PEMBROKE — The goal of The University of North Carolina at Pembroke’s Moonlight Madness each year is simple enough — start the basketball season with a light-hearted, low-pressure, fun exhibition to show the Braves fan base what it has to look forward to for the upcoming season.

Thursday’s edition of the event would suggest another fun season in store for the men’s and women’s Braves teams, with both new and familiar faces in contributing roles.

“This is all for the fans,” Braves men’s head coach Drew Richards said. “It’s kind of evolved from using it as a legit competition to wanting (the team) to have fun, enjoy it. We had a great crowd like we usually do, they were getting into it, and I just wanted to make sure the guys had a good time. I told our staff, if we can get through here, have a good time, put on a little bit of a show and get through here with no injuries, it’s a good Moonlight Madness.”

The event included a 3-point competition as part of a tuition giveaway promotion, a dunk contest and 15-minute running-clock scrimmages for both the UNCP men’s and women’s teams.

The Braves men are coming off a Conference Carolinas regular-season championship last winter, but the core of that team graduated, leaving a very new look to the team’s roster as it begins the 2022-23 season.

“I love the atmosphere here,” said Bryce Brown, one of the newcomers. “I love the city; it’s a small town but they make you feel very at home and comfortable here. The team loves everybody and everybody loves us, so I’m excited for a great season.”

In the scrimmage, the Black team — which included starters JaJuan Carr, Cortez Marion-Holmes, Javonte Waverly, Nygell Verdier and Jakari Gallon — won 54-45 over the Gold team — with starters Lureon Walker, Bryce Brown, K.J. Walker, Elijah Cobb and Bradlee Haskell.

In a game filled with dunks and 3-pointers, returners Marion-Holmes and Gallon were among the standouts for the Black side, while newcomers Bryce Brown and Amare Miller had good nights for the Gold team.

“When coach recruited me, he said he liked to have a four that can stretch the floor,” Brown said. “He’s cool enough to let me shoot the shots I think I can make, and I’m comfortable enough playing how he wants me to play. I think I can make a very big impact this year.”

Richards likes what he’s seen so far in the preseason from both the returning set, which also includes Verdier, Haskell and Waverly, as well as his newcomers.

“I’ve been really happy with the returners; they’ve really stepped up and they’re working really hard, putting in the time and the hours and trying to lead, things like that,” Richards said. “I think the new guys are kind of getting acclimated. It’s been a cool process to see.”

In the women’s game, the Gold team — including starters Kelci Adams, Zaria Clark, Alcenia Purnell, Aminata Johnson and Lillian Flantos — won 15-13 against the Black team — with starters Aniah McManus, Courtney Smith, Malea Garrison, Kelly Luck and Hannah Russell.

Of the 28 combined points, 18 were scored on 3-point shots, including two each made by Adams and Luck.

“It was a lot of fun to be with the team and be in front of a crowd, and introduce all the new people,” Adams said. “I think we’re going to do great this season and I’m really excited.”

“I think we’ve got a number of kids that can make some 3s and hopefully stretch the defense out,” Braves women’s head coach John Haskins said. “We’ve got to get some inside game. I think we’ve got some potential, but we’ve got to keep getting better.”

While the Lady Braves return the majority of the team from last year, the roster does include four newcomers; Johnson, Kalaya Hall and Garrison transferred into the program and Coleman arrives as a freshman.

“So those four newcomers, to go along with the nucleus — we’ve got a good blend of some veteran players with some new kids,” Haskins said. “The new kids, three of the four of them have some college experience.”

K.J. Walker and Coleman teamed up to win the 3-point shooting competition. A student, for whom they were playing in a three-way competition, then had a chance to hit a half-court shot for free tuition for a semester, but she missed.

JaJuan Carr won the dunk competition. Carr and Amare Miller advanced into the final round after eliminating Lureon Walker and Verdier in the first round; Amare Miller missed four dunks in his allotted 30 seconds, and Carr missed three tries before making an elementary dunk as time expired, one which bounced in the air and fell in, and judges awarded him the win.

UNCP’s men open the season on Nov. 12 by hosting the Conference Challenge; they will face Newberry at 11 a.m. before hosting Catawba the next night at 7 p.m. to compete the event.

The Lady Braves have preseason exhibitions scheduled Tuesday at High Point and Thursday at N.C. State before their regular-season opener against Coker on Nov. 11 at Wingate as part of the Conference Challenge.