maczko has built Baltimore City Community College’s basketball program into one of the best junior college programs in the region.

The Panthers have averaged over 20 wins since the 2010-11 season, and four players from just last year’s team signed with Division I teams for this season, heading to Norfolk State, Albany, Coppin State, and Presbyterian.

The difference this year will be that while Maczko’s previous teams have predominantly featured players from the greater Baltimore area, the Panthers will now have a distinct Philly flavor, with five local players on the roster.

Returning as sophomores will be Deion Evans and Khyree Hunt-Hawkins, who were impact players in the Public League at Imhotep and George Washington, respectively; Evans, a 6-foot-7 forward, averaged 6.3 points and 4.1 rebounds last year, while Hunt-Hawkins, a 6-1 combo guard, put up 3.4 points and 1.9 assists per game.

“They both had a little bit of getting used to the college game throughout the first semester. Then the second semester they played a much bigger role for us,” Maczko said of the local duo. “They’re both Division II players, at the very least. I think they both have an upside at a low D-I type of school.”

Evans will actually be sitting out this season, as he’ll be taking a year off to get his academics in order before returning to the team for the 2016-17 season. Hunt-Hawkins is expected to play a key role as a shooter and secondary ballhandler.

Joining those two in the Panthers’ lineup will be a trio of area recruits, with Pennsbury’s Mekhi Bryant and Constitution graduates Haneef Vaughn and Chad Andrews-Fulton all making the trip down I-95 to begin their college careers.

All three should see significant minutes right away, with Bryant and Vaughn competing to take over now-Norfolk State guard Brian Kelley's point guard spot.

“Those two guys will be battling for that point guard spot,” Maczko said. “The best thing I like about the both of them is they’re both competitive as hell and they’ll be going against each other on a day-to-day basis, and I’m already seeing that.”

Andrews-Fulton was actually expected to play out this season at the Phelps School, doing a prep year after graduating from Constitution in the 2015 class. He played on the AAU circuit this summer with Team Philly, hoping for a late Division I offer to come in, but when that didn’t happen, the opportunity to attend BCCC on a scholarship and play with his former teammate was too much to turn down.

“Haneef’s been down here since the beginning of July and they’ve been talking. I think Haneef really likes it here so far so Chad had come down for a visit, and he liked what he saw,” Maczko said. “Those Constitution kids, I love their attitude, their toughness, and their intensity. They play hard, and that’s what we’re looking for.”

All four of the Philly players who will be suiting up this season figure to contribute heavily to the Panthers’ defense of their regional championship, as they’ll look to build 19-12 season and avenge a loss in the NJCAA District 3 final last year.