How Cam This Work?

After not being available for six straight games, where High Point went 5-1, the program confirmed announcement that Cam Fletcher would be back with the team for their game hosting Presbyterian on Thursday night (1/29/26). Welcome news for Panthers fans, that was never a guarantee.

That returns a player who averages 16.5 points per game, 7.8 rebounds per game, and someone with arguably the most natural talent in the Big South Conference -- to an HPU team that has hardly skipped a beat without him.

ALERT vibrations sent across the league, for sure!

While the masses around High Point rejoice, I find myself being cautiously optimistic.

Fletcher's absence has only ever been detailed as a "team issue, being handled internally." For a wild imagination, that can lead to a lot of outcomes. For me, it's as simple as the program and one of it's best talents not being in full agreement. However that misalignment has been resolved, it's fair to say that the outcome can be more beautiful than before.

But will it?

There's only a few ways that Fletcher's reentry to the team 'Cam' work:

No ONE Is Bigger Than The Team

Just like it's not Cam's fault when we lost to SIU, App St, & UAB, it's not because of Cam that we beat Longwood, Gardner Webb, Charleston Southern, USC Upstate, and Radford.

Add all the corny coach-speak. There's no 'I' in 'Team' and all that jazz.

In today's college ball, it's true. Too much is spent, on the creation of a roster, at so many different programs -- You can't win at the levels that High Point wants to, based off the talent of one player. You can't win at the levels that HPU wants, based off JUST the talent of five players.

Stay On Brand

It took me halfway through the season to see some consistent patterns.

When HPU performs it's best, they play a brand of basketball entrenched in them from pre-season practices.

This team needs to be active on their own end. They need to cause deflections, force turnovers, and get steals. And when they create that havoc on the defensive end, racing up the floor for fast-break scoring.

That concept started before the ball was ever tipped, and has led to the best results no matter WHO is dressed in Purple and White.

Everyone Has A Role

When players are removed for any reason, you always hear that everyone remaining will have to step up. Those roles evolve and should be realized that everyone on the team has one they NEED to play.

Have you noticed the added output from increased aggression from Owen Aquino? Is it not clear that Terry Anderson has been the best player and leader for this team? Chase Johnston is just now embracing being a vet leader, who means just as much as he always had whether he's starting or not.

None of that needs faulter because the insertion of someone new.

Be Open

This one's mostly for Cam.

You've been gone for 6 games. Practices in there, road trips, and just time has ticked by. If I know Cam, he'll be himself. But I think he also needs to be receptive. Open to helping the team in any manner possible.

All the same possibilities that were there at the start of the season, are really still in-play. He just needs to be open-minded on how to get there.

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Having Cam back is a welcome addition. It has loads of opportunity and benefit.

I'm just not hanging banners for on-paper victories. I'm holding my breath to see how it works.

I know it 'Cam'.