North Carolina Central

Dylan Graham - SG

Team: North Carolina Central Eagles [ID #315]

Location: Durham, NC (Southeast)

Conference: III.2 [Division 1]

President: thpoole
[since November 26th 2018 | last seen January 09th 2026]

Coach: Terrence Carruth

Arena: McLendon-McDougald Gymnasium

Rating: 260.57 - Overall Position: #61

Fan Mood: 124.88

Alumni Mood: 149.70

Prestige: 222

Team Notes:

• Sep 02 2049: Promoted to conference III.2.
• Mar 14 2049: Made the national tournament field.
• Mar 06 2049: Won the IV.4 conference.
• Feb 18 2049: 3-star prospect Roman Aiello committed.
• Jan 14 2049: 5-star prospect Sean Erickson committed.
• Jan 02 2049: 3-star prospect Jonathan Shultz committed.
• Nov 14 2048: 3-star prospect Dennis Yost committed.
• Feb 13 2048: 3-star prospect Marques West committed.
• Jan 30 2048: 3-star prospect Zack Dwyer committed.
• Aug 29 2047: Demoted to conference IV.4.

Record:

Wins: 0 Losses: 0 Pct: .000 Conf Wins: 0 Conf Losses: 0 Conf Pct: .000 Last10: 0-0 Streak: -

Pts Ave: 0.0 - 0.0 Pts Diff: 0.0 Team Power Index: 136.1

Press Releases:

Mar 31 2046: An Ode to Sal Schrock - by thpoole on July 23rd, 2025

Durham Herald Sun – March 17th, 2046
EAGLES ACE CALLS IT A CAREER

A hush fell over McDougald–McLendon Arena as Sal Schrock emerged from the tunnel to deliver the news Eagles fans had been dreading for years. His thirty-year-run as coach of the North Carolina Central men’s basketball team was coming to an end.

Always a man of few words, Coach Schrock’s speech only lasted a hair over 6 minutes. He checked all the boxes one would expect him to check. He thanked his wife, he thanked his kids, he thanked his players and alumni, lauding them for all they had done and continued to do for the program. He assured the fans that they would be ok without him, that the foundation that had been built over the previous three decades would stand the test of time. He waxed poetic about all the things that Central Basketball meant to him, and about all the ways it had touched his life. After the ceremony I was able to catch up with Coach Schrock for a few brief minutes, and he asked me to print one excerpt word for word. Of course, I was happy to oblige.

“Perhaps my greatest pride as a coach is that I can look out at row after row of Eagles in front of me and know that every single on of you left Durham as a better man. That despite decades separating some of your playing careers, that you are all united by the values that we tried to instill here. As the great Dean Smith said, we played smart, we played hard, and we played together. And we applied that mentality to every area of our lives. I am so proud of every single one of you, and of the men you’ve become. And I guess I’m proud of what we did on the court too. We did alright there.”

“Alright” sure is one humble way of putting 780 wins, 11 promotions, 6 conference regular season titles, 4 conference tournament titles, and 1 national championship. It’s a resume that can stand proudly next to some of the game’s all-time greats, and one that his successor will surely find difficult to match.

As the lights dimmed, Coach Shrock made his way back to the locker room that had been his second home for 30 years, and held court with his team one last time. A bevy of current and former players joined him, eager to catch up with old friends and receive some last parting wisdom from Sal. While this meeting was closed to the media, I did manage to catch up with some of the players as they left.

Erik McCune, who older Eagles fans might remember as the dynamic point guard that spurred Central’s 3 consecutive promotions from 2021 to 2023, remarked on how Coach Shrock would finally have time to hit the golf course with him. He also insisted, and he wanted this on the record, that “this old man can still dunk”. You’ll have to take him at his word, because he balked at the opportunity to throw one down for me.

Khalil Fox, famous for being the school’s highest rated recruit in history and 3rd all-time leading scorer, sounded nostalgic as he reminisced on his days in Durham. “Being here just brings back a lot of memories. I remember I got a lot of flak for committing to a D2 school at the time. But I think, yeah… it all worked out in the end.”

Moe Granger was the next to stop by and talk, and the former national player of the year was emotional. “Coach Shrock changed my life. I came to Central as just another guy, and left as the #19 pick in the draft. Every dollar… every cent I earned in the NBA is thanks to that man in there. I am eternally grateful. They need to build him a statute. Maybe I could pay for that…”

Long after the others had left, out walked Kelly Bradley, his arm around Coach Shrock’s shoulder. Central’s all-time leading scorer and hero of the 2037 national championship team, had just a few words to say. “No one will ever do it like him again. No one.”

