On The Verge Of History?

Late Friday night Rocky Mount Prep joined both of the Rocky Mount High school teams as Saturday will be Rocky Mount day at the Eastern Regional.  Prep destroyed West Columbus 88-57 to advance to the Regional 1-A final where they will play Plymouth.   Gryphon girls play at noon, Gryphon boys play at 2pm and  the Prep Jags finish up the night at 6pm.   It will take enormous research to figure out whether one city has ever had three of it's school in the Regional finals all the same day.

Never in the history of Rocky Mount High have both the women and men played the same year with a chance to win a Regional Championship.  Saturday at high noon the girls play Burlington Williams a team that will do everything in their power  to stop Rocky Mount girls from getting to Chapel Hill.  No one has to this point and why has no one been able to?

Reason #1 is J'Kyra Bown.  There is no doubt she is a division one basketball player.  She has that something inside of her  that will not let her lose.  The reason this team wins is J plays within the team concepts and only takes over when it is time.  The past two weeks there have been moments that either Northern or West Craven could take control but she did instead.

Reason #2  Pam Gainey has adjusted her methods of attack in the last four meetings against Northern.  That shows me  she and her staff  are very capable of making the right decisions at the right time.

Reason #3  Every player on this team knows their role.  Tia Hudgins get rebounds and play defense.  Alexus Cooper helps control the ball and is excellent on defense.  Carmen Richardson has blossomed into a  spark plug on both defense and can help on offense.  Amani Kipp the biggest surprise of the season.  She needs to stay out of foul trouble.  Ty'ais Cooper  Ball handler from off the bench who can play D.  Kelsey Daniels is four minutes  per half on dominance in the middle on D. She is all elbows but any point from her is a bonus.

All the pieces fit.  If they fit for two more games  they just might?

Reason #1 for the boys:  Best thing that happen to this team was going to the Holiday Tournament and getting beat twice when they could have won  both.  Mike Gainey message of playing hard all the time finally hit home.

Reason #2;  Terrill Hilliard is a great teammate. Can score but loves to get an assist  for a teammate.  This team has so many options Terrill doesn't have to get 20 every night.

Reason #3.  This team seems to have everyone peaking together.  Donte Battle is just realizing as a sophomore he is a horse in the middle.  If he wants to be he can be unstoppable.  K J Peoples if he finds the right college could blossom into a all conference player at the next level. Levon Brutus, if he was six foot tall would be a D-1 basketball prospect.  Like K J if he finds the right school he could score 20 every night. Tabias Hilliard the guy who handles the ball and plays D.  Doesn't mind if he doesn't score.

 Tevin Taylor has one pretty jump shot and if he is on can bury a team in 30 seconds with the outside shot.  The Hines Brothers, Mason and Michael. There is no letup with them in the game.  They play great D but between them can get 10 points a game off the bench. Jaquell Bryant doesn't score when backing up Donte but there is no letup on D.

Then when rest of the bench plays they are better than anybody else's bench.  When I say bench I'm talking about players  #10-15 .

Reason #4  Taller and faster than most other teams.

Just two more to get.  One note which might be in Rocky Mounts favor.  The Gryphons won a state title in baseball in 2008, basketball in 2010 and this is an even year 2012.