GREENVILLE, N.C. – The East Carolina men’s basketball held its annual local media day on Thursday morning in TowneBank Tower as excitement continues to build with the 2023-24 season opener just 18 days away.
Second-year head coach Michael Schwartz started media day with a 15-minute press conference about his team, the upcoming season and the new-look American Athletic Conference. Players and assistant coaches were available to the media for one-on-one interviews following the press conference.
The Pirates return eight players from last year’s roster, including four of its top five scorers in RJ Felton, Brandon Johnson, Ezra Ausar and Jaden Walker. Quentin Diboundje, Benjamin Bayela, Kalib LaCount and Valentino Pinedo also return from the team that won 16 games, the most for the program since the 2013-14 season.
ECU welcomes in eight new faces to its roster, composed of five freshmen and three student-athlete transfers. Bobby Pettiford Jr. and Cam Hayes both return to their home state after playing at Kansas and LSU respectively and Grant Smith joins the team after playing a season at Quincy College. The Pirates’ five freshmen are Cyr Malonga (Evangel Christian HS), Callum Richard (Gaston Day), Evan Montanari (Gaston Day), Ta’Korrie Faison (Goldsboro HS) and Logan Bourgeois (CJF Fleury-Les-Aubrais).
East Carolina begins the 2023-24 season on Nov. 6 against Ferrum inside Minges Coliseum at 7 p.m for the first of six straight games at home.
Second-year head coach Michael Schwartz started media day with a 15-minute press conference about his team, the upcoming season and the new-look American Athletic Conference. Players and assistant coaches were available to the media for one-on-one interviews following the press conference.
The Pirates return eight players from last year’s roster, including four of its top five scorers in RJ Felton, Brandon Johnson, Ezra Ausar and Jaden Walker. Quentin Diboundje, Benjamin Bayela, Kalib LaCount and Valentino Pinedo also return from the team that won 16 games, the most for the program since the 2013-14 season.
ECU welcomes in eight new faces to its roster, composed of five freshmen and three student-athlete transfers. Bobby Pettiford Jr. and Cam Hayes both return to their home state after playing at Kansas and LSU respectively and Grant Smith joins the team after playing a season at Quincy College. The Pirates’ five freshmen are Cyr Malonga (Evangel Christian HS), Callum Richard (Gaston Day), Evan Montanari (Gaston Day), Ta’Korrie Faison (Goldsboro HS) and Logan Bourgeois (CJF Fleury-Les-Aubrais).
East Carolina begins the 2023-24 season on Nov. 6 against Ferrum inside Minges Coliseum at 7 p.m for the first of six straight games at home.