Perchcast

The UNCW Seahawks play basketball this week!

It's just an exhibition game, but it'll be a fun one against a solid, uptempo High Point program that is also looking to build on an appearance in the NCAA Tournament.

Chopped Unc Bill Jones and TeacherBracket join to discuss what we've heard about preseason practice and what we're most interested to watch on Saturday afternoon in Trask. Also, some thoughts on lineup combos and the value of these games.

Training camp is over and it's almost time to set up the tailgates, so naturally, we're talking hoops on this lovely August evening!

With the CAA dropping the full schedule for the 2025-26 season, we've now got a full picture of the road to DC and UNCW's unprecedented 20-game home schedule. The Seahawks will have to find their footing on the road in January, but things set up nicely for Trask to be rocking in February.

With 60 days until the first exhibition game, a few thoughts on the roster, too!

UNCW Director of Athletics Mike Oblinger stops by for his annual summer check-in just as college sports enters a new era thanks to the House Settlement and the seismic changes resulting from revenue sharing.

Among the topics we covered:

- Mike reflects on his second full academic year in Wilmington, with the Seahawks again hanging multiple banners while experiencing plenty of success beyond competition.

- The Seahawk Club and fundraising is reaching new heights

- Another offseason, another shift in NIL

- Numerous facilities projects, both big and small

- More progress for the women's basketball program

- The men's basketball scheduling philosophy

- Channeling the MBB momentum for athletics as a whole

- The changing landscape of the CAA and the league's health as a whole

The man needs no introduction.

UNCW Legend and CAA Champion Donovan Newby joins the program to talk about his career as a Seahawk!

We're thrilled to talk with former Seahawk guard Jaylen Fornes about his journey in life and hoops, including two different stints at UNCW that saw his teams hang banners in Trask Coliseum.

Fornes, who also played pro ball in Denmark, played for three different coaches in Wilmington, with each at a distinct stage of building their program. He shares his perspective on getting to know Coach Takayo Siddle as a young assistant then reconnecting with him as a head coach as he looked to build a winning foundation.

Since returning home, Fornes has been working to build his clothing brand, Stack Your Days (www.stackyourdays.net) and working with young basketball players to make their dreams come true, just as he did as a young man from humble beginnings in Pamlico County.

Jaylen is an instant Perchcast legend and someone you'll see coaching very soon.

It's an *NCAA TOURNAMENT EDITION* of Perchcast!

The Seahawks got it done in DC with heart, grit, and defense. There are so many incredible moments and individual contributions to talk about from UNCW's run to its seventh CAA title.

We've enjoyed the celebration, but now it's time to go make some noise on the national stage against a GREAT Texas Tech team. The Hawks are going to have to play exceptionally well to get it done, but there is a path to victory.

DONOVAN NEWBY. (And every other guy on the roster, too.)

UNCW plays for a banner on Monday night after another classic matchup with Charleston. The most joyful exhaustion.

Coming to you live from DC, here's a quick one looking back at the Seahawks' incredible defensive effort in the win over Hampton, and looking ahead to UNCW-Charleston, Part 3 on Monday night.

Now that we've got the schedule for Sunday, a quick look at how UNCW matches up with Hampton and how the Seahawks can avoid a repeat of the most recent meeting.

We've assembled a squad of CAA luminaries to talk hoops leading into the CAA Tournament, including head coach Pat Skerry of the regular-season champion Towson Tigers.

After a good 45-minute chat with Coach Skerry, we were left to discuss everything tourney-related, including UNCW's possible opponents, the dream championship matchup, and more.

Also included are Friends of the Show Jerry Beach, Jake Eichstaedt, Trevor Everette, and Brian Mull.

Stay tuned for a UNCW-focused issue before the Seahawks open the tournament on Sunday evening!