Basketball standout McMahan makes history as he leads Veritas Christian to a solid season
In the four years senior Aldric McMahan has been on the Veritas Christian boys basketball team, it's been a roller-coaster ride, a ride he's not yet ready to see come to an end.
After averaging just 1.5 points as a freshman and after enduring a tough 0-17 season his sophomore year, Aldric is now enjoying success on the court and so are the Warriors. They started with eight straight wins and are now 8-2 heading into the second half of the season. Leading the way is Aldric, who is averaging 29.1 points per game.
The Fletcher native has been attending Veritas since he was in kindergarten, and during his basketball career there, he's had three different head coaches. As his high school career comes to an end, he said he's excited to end it on a high note.
"It has been very productive both academically and athletically, and I really enjoy having Coach (Tom) Young as my basketball coach this year," Aldric said.
He started the season on fire, dropping 34 points in a win over the Asheville Trailblazers and then following that up with 30 in a win over Long Shoals Wesleyan Academy. But that was just the beginning. On Nov. 16 against Pinnacle Classical Academy, he had his best game ever with a career high of 53 points — a single-game school record.
Young said it's great to see McMahan being a true team captain and says he is the "engine powering (the) team to a successful season thus far."
"Aldric is the type of student-athlete you dream about coaching," Young said. "Veritas Christian Academy has a rigorous classical Christian curriculum, which demands a lot more of each student-athlete than a typical high school curriculum. The success we are seeing as a team this year has a lot to do with the hard work he has put in on and off the court."
He's come a long way since seeing very limited time as a freshman and also since that winless sophomore season he'd like to forget.
"It was awesome to see our work pay off over time, and our team’s chemistry finally began to click," Aldric said.
Now as he is entering his final games, he's looking forward to playing at the next level. But his main focus is on academics, he said.
"My plan is to pursue a business degree and then hopefully get into real estate," Aldric said. "One NCAA Division III school has come out to watch me play. Outside of that, we are being proactive in reaching out to potential small colleges."
Young said with the coronavirus pandemic, the recruitment process has been challenging.
"2020 put Aldric in a tough spot, as a junior, limiting the number of games being played, thus reducing the exposure he would normally have received. We have been in the process of contacting NCAA Division III and NAIA schools that fit him as both a student and athlete," Young said. "We have had one Division III school come out to watch him play and we hope to see more as the season continues. I believe he can play at the next level; it's just about finding the right opportunity and fit."
Young said the team is now focused on finishing strong heading to the postseason.
"We have a goal of winning the regular season and conference tournament championship in the Western Piedmont Conference. After that we plan on taking on state and hopefully bringing home a championship. We have a long road ahead of us, but we feel confident in the team we have," the coach said.
This article originally appeared on Hendersonville Times-News: Boys basketball standout McMahan sets a record at Veritas Christian
