ROCKINGHAM — When his senior basketball season and college recruiting process was disrupted by the pandemic, Nygie Stroman didn’t panic.
Instead, he found a different route that he believes will keep him on the path to playing at the college level.
The Raiders’ standout 6-6 power forward announced on Twitter this week he would be joining Flight 22’s post-grad team during the upcoming fall through spring campaign.
One of the longest tenured grassroots showcase teams in the state, Flight 22 is based in Wilmington and coached by Nate Faulk. No stranger to the program, Stroman joined the U17 squad last July and has played in numerous tournaments.
“It was pretty frustrating, nothing was really normal this year,” Stroman explained. “I didn’t have any offers coming out of high school, and a lot of that had to do with the pandemic.
“So I thought why not test the waters and continue playing with Flight 22,” he added. “That helped make my decision easier since I already knew the program’s expectations, the coaches and how they coach.”
Flight 22’s post-grad program allows recent high school graduates the opportunity to play showcase basketball while taking up to nine college credits a semester. Stroman said he plans to attend either Richmond Community College or Wake Technical Community College.
Another benefit to the program is that it allows Stroman a chance to develop his skills on the court, while maintaining his four years of college eligibility.
“The biggest reason that I made this decision instead of going to play at a community college and transferring was that I will still have those four years of eligibility,” Stroman said. “I thought about signing with Pitt Community College, but I couldn’t pass up this opportunity.”
Last month, Richmond teammate Patrick McLaughlin signed to play at PCC. Stroman said he nearly went that direction, but said he wanted to pursue a “different route.”
For the Raiders this winter, Stroman was an instrumental part of the team going 8-5 and making it to the second round of the NCHSAA 4A state playoffs during a shortened slate.
A three-time All-Sandhills Athletic Conference selection, Stroman averaged 13.5 points and 7.6 rebounds per game this year.
He led the Raiders with 2.2 blocks per game and scored a season-high 25 points in both of Richmond’s playoff games against Heritage and Apex Friendship.
“I’m proud of him, especially since it was a different year for seniors trying to get to college,” Richmond head coach Donald Pettigrew said. “Now he gets another year of development, it’s a good opportunity for him and I know he’ll do good with where he’s going.
“Nygie can play multiple positions, he’s tough to guard, he can shoot outside and post up,” he added. “There are so many intangibles he has that will help him out a lot.”
Flight 22 post-grad alumni include former UNC guard Stilman White and former first-round NBA draft pick Cedric Simmons, both of whom were inducted into the program’s Hall of Fame.
Stroman will report to the team in September to begin a series of skills combines and practices. Flight 22 will play over 30 games in 10 different showcase events throughout the winter and spring.
“I want to continue to get better with my all-around game,” Stroman said. “I’m a little undersized so I want to build my body and muscle up to be prepared for the next level.
“My goal is to play Division I basketball and to do that I need to get stronger, faster and improve my ball handling skills,” he closed. “I’m just really excited and blessed for this opportunity.”
