Celebrating the Graduating Seniors of Wofford basketball
No one saw it coming and very few people even knew it was possible: the Wofford men’s basketball team went 30-5, and peaked at 19 in the AP Poll. Led by longtime coach Mike Young, the squad went undefeated in conference, played a fantastic SoCon tournament and won the school’s first ever NCAA Tournament game. The Terriers did so with an aggressive and efficient blitzkrieg of three pointers and Cam Jackson post-ups on offense, and a defensive system that was heavy on switches and help defense.
Fletcher Magee is almost unanimously held as the greatest Wofford player to date. He averaged 18.8 points over his career and 20.3 last year. Magee holds the record for most three-point shots made in college history with 509 shooting 43% over his four years at the school. He passed the likes of NBA players Stephen Curry and JJ Redick, and has cemented his legacy as one of the best colligate shooters ever. His calling card is his unbelievable catch-n-shoot game stretching out to thirty feet. He never even needed much space because of his ability to contort in the air and still make nearly impossible shots. He is currently training for the NBA draft, where he is predicted to have a decent chance to be picked in the second round.
Cameron Jackson was the second most important cog in Wofford’s system last year, averaging 14.5 points, 7.6 rebounds and 2.8 assists a game. He showed the ability to play with the multitude of snipers the Terriers deployed on the floor, including Magee, Nathan Hoover and Storm Murphy. He could force the game to slow down in the post where he would beat you with his big frame, scoring right through defenders. Magee also showed the ability to take over the game in the few instances he went cold last year. Magee credits Jackson on his amazing season stating, “Cam had a special year for us and was the reason we were so successful.”
Matthew Pegram was also a very important piece last year as a utility big man off the bench who provided 4.8 points and 3.6 rebounds over 13 minutes a game. He provided crucial time on the bench for Jackson, Chevez Goodwin and Keve Aluma. Pegram’s numbers on the floor may not have been as impressive as his senior teammates, but his impact went beyond the numbers. Magee said, “Matt always brought the energy in practice and games,” a sentiment that Coach Young also shared in a Post and Courier article about Pegram during the season by Derrek Asberry.
Though the season is over, these three players express a sense of brotherhood that has already stretched past their colligate playing careers. Pegram stated, “To be able to build the brotherhood we did with all our players, to come together and achieve the goals of winning a Southern Conference championship and a game in the NCAA Tournament was a dream come true. And to do it with Wofford on our chests was truly special.”
The announcement of Coach Young’s departure just a few weeks ago shocked the entire Wofford community, but Wofford seems to wish him nothing but the best at VT. The graduating players remember playing under him fondly, Pegram saying, “Coach Young was a great role model, great man and great teacher. He taught me a lot of the important things you learn in college about being a man,” and Magee said, “Coach means a lot he’s always been there for me and helped me get where I am today.”
The Terriers are going to look very different next year. There will be no Fletcher Magee, no Cameron Jackson, no Matthew Pegram or Mike Young. The squad is being taken over by Jay McAuley, an assistant of Coach Young’s the last couple years, and will now be led by shooting guard Nathan Hoover, point guard Strom Murphy and forward Chevez Goodwin. This team definitely has a lot of upside, especially in the aforementioned names.
But to Cam, Fletch, Matt, Keve and Coach Young, all that we in the Wofford Community can do is thank each of you for everything you have each contributed to Wofford basketball over the course of your time at Wofford.
All three of the seniors in action this season: