Look Out Fayetteviile

For the ninth time in the last five years a School representing Rocky Mount will be headed to Fayetteville to play in the eastern basketball regional.  The Rocky Mount boys have been four times, the Rocky Mount Prep boys have been twice. The Rocky Mount girls went once and now the Lady Knight will be making their second appearance in the last four after they completely dominated the Big Eight Number two team Cardinal  Gibbons 59-41.

The Lady Knights wasted little time jumping on Gibbons leading 17-4 after one and by 16 at the half.  Gibbons cut the lead to nine early in the fourth quarter but the Lady Knights had one more fast gear to get to and pull away down the stretch.

They will play Tuesday time yet undetermined in the Crown Coliseum  which is the big barn of the two arenas in the parking lot.  They will play a team that always seems to meet the Big East team some where in the playoffs West Craven who was a 59-50 winner tonight.

Back toward the middle of the state Rocky Mount girls for the second time this week they fell behind and once again they make a big comeback.  Wednesday they trailed by nine at the half and tonight by 11 but unlike Wednesday their come back comes up short as the Lady Gryphons lose for the second year in a grow in a sectional final 62-56 to Union Pines.

This is the fifth year of the Big East as a 3-A conference and all five years the Big East will have a boys team in the Regional Hunt tonight had no problem with Westover winning 59-43.  They will play Wednesday night in Fayetteville.
Tonight in High School base base Bunn beat Rocky Mount 8-6 while Northern Nash beat Roanoke Rapids 11-4.

Big East Women Proving To Be Power House

The only way to judge how good a conference is, is to watch their progress of it's team during the playoffs.  The Big East right off the bat loses two teams after they are matched up in the opening round against the top two team. Hunt as the number three team fell on the road in a rather close game. The top team Northern Nash has played as a top team  with two comfortable wins.  As the number two seed Rocky Mount had a home game Monday and they were suppose to win but Wednesday the Lady Gryphons took a step beyond their seeding.  The Big East girls are 4-1 against all other through two rounds.

The Lady Knights take on Cardinal Gibbons Friday night in Red Oak and the Lady Knights should be favored.  I think you will find CG will be rather tall but maybe not athletic.  They are members of the Big Eight conference.  NN will have home court.  Now home court doesn't mean a thing unless there is a full house acting crazy.

CG is in the same conference as Chapel Hill who like Northern is a number one seed in their bracket. they played Chapel Hill and Chapel Hill swamped them twice and in the conference tournament won by more than ten.  I think the Lady Knights win by more than ten.  There is good news is when your three top players sit the pine in foul trouble and you still win by double digits you have a solid bench.


Rocky Mount heads to Union Pines which is located in Cameron and if you are asking the question where is Union Pines it is located in Cameron near Pinehurst.  Union Pines is a member of the Cape Fear 3-A.  The first game of the season they played Cardinal Gibbons and Gibbons won by double digits.

There is no doubt in my mind  that this Lady  Gryphon team has superseded all expectations. With only Carmen Richardson returning who scored any where near double digits.  She has played at an MVP level.  The play of the inside freshman and sophomores has given this team play that nobody expected.  T T Thomas is a ball hawk and defense has been this teams strength.  Don't be shocked if the Lady Gryphons take this game right to the wire.

I would suspect that Mike Gainey will be in deep depression for several days after the way the Boy Gryphons lost to Havelock. Record wise this season is a disappointment but if you look at the whole season they didn't lose to anybody all season that wasn't really good.

Gryphon baseball starts today and the home season starts tomorrow at 4pm.  Northern started their season yesterday and loss to Bunn 1-0.  I think Northern has the best pitching staff in the league but in order to win they have got to score 3 or 4.

Too Much Going On In Too Many Places

The fourth Wednesday  night of every month I am on a team at church  that cooks and I am the dishwasher. The  Gryphon boys are too far to go, the Gryphons girls in are too far in the opposite
Direction so I'll be through with the dishes in time to get over to Northern to watch the Lady Knights play.  Late this afternoon heard that the Northern game had been pushed up to six pm to give East Alamance time to get home earlier for school tomorrow so I can't even get over there.

Tonight Northern Nash Lady Knights playing a second round sectional game  against East Alamance  spurted out to a 13-2 lead after the first quarter and if they could of made free throws might have won with ease  but East Alamance would not go away but Northern advances with a 50-40 win and advance  to the sectional final Friday night at Northern.  Alexus Hill lead Northern with 22 despite being in foul trouble from the very first play of the game.  Northern will host Cardinal Gibbons. 50-49 winners tonight. Gibbons will head to Northern sporting a 24-6 record

The upset of the girls tournament tonight happened in Burlington as the Lady Gryphons win at Burlington Williams 45-40.  Williams had lost only  2 games all year.  Rocky Mount will now travel to Union Pines Friday in their third straight sectional final.  union Pines is 24-4 on the year.

 Havelock 80 Rocky Mount  79.  I have heard the Gryphons were leading 79-77 and Havelock made a mid court shot at the buzzer.This will end a streak of four straight   years that the Gryphons have made the Regional.  During this streak Rocky Mount has two State titles, four sectional wins and an overall playoff record the last five years of  20-3.

The Big East  boys top seed  Hunt has  advanced  beating Northeast Guilford 72-51.  They have made their sectional Final at Hunt Friday night.

Miles A Part

Ever since the change was made a few years ago that both boys and girls high school playoffs start the same night and the sectional ends on Friday with Saturday as a weather date if needed I like it when both teams play at the same time same place.  In the past few years it has meant that the Gryphons  were always home at the same time  Last year for the first time we in this area were faced  with a major problem.

The Gryphon girls played for the sectional finals in Vanceboro against West Craven while the boys won their sectional at home.  Boy the texting was hot between Vanceboro and Rocky Mount as the Lady Gryphons lost in the last seconds.

Wednesday more decisions will have to be made.  The girls play 116 miles west in Burlington and the boys play 118 miles south east in Havelock.  They will both be playing at the same time 203 miles from each other and both will be under dogs.

The Lady Gryphons 15-8 have the taller task playing Williams High in Burlington.  Williams is 21-2 and we all think we had a tough  time around here with the weather.  Last night's first round sectional game was the first time they had played a game since Feb. 5th.  They did not get to finish their regular season games or play in their conference tournament.  If the Lady Gryphons have a shot just maybe being out of school and no practice the Lady Gryphons can out last a team maybe not in great condition with the long lay off. The lay off didn't seem to hurt them last night. The Lady Gryphons will have to play better than at any other time to win this one.

Even though the Gryphon boys 16-8 are on the road they have a shot against Havelock.  Havelock lost their first five games of the season because of their football team playing in December and since football ended they are 17-1.  If you look at those last 18 games  they haven't beaten to many really good teams in that stretch.

Last night the first five minutes of the third quarter the Gryphons play state championship caliber basketball but there is their problem.  This teams has shown signs of being really good and then look awful for twenty minutes and you can't win in the playoffs like that.  I have no idea Havelock's  17-6 size but judging looking at who they have beaten the Gryphons have a shot to play Friday.

The only team enjoying home cooking Wednesday is Northern Nash girls 23-1.  They play East Alamance 17-6 who beat Big East Hunt by 9 Monday.  Northern beat Hunt by 17 at Hunt and by 9 at home.  Northern will have to play well to win but if they play their A game  they will play again Friday.

This is the second round of the playoffs so all of the teams filling in the slots to make 32 playoff field were eliminated Monday.  Eastt Alamance is a good team that Northern had better not go to sleep on. I think the home gym in basketball is harder for the visiting  team that any other team sport to win at. The Lady Knights are the only team home Wednesday.  Pack the Gym for them.

Rocky Mount Wins Twice Northern wins

The Rocky Mount Gryphons open the 2014 state playoffs as the number two seeds and earned home games.  The girls had to endure beating Nash Central for the fourth time and for more than a half the Lady Gryphons looked as if they didn't care whether the season ended tonight or not.  The only thing that kept them in the game was their defense didn't let the Buldogs score either.