I think you’re right Kelly, I think you’re right.

Mar 30 2024: You Can't Win 'em All - by thpoole on March 9th, 2022

After accruing 112 wins over the previous two seasons, many fans assumed that Sal Schrock had yet another card up his sleeve, that the Eagle's winning ways would continue. However, the 2023-2024 season proved to be a disappointing one in Durham. A late-season skid that saw Central go 1-11 over a twelve-game stretch sunk the Eagles into the relegation zone, and that proved to be the death blow for their season. The Eagles suffered their first demotion under head coach Sal Schrock, but fans can take solace in knowing that Central will still be competing in Division 1 next season.

There are reasons for both optimism and pessimism headed into the next season. This year's team was powered by the frontcourt duo of Herman Edwards and Ramon Valdes, both of whom will be graduating. The pair combined for over 45% of the Eagles scoring last season, which will be tough to replace. The defensive-minded small forward Bernardo Murillo is also departing.

Despite this, there are new faces who are sure to excite Eagles fans for the next 4 years. NCC pulled in the 19th ranked recruiting class this season, headlined by Kahil Fox, the #10 rated player in his class. Joining him are a pair of 3-stars in Bob Ryan and Mason Daniels. There are also 3 red-shirt freshmen who will be joining the team next season. SF Brian Banks was the crown-jewel of Schrock's last recruiting class, and while Fox will get a lot of the media buzz, Eagle's fans should be looking forward to Bank's debut as well. Joining Banks are big-men Ed Fraley and Josh Wilkinson. Both have monster builds, with impressive height, length, and verticality. Both are also fast for their size and possess the ability to stretch the floor. If these two can develop together as a frontcourt, the departure of Edwards and Valdes might be nothing to worry about.

Another name to remember going into next season is Gerald Dow. Last year, I commented that Herman Edwards was primed for a breakout year. This time, I believe that man is Dow. The RS Jr has shown excellent growth during his time in Durham, and his efficient scoring and impressive defense will finally get a chance to shine in the starting lineup next season.

Accolades
POTY: Herman Edwards (17.9 pts 11.9 rebs 38.9% OFG)
Most Improved: Ramon Valdes (17.7 pts 10.6 rebs 1.6 blocks)
SMOTY John Foote (2.8 pts 43.4% 3P 41.6% OFG)

Graduates
Herman Edwards
1x All-Conference
1x NC Central Player of the Year
1x NC Central Most-Improved Player
1x NC Central Sixth-Man of the Year
First player in NC Central history to win all 3 team awards
1780 points (10th all-time)
1208 rebounds (7th all-time)
129 blocks (12th all-time)
39.8% career 3P (1st all-time)

Ramon Valdes
1x NC Central Most-Improved Player
1x NC Central Sixth-Man of the Year
1927 points (7th all-time)
1195 rebounds (8th all-time)
168 blocks (6th all-time)

Bernardo Murillo
1400 points (17th all-time)
583 rebounds
73 steals

Apr 01 2023: Rising to the Occasion - by thpoole on January 12th, 2022

What a year it has been for the Eagles. In last years' end-of-season write-up, I wrote that "promotion likely isn't in the cards next season". 35 wins and 12 months later, North Carolina Central are regular-season conference champions for the second consecutive year and are promoting for the third straight year. For the program's first-ever season competing in Division 1, it was a resounding success.

As for next year, we may have finally reached the point where the Eagles have run out of steam. 3 out of 5 starters are departing, and it seems likely that Central will employ two underclassmen in the backcourt next year. Their lack of experience may put a cap on what this team can achieve in III.2, but the talent is there to potentially avoid relegation. All eyes will be on Senior PF Herman Edwards, who has big expectations on his shoulders heading into next season.

With our loss in the first round of the tourney, the careers of two Eagles legends come to an end. Erick McCune and Tracy Stowe have presided over the most successful period in school history. Together they hold multiple school records and contributed to 131 wins, 2 conference regular-season titles, 1 conference tournament title, and 3 national tournament appearances. They leave as respectively the greatest point guard and the greatest center in school history, and both will be inducted into the Hall of Fame.

