Bulldog Bite Gryphons

Going into tonight's games Nash Central, Rocky Mount and Hunt were all tied for the lead in the Big East. Nash Central and Rocky Mount squared off with each other tonight in the dog pound trying to hold on to their share of the lead. When the lights had dimmed Nash Central had out scored Rocky Mount 66-65 in a game if this was a beauty pageant only ugly people showed up. Despite not being a classic game with two teams giving their best efforts it turned into a real night of entertainment for those who were there.

Nash Central outscored Rocky Mount 27-13 in the second quarter to run out to a 36-25 lead at the half. By the third quarters end the Gryphon had trimmed the lead to 49-45 and they opened the fourth quarter with Levon Brutus playing the best three minutes of basketball in his life. His surge gave Rocky Mount a 53-49 lead but the rest of this game would be a comedy of errors when it didn't look like either side wanted to win.

Tied 60-60 with 25 second left Rocky Mount missed two free throws and The Bulldogs missed two with 14 seconds to play. Until the end of the regulation both teams committed a turnover and the Bulldogs got off a scramble shot as time expired.

Sometime before the overtime started grease was applied to the ball and neither side did a very good good of advancing the ball to the goal. Nash Central had four free throws the last 15 seconds and managed to make the fourth one to give them a one point lead. The Gryphons had two turnovers one in which every player on the court touched before it rolled out of bounds. After all that they still got a desperation three point try off at the buzzer which hit the front rim.

Rocky Mount had 29 turnovers in the game and many were lazy cross court passes that Nash Central easily intercepted. Nash Central themselves committed 20. Jalen Hendricks lead the Bulldog scoring with 18 followed by Demetrey Clark with 16 and Nate Pittman 15. Exzavier Cooper score 18 for Rocky Mount and he added 12 rebounds.

Nash Central has a share of the lead depending on Hunt's outcome with Northern at Hunt tonight. Rocky Mount must come back with three conference games next week starting Monday at Fike.

The girls game can best be summed up by telling you that Nash Central failed to score in the third quarter. Had more turn overs 27 than points 24. Held their own on the boards with RM getting 31 to 24 for the Lady Bulldogs but what they could not do was find somebody to stop J'Kyra Brown who scored 21 points including four three pointers. Tia Hudgins tossed in ten for good measure as The Lady Gryphons stay unbeaten in conference play beating Nash Central 46-24. Charece Speight was the Bulldogs leading scorer with 8.

I would like to say that I wish the good folks at Nash Central would go by the fire department and get one of those Mega phones that the fire department uses when they are at fires, instead of that nose they call a PA system. Before the start of the boys game they introduced five young men who sang the National Anthem acapella and did a fantastic job. Unfortunately when they introduced each one you could not hear coach Gary Smith on the PA. Those five kids without a microphone were louder than the PA system.

I probably won the 50/50 raffle but who heard the numbers when they called them out. Please get a PA system that works.

Fellowship Of Christian Athletes

Last night a group of around 25 Rocky Mount High School athletes met and formed a chapter of the Fellowship Of Christian Athletes. Benton Moss was voted on to be it's president.

FCA is the largest christian sports organization in America. FCA focuses on serving local communities by equipping, empowering and encouraging people to make a difference for Christ.

We hear and see every day what is wrong with our youth and society in general and it is nice to see that there are those that care about our world more than what can our world do for me. There is hope for all of us yet.

Back during football season we talked about the balance of the league of the Big East and how even everyone was. Don't look now but the boys basketball can be said the same. Everyone in the league has lost at least one as they begin the second trip around. Most have only played four games with all the weather delays and at some point in time they will have a three conference game weekfor most.

Tonight two of those once beaten teams collide as Rocky Mount travels to Nash Central. Central has not lost since they lost the first conference game of the year at Rocky Mount.

This NFL labor talks stuff is really funny listening to each side talking their talk which of course is just positioning themselves for that final hour push to get an agreement. If you are the biggest sport around there is no way either side can afford to strike or lock their gates to keep the other side out. Our national economy is just not in a position where every day Joe wants to hear a bunch of millionaires fuss with Billionaires about how tough life is.

The world is in Raleigh starting today at the NHL All Star weekend is in town. This year they are going to have a draft and pick sides tonight for who will be on what team. I think this is a good idea. It is kind of like back yard ball where you pick two captains and they start picking who they want on their team. Most of the time you wind up with a pretty balanced team on both sides.