By Mike London

mike.london@salisburypost.com

GRANITE QUARRY — East Rowan boys basketball head coach Trey Ledbetter doesn’t need a roster; he still remembers the names because he coached them.

Ledbetter, who took over for his third round at the helm in May, recites a list of players on the 2011-12 East basketball team: Hakeem Gittens, Roby Holmes, Jordan Shepherd, Weston Rogers, Jared Hough, Tyler L’Hommedieu.

Claim to fame? They were the last East team to make the 3A state playoffs. They lost big to Robinson in the first round to finish 13-12.

“That was a long time ago,” Ledbetter said.

He’s right. The players on that team who were seniors are 30 years old now.

“Those were North Piedmont Conference days for East, and the North Piedmont usually isn’t what the South Piedmont is in boys basketball,” Ledbetter said. “But that was a very competitive East team, not because of amazing talent, but because guys played so hard. We’ve got to get back to playing that hard again.”

Ledbetter’s first time around with the Mustangs was a five-season journey that featured 33 wins and 81 losses. It peaked with that 13-12 team. That record was perceived as a miracle because the previous East teams had been 2-19 and 1-20.

In 2019-20, Ledbetter got the call to help East finish out a rough season. He was the third head coach that season, taking over a 1-9 team after the Christmas tournament and finishing 2-24, although the Mustangs played better late in the season and came close several times.

Now it’s Chapter 3 for Ledbetter at East, so he knows what he’s signed up for.

He got rejuvenated while being out of the head coaching chair for a while. He’s been watching his daughter, Kinsley, grow up to be a player, and he’s been coaching out of the spotlight.

“I’ve been helping Bri Evans at East, actually coached the jayvee girls last year,” Ledbetter said. “We dominated jayvee girls in the SPC and won the conference. I know that’s not a big deal to a lot of people, but we were pretty good and coaching that team was a lot of fun.”

When East began a search for a boys coach to replace Andrew Porter — he took the head job at Parkland — Ledbetter decided to apply.

“Decided to throw my hat in the ring, was pleasantly surprised to be hired, and I’m excited about it,” Ledbetter said. “Hey, let’s rock ‘n roll.”

East’s co-AD Kari Britschge has been a Ledbetter supporter since she could walk. She’s also his sister.

The other co-AD Brian Hightower is also confident Ledbetter is the right guy at the right time. Everyone knows it’s going to be a challenge, even more so than usual, and it’s going to take an experienced person with patience to keep the Mustangs pointed in the right direction.

“People ask me what we’ve got coming back, and it’s about zero, to be honest, although we will have some guys who were pulled up from the jayvees and played at the end of the season — guys like Brody Thomas, Logan Bradley, Corbin Krider, Blake Shive,” Ledbetter said. “We’re going to be really young, mostly sophomores, plus a few freshman and upperclassmen.”

Bradley is Ledbetter’s nephew. He can shoot and had an 18-point game late last season. Krider played enough to show he can provide some quickness. He is related to former East Rowan athlete Calvin Edwards, who probably is best remembered for his work as a running back.

Seth Wyrick, who played three sports at East and was a Shrine Bowl football receiver, was hired as a P.E. teacher at East (he’s coaching football receivers) and will be the jayvee boys coach.

The most optimistic news reported by Ledbetter is that Garrett Lee has returned to the program and has been with the team this summer. He didn’t play last season. Lee is at least 6-foot-5 and turned in some double-figure efforts during the 2022-23 season.

“He’s big and he can score,” Ledbetter said. “He helps a lot.”

A new name to know is Brady Ailshie. He’s a rising freshman who definitely will start the season on the varsity team. He’s the younger brother of baseball star Harrison Ailshie.

East scrimmaged North Rowan in early June. That was eye-opening for the young Mustangs, but Ledbetter viewed it as a positive experience.

“I appreciate (North coach) Jason Causby scrimmaging us,” Ledbetter said. “It was kind of a rude awakening for our guys, but it was good for them to see a team like that. Causby had some great teams at Salisbury and he’s had some more great ones at North, but they’ve really got themselves a squad this year. I’m glad we’re only scheduled to play them once.”

East went to the nearby Pfeiffer camp, but wasn’t on the camping trail much. That was by choice. Ledbetter believes his team is at a stage where it can make more progress with workouts than it could have done with scrimmages.

“I wish it was November right now because I can’t wait for the season,” Ledbetter said. “We’ve got a good group of young guys and they’re going to play hard. People ask me if we can over-achieve and I tell him I don’t think you ever over-achieve. You achieve what you achieve, and we’ll achieve all that we can.”

East was 3-21 last season, the last of Porter’s four seasons.

Winning three might be an achievement this time, but Ledbetter is an optimist by nature.

“I have no doubt this group is going to play hard,” he said. “I always have high expectations. The goal is be playing in the postseason.”