Accolades
POTY: Erik McCune (16.2 pts, 9.7 asts, 1.8 stls)
Most Improved: Herman Edwards (13.2 pts, 9.6 rebs, 1.2 stls, 1 blk)
SMOTY: Booker Beals (5.5 pts, 2 rebs, 37.1% OFG, 41.6% 3P%)

Graduates
Erik McCune
4-year starter
2x NC Central Player of the Year
2043 points (4th all-time)
1215 assists (1st all-time)
277 steals (1st all-time)
38 Game MVPs (1st all-time)

Tracy Stowe
4-year starter
1x NC Central Player of the Year
1x All-Conference
1x Conference Freshman of the Year
2652 points (1st all-time)
1239 rebounds (6th all-time)
189 Blocks (3rd all-time)
35 Game MVPs (2nd all-time)

Ross Kelly
1x NC Central Most-Improved Player
1396 (16th all-time)
363 assists (7th all-time)
182 steals (4th all-time)

Booker Beals
Moved from PF to SF for Senior Season and thrived at his new position
1x NC Central Sixth-Man of the Year
41.6 2023 3P% (Best single-season % in school history)
543 points
277 rebounds

Apr 04 2022: A Year to Remember - by thpoole on November 18th, 2021

At last year's end-of-season press conference NC Central athletic director Thomas Poole made a bold prediction, that the Eagles would secure promotion to Division 1 for the first time in school history. Few thought that would come to pass, but as it turns out Poole may have been underselling the potential of the 2022 Eagles. Led by 4th-year head coach Sal Schrock, NC Central secured a school-record 41 wins to go along with a conference regular-season title, a conference tournament title, and a sweet-sixteen appearance in the Division 2 tournament. By all accounts, it was the best season the Eagles have enjoyed in their program's history.

The best part is, this isn't even the end for Durham's golden generation. Schrock returns 3/5 starters, including leading scorer Tracy Stowe and star point guard Erik McCune. The Eagles will be expecting big things from the junior trio of Bernardo Murillo, Herman Edwards, and Ramon Valdes, who all project to have bigger roles next season. While promotion likely isn't in the cards next season, Central fans have every reason to believe that they can avoid relegation next season.

For many fans, it will doubtlessly be tough to see two players who were instrumental in getting NC Central to Division 1 sitting in the stands next season. Walt Baker will be joining the staff as a graduate assistant, while Bart McKee will be taking his talents overseas to pursue a professional career. Both will be sorely missed on the court, and their contributions to this program will never be forgotten.

Accolades
POTY: Erik McCune (12.1 pts, 8.1 asts, 1.8 stls)
Most Improved: Ross Kelly (10.3 pts, 1.9 stls, 40.3% OFG)
SMOTY: Ramon Valdes (10.7 pts, 6.3 rbs, 0.8 stls. 0.9 blks in only 17.1 mpg)

Graduates
Walt Baker
Former 1-star recruit
125 starts over 4 seasons
1309 rebounds (2nd all-time)
180 steals (5th all-time)
145 blocks (6th all-time)
Only player in NC Central history to be top 10 in both steals and blocks

Bart McKee
Started every game during his 2 years at Central
12.8 ppg (6th all-time)
1.8 spg (1st all-time)
37.7% 3P (1st all-time)
38.7% OFG (1st all-time)

Odell Haynes
1078 points
156 three pointers (9th all-time)
150 steals (12th all-time)

Gilbert Dial
479 points
353 assists (7th all-time)
83 steals

Sep 02 2021: Great Expectations - by thpoole on September 24th, 2021

NC Central is riding high coming off the best season in program history. The Eagles finished with a conference record of 25-5, good enough for promotion and a trip to the NCAA D3 tournament. The 12 seeded Eagles went on a Cinderella run to the elite before falling by 2 to the eventual champions Lousiana Tech. Despite the loss, 3rd-year head coach Sal Schrock had nothing but praise for his team in the post-game press conference. "There is not an ounce of disappointment, bitterness, or regret in my heart. The only thing I feel is proud of these young men and what they've accomplished."

Durham is buzzing with anticipation for NC Central's return to D2 next year. All but one player from the 2021 team returns, and with Ramon Valdes and Bernardo Murillo coming off their redshirt years, the team is flush with talent at all levels. AD Thomas Poole firmly believes that this team has what it takes to promote again next season and enter D1 for the first time in program history.

Accolades
POTY: Tracy Stowe (16 pts, 6.9 rbs, 1.1 blks)
Most Improved: Taye Black (12.0 pts, 40.6% from 3, 38.9% OFG)
SMOTY: Herman Edwards (5.2 pts, 3.7 rbs, 40.7% from 3)

Graduates
Taye Black
860 career points
123 steals (13th all-time)
89.7 FT% (1st all-time)