For some, Big South tournament in Charlotte means coming home

Playing the Big South Conference basketball tournaments in Charlotte is a big deal, say many of the conference’s coaches and players. Last year was the first year the championships were held in the conference’s home city, and the impact of moving to a neutral site for the first time in 20 years was immediate.

“That was the first year we got to be in Bojangles Coliseum, and the overall feel, the adrenaline rush when you go out there and see everybody in the stands – it’s just a great feeling,” High Point player Bryant Randleman said.

But for more than 20 players and coaches, holding the tournament in Charlotte is much more.

When the conference returns to Bojangles Coliseum for the second straight year, for the March 1-5 event, it will be a chance to come home and play for an NCAA berth before friends and family members.

As has always been the case, the Charlotte area provides a healthy supply of players for Big South rosters.

Butler High’s Mantoris Robinson and West Rowan’s Phillip Williams were regulars on the 2006-07 Winthrop team that finished 29-5 and knocked off Notre Dame in the NCAA tournament. Charlotte product Will Weeks was a standout rebounder on UNC Asheville’s 2016-17 Big South championship squad. D.J. Burns, who played at York Prep in Rock Hill, scored more than 1,000 points and helped lead Winthrop to back-to-back Big South titles in 2020 and 2021, plus a runner-up finish last year.

And there’s Barclay Radebaugh, who grew up in Lincolnton, the son of a Ford auto dealership owner. Radebaugh, 57, who had a one-year head coaching stint at Queens in Charlotte (2003- 04), is in his 18th year as men’s head coach at Charleston Southern and is three-time coach of the year winner.

Radebaugh said he “grew up 20 minutes” from Charlotte and came often to see basketball games at Bojangles Coliseum.

“To have the opportunity to coach here in a place that was such a big part of my childhood is just amazing to me,” Radebaugh added.

The 2022-23 Charlotte-area contingent in the Big South includes men’s and women’s players who were big names locally in high school. Presbyterian freshman A.J. Cook was a key contributor on a Weddington teams that won two state championships. Winthrop freshman Xavier McKelvy averaged a team-high 19.5 points a game last season on a United Faith Christian team that won a state private school championship. Gardner-Webb junior Micahla Funderburk (Butler) and UNC Asheville freshman Jada Brigman (Olympic) also were prep standouts.

But even those without those Queen City ties say they enjoy having tournament week in Charlotte.

“Last year was extremely special,” said Longwood men’s coach Griff Aldrich, whose Lancers captured the Big South title in the tournament’s inaugural run in Charlotte last March. “We had a lot of people travel to Charlotte to support the Lancers, both on the men’s and women’s side.

“It’s just a wonderful experience for a university, community and our program.”

Gardner-Webb women’s coach Alex Simmons, whose Runnin’ Bulldogs took a 13-0 record into Saturday’s game at Campbell, said playing in Charlotte “is huge for me. It’s in a place where my parents live, it’s in a place where our fans can come.”

Winthrop men’s coach Mark Prosser said last year’s tournament in Charlotte produced a big- time college basketball experience.

“It’s something that you can’t get at home sites,” he said. “I just think it brings a different level of energy, and I think it feels more of a big-time event for our kids and coaching staff.”

“We’ll look forward to it again this year and hopefully many times in the future,” Prosser added.

Charlotte-area players

Here are Charlotte-area members of Big South men’s and women’s teams:

Charleston Southern: Kheni Briggs (A.L. Brown); R.J. Johnson (Charlotte Latin).

Gardner-Webb: Micahla Funderburk (Butler); Isaiah Hicks (Thomas Jefferson Academy); L’Mia Littlejohn (Shelby).

High Point: Bryson Childress (North Stanly); Camren Little (Independence); Justin Taylor (Carmel Christian); Courtney Meadows (Concord Academy).

Longwood: Jael Hall (Concord Academy).

Presbyterian: A.J. Cook (Weddington)

Radford: Rachel LaLonde (North Iredell).

UNC Asheville: Davion Cunningham (North Mecklenburg); Jamia Blake (South Pointe); Jada Brigman (Olympic); Abigail Wilson (West Rowan).

USC Upstate: Khydarius Smith (Nation Ford).

Winthrop: Lawrence Bartee (Clover); Xavier McKelvy (United Faith Christian); Noble Tsumas (Waxhaw area native; attended Winston-Salem Christian).