The Regional Trip

I had told you earlier this week that I think in the long run Fayetteville will be a better venue for the High School Regional than Greenville. I understand they have to get their act together as since Tuesday was their first night there are mistakes made that you have to learn from.

Tuesday night I had the pleasure to be chauffeured to Fayetteville by Pete Bradshaw Wes Bradshaw’s pop. Somehow or other Wes had convinced Pete that he needed to go to the game and for three of us Wes, Charles Alston and me we were able to take advantage of Pete wanting to have father/son time with his soon to be married son. A month to go before Wes is in prison like the rest of us.

We go walking over to the arena to pick up our press passes and find out that all passes are over at the coliseum and we start walking over seemed like a half mile to get passes. Along the way Jesse Nunnery and Allen Campbell of the Telegram are getting out of their car and we give them the news. They have enough sense to drive over. By the time we made it back over to the arena I thought Charles was going to need CPR and that would not be a pretty sight.

Once we hit press row the seats are first come first serve which is ok on a Tuesday night but I can tell you right now from experience that come Saturday when every media outlet in Eastern North Carolina shows up to cover four championship games that will not work. They need to have assigned seating.

There was no media guide at each seat which we have become accustomed to at Greenville and once we inquire about how to get one we find out they are over at the Coliseum. Forget that it is too close to game time to have to call the rescue squad for Charles if we walk back over to the big building.

Once they started announcing the line ups the PA was not very good. We start the game and I only know half of who’s playing for South Central. The score board they never put personal fouls on the board so it was hard to tell since you could not hear the PA who fouls were on. The score board showed the team time outs as five the whole game.

The arena the way it was set up Tuesday night had about 3,600 seats which is twice the size of Rose Gym. However come Saturday when the 3-A finals are held and you have 6,000 wanting to get in they have made a major mistake having the 3-A/1-A in the arena. Next year the 3-A/1-A will be held in the coliseum.

Sorry if this is not politically correct but the arena will be ok for the girls which gives them twice the seating that they have had before. They will lose money if people can’t get into the building to see the boys game because they just don’t have enough seats.

Half time there were no stats available on press row so I never found out the names of the players for South Central. When the game was over we never got any official game stats. The arena had a curtain at one end which when needed they can put up a stage. Behind that curtain was empty space when they set up the media room for the coaches to come talk as is normal. Being right beside the court once the second game started you could not hear the interviews and questions because of all the noise coming from the arena. They have got to get a better interview area.

This next statement is pure news media. If there is one thing they were good at was the Hospitality Room. Once the interviews were over of course us working media who rushed to get to the game not having time to stop to eat on the way got into the room they had a feast. This feast was first class. There was some left after we were gone. Surprising!

All in all despite coming home having lost the game this was a good trip bonding with Pete, Wes and Charles not so much but Pete was a good addition to our trip. The stop at Dunking Donuts on Ramsey Street in Fayetteville helped ease the pain of defeat.

Blue Tuesday

March the first was the first day of the season for spring sports and as it turns out the last day of winter sports. The Rocky Mount Gryphons travel to the semi finals of the Eastern Regional and come up short 70-67. Wes Bradshaw summed it up best while waiting for the coaches in the press room. "Rocky Mount played well enough to win but just poor enough to lose."

South Central jumped to a 32-19 lead midway in the second quarter and Rocky Mount went on one of those blitzes that they can go on a which was interrupted by the half time but continue in the third quarter. Midway in the third quarter Rocky Mount lead 49-37 which meant for about one quarter the Gryphons out scored the Falcons 26-5.

The Falcons built the 32-19 lead when Rocky Mount committed ten turnovers but only committed four during their rally. Once the rally stopped Rocky Mount committed another 11 turnovers to finish the game and finish the season.

Rocky Mount won the rebounding battle 43-28 while turnovers happened with people open under the basket giving away open points. The Gryphons had 25 for the game while causing 18 for the Falcons.

Donte Harper lead the Falcons with 17 and he was supported by 14 from Anthony Hilliard. Rocky Mount got the game of his rebounding life from Terrell Hilliard who recovered 18 rebounds and lead Rocky Mount with 15 points. Kenyatta Bullock added 10, Tevin Taylor 8, Tecoby Hines 9, Exzavier Cooper also had 8.

No back to back titles for the Gryphons as they fall at the Eastern Regional 70-67 to South Central. Baseball opened the season at Rose and it was 0-0 after five until errors took over and Rose beats the Gryphons 5-0. In softball the Lady Gryphons lose at Farmville Central 13-2.

Indeed a Blue day in Gryphon land.