East Versus West

It is very hard to make any predictions on any game when neither side has played one team that the other side played.  There is no way to even think you know who would be the favorite in a game such as this State Championship game.  You can only look at the trends

Easiest road to the Finals Hickory.  Their sectional all of the conference champions they would have had to beat lost before Hickory got there.  They did not play anyone in the Sectional that finished first or second in their conference. That's  no fault of their own and in order to win the State Title you need a bounce to go your way every now and then.  Rocky Mount faced Hertford County in the Sectional finals, West Craven Semi's of Regional and Triton in the Regional Finals all were conference Champions.  Hickory did beat two Conference Champs in the Regional to get to Chapel Hill,  Freedom and Concord.

You know coaches will try anything to win and Hickory's Shawn Johnson is bringing the team to Durham today  and they will practice  at Orange High School in Hillsborough tonight.  It surely cuts down on the trip Saturday from Hickory and then playing a game Saturday night.

If you are not a regular at Gryphon basketball games to me Mike Gainey seems to be a milder coach as the season has unfurled.  It was in the paper late in the season when the Fike mama's were upset when the Gryphons laid a 100 on their babies that Mike was still trying to get this team  to pour it on all the time not coast.   They have the last ten games been pretty good about keeping the petal to the metal.  An example of that was even with 30 turnovers against Triton the Gryphons won handily as they never let up.

I have been feeling good vibes all week for this one and the one thing the Gryphons have to do is cut down on the turnovers.  If they have 30 again Saturday they will not win.  They need to be quick but controlled.  If they do that they can win.

Game Time Saturday night on Power 95.5 will be 6.30 with a one hour pregame show. Tap off will occur about 7.35pm.   If you are hoping to listen to the live streaming of the radio broadcast Power 95 is not streamed.  If you go to News14.com that is Time Warner Cable State wide news on all Time Warner cable Systems and you can pick up a live TV feed of the game. Time Warner once again has the TV rights to all Championship games.  Turn down the TV and listen to Wes and me on Power.

Two years ago the entire city of Rocky Mount seemed to be at the game as we called on the radio we thought 7,000 were there in blue.  There is no reason that amount or more will not be there in the Dome Saturday night.  I know all schools from the area turned out to help support the Gryphons then and I know it will be the same again.  See you Saturday night at the Dome as the Gryphons go after the "SHIP".