 The Lady Bulldogs lead 11-4 after one when the Lady Gryphons fumbled the ball ten times.  It is hard to score when you can't get off a shot and most were fumble fingers turnovers not steals by the Bulldog defense.  Rocky Mount only had a single turnover in the second and putting up shots some went in and they lead 19-17 at the half.

Both teams traded buckets in the third with Nash Central out scoring the Gryphons 8-6 to make it all square after three 27 all.  The  fourth quarter to Carmen Richardson as she had 7 points  after three quarters but scored 9 in the fourth and point number three in the fourth pushed her to over a thousand for her career. The Lady Gryphon won the fourth 17-9 to advance to round  two.
Carmen Richardson ended with 16 points and 9 rebounds and TT Thomas scored10.  Michael Helms  My'ya Styles and Myra Spivey all scored 8 for the Bulldogs.

The night cap the boys took to the floor against a team similar to Hunt as far as size but no where  near the talent in the guards as Hunt has and the longer the game went the farther Eastern Guilford's shot got and they didn't make enough.  Several times in the third quarter the Gryphons led by 22 but the fourth quarter were  too many missed foul shots and too many turnovers and the Gryphons coast to. 77-63 win in round one.

 The first there quarters Asaiah Alston lit the the score board with 27 but did not score in the fourth. Dante Battle playing his last home game had 19 Points and 12 rebounds. Emmanuel King didn't do too bad either scoring 13 and hauled down 14 rebounds.  The Gryphons snatched 39 rebounds while limiting Eastern Guilford to 23.  Rocky Mount did a great job in the first half committing just 7 turnovers but in the second half bumped that total to 19.  The Wildcats had 11 miscues on the night.

Top Girls seed Northern  played with Fike for a half until the lowered the hammer in the second half winning 65-42.  It was 29-25 Northern at the half.

The big East top seeded boys Hunt beat Eastern Wayne 85-60 while Fike lost their first round game  85-78 to Westover. Hunt will host Westover Wednesday.

Rocky Mount  boys head Wednesday head to Havelock who defeated Cardinal Gibbons 68-55.  As I publish this have no word yet the outcome of the Grey's Crek ay Burlington Williams .  Williams has lost but three games all season and if Williams wins the Lady Gryphons head there Wednesday.

Let's Be Truthful

The NCHSAA basketball playoffs begin Monday and every team that takes part as of right this minute are dreaming of turning their seasons around and make magic happen.  Let's take of look at each in our area and see what are their chances.  Match ups  each and every game are very important and this review is not about who you will play but what each has to do or not do to advance.

We will start with the best chance to make it to the Regional the Lady Knights of Northern Nash.   They by far are the most complete team in the area.  They have an over all leader in Alexus Hill who does not have to score to be the leader.  She is how ever a great scorer when needed.  They are tall but any one taller in the playoffs they are athletic enough to  to neutralize the other teams size.

 They have a player would could make the all mud team in Susie Sykes.  She is the dive on the floor player who does what has to be done to win.  Most importantly they have an emerging point guard in Alexia Hines. She seems taller than she is  and plays excellent defense.  Quick on defense and on offense.  The team that beats them will have to out play them.

The Lady Gryphons are truly a team that has gotten every ounce from every player this year.  I said right here on this blog in early December they would be lucky to win eight games.  They have and MVP candidate in Carmen Richardson but after that where are the points coming from.  It has come this year from a group that was totally committed to playing the Pam Gainey defense. Nothing makes a team look any better that putting the ball in the hole and their defense makes plays.  The team that beats them will not let their defense bother them and will have too much offense for them to stop?

Nash Central has Mi'Ya  styles and there. is their weakness.  They have not developed any other offensive threats to threaten another teams defense.  I heard a coach from the bench last week say"stop Mi'Ya and you stop Nash Central.

How in the world did Fike  get in the playoffs over Southern Nash?  Better overall record.  The top three seeds were guaranteed spots and after that best overall record. Fike was 9-15 while Southern 8-15.  They have one player E J Proctor stop her and you stop Fike.

Hunt boys have an inside player in Josh Willingham at 6'6" is a quick player and he is the only player in the Big East that can match Rocky Mounts front line.  They have guards that if they switch jerseys you would never know it.  They are quick good defenders and all of them can shoot.  Have a great chance to