If Aaron Denton has learned in his first season as head men's basketball coach for the Sandhills Flyers, it's to expect the unexpected.

From buzzer-beating baskets, to backboard busting dunks, to lengthy delays, and some tremendous invidiual efforts both for and against, the first-year Flyers have seen a lot.

"We've had a lot of things happen to us this year, so I am hoping it has prepared us for whatever comes our way."

Sandhills CC (7-11) in the midst of a five-game road trip -- its longest of the season. The trip is part of a grueling stretch in which the Flyers will play eight of 10 away from home.

The next game of the trip is Monday at Vance Granville Community College.

The Flyers began the road trip Wednesday with a 111-65 loss to Caldwell College. The Cobras (11-2) are ranked No. 9 in the current NJCAA Division III Poll.

Germann Bostic scored a game-high 27 points against Caldwell, but it wasn't enough as six Cobras scored in double figures and the team shot 69 percent from the field.

"They play a very up-tempo style and once they pulled ahead it was tough for us to slow the pace down. They shot the ball extremely well as they typically do at home."

Prior to Wednesday's defeat, the Flyers have won three straight, including a 102-95 triumph over Oxford Tuesday at O'Neal, thanks to 1-2 offensive punch of Bostic and Philip Moultrie.

Bostic, coming off a 50-point effort in a win Saturday, scored 34 and Moultrie added 25 points and 16 rebounds to lead the Flyers, who dressed seven players for the game and played only six, due to an array of injuries.

Moultrie also provided a little sideshow, and a 10-minute delay to the start of the game, when he shattered one of the sidecourt backboards at the small private school located across from SCC.

The Flyers have have been streaky this season. Early on, the team had losing streaks of four and six games sandwiched around a three-game win streak. The Flyers entered Wednesday with a three-game win streak.

"We are playing better right now," Denton said. "This (stretch of road games) would be much tougher if we were coming in on a losing streak."

Denton hopes to have seven or eight, maybe nine healthy players when the team plays Vance Granville.

Tuesday six players were enough, thanks to Bostic. The reigning NJCAA Division III Player of the Week, continued his torrid pace, scoring 23 first-half points to help the Flyers overcome an early 11-point deficit. The 6-2 guard slashed to the basket for easy scores and then burned the defense with deadly long-range shooting.

"He was there when we needed him to be," Denton said.

With his team trailing 33-24, Bostic reeled off 21 points in a 27-6 run over the final 6:30 of the first half to give the Flyers a 53-39 lead.

The only thing that slowed Bostic was foul trouble. He picked up his fourth foul with 14:12 remaining in the game and went to the bench with 30 points and his team leading 65-50.

With Bostic out, Moultrie took over. The 6-5 post player displayed an array of spins, dribble drives, dropsteps, and up-and-under moves around the basket to score 17 second-half points. Thirteen of those came in a 17-9 spurt that gave the Flyers an 82-59 edge with 8:44 left.

A flurry of three-pointers helped Oxford trim the margin to 97-91 with a minute left, but the Flyers secured the win from the free throw line.

Peter Ricks led Oxford with 23 points. Travis Kitchen added 17. Four other Oxford players scored 12 points each.

For the Flyers, Demetrese McRae and Anthony Chapman each scored 15 points, and Jacob Darr contributed 11 points and 12 rebounds. Chapman added nine rebounds.

Despite playing the game with only two guards, the Flyers committed only 12 turnovers.

"Generally speaking, when we don't turn the ball over we win," Denton said.

"But tonight I can't tell you how proud I am of the guys and the way they played."

Contact Tom Embrey at 693-2477 or by e-mail at tembrey@thepilot.com.