ROCKINGHAM — A former Richmond Senior High School standout basketball player will compete in the annual East-West All-Star Game next week.
Nygie Stroman, who graduated from Richmond in June, was recently named as a replacement for the East team.
The latest edition of the East-West All-Star Game will be played on Monday, July 19, in the Greensboro Coliseum.
The East-West All-Star Game was started in 1949 by Bob Jamieson, who was the football coach at Grimsley High School in Greensboro, to help fund the North Carolina Coaches Association coaching clinic.
Since then, it’s blossomed into an annual event that features some of the top athletes from across the state who are recent high school graduates. Contests are held for boys’ and girls’ basketball, football and boys’ and girls’ soccer.
Stroman, a three-year varsity starter for the Raiders and head coach Donald Pettigrew, got the call last week that he would be joining the 10-player East team.
He’ll be joined by fellow Sandhills Athletic Conference players Matthew Locklear and Charlie Miller (Lumberton) and Bradlee Haskell (Pinecrest), and the team will be coached by Eric Davis (Laney) and Bobby Williams (Riverside-Martin).
Stroman said that having a host of familiar faces on the team will give the East squad a good chance at winning the game. He’s been on travel teams with many players like Locklear and Miller, and Stroman believes that that chemistry will help the team as a whole.
“I felt like I was overlooked the first time, but to even be considered is still an honor” Stroman said. “God had a plan for me to play in this game, and even though I’m considered a replacement, I don’t see it like that. I’m glad to have the opportunity to play in it.”
A three-time All-Sandhills Athletic Conference selection, Stroman averaged 13.5 points and 7.6 rebounds per game during the Raiders’ shortened season this past winter.
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.
“This is a great opportunity for him and he deserves it,” Pettigrew said. “For the last four years, Nygie has been one of our leaders, and he’s always been a class act and a team guy.
“The more he plays, the better he’ll get,” he added. “It was a crazy year with COVID, but he kept his head held high and never stopped the grind. I’m thrilled for him to get to play in the East-West All-Star game in front of a lot of coaches.”
Since graduating from Richmond, Stroman has joined the Flight 22 Post-Grad program, based in Wilmington, which allows former high school players an extra year to try and get recruited.
He recently played in a tournament in Georgia with Flight 22, and will return to action with the team after the East-West All-Star Game for a tournament in Indiana. Since he began play with Flight 22, Stroman has received offers from Pfeiffer University and North Carolina Wesleyan College.
“I felt like if I worked hard, there would be more offers to come as a member of the class of 2022,” Stroman explained. “I was glad to get those two offers to get the ball rolling and I know Pfeiffer has some good connections with the pros and the overseas route, so I hope to continue my goal of playing professionally.”
Not giving up on his dream to play basketball at a four-year university, Stroman has continued to workout in the weightroom and has spent hours in the gym this summer to better his game.
He said he’s been focused on getting faster and stronger on the court, while adding some explosiveness to his game. Stroman noted he’s been working on his ball handling and guard skills, and hopes to transition to playing the 2 or the 3 position instead of being a post player.
The East-West All-Star Game gives Stroman another opportunity to play in front of college coaches and recruiters, which is something he hopes to capitalize on.
“I’m excited to show my talent against some of the best players in North Carolina, and I hope I can showcase my skills against other Division I recruits,” Stroman said. “I’m expecting some North Carolina college coaches to be there and I want them to see that I can compete at a high level.
“Hopefully that will speed up my recruitment process,” he added. “I’m looking forward to competing and getting my name out there. I also want to learn from the coaches and players and put that into my game to help me get better.”
Richmond Senior High School also has two football players, Kaleel Brown (DL) and Tremel Jones (WR) playing in the East-West All-Star game later this month. Greg Williams will also help coach the East football team.
The girls’ All-Star Game will begin at 6:30 p.m., followed by the boys’ game at 8:30 p.m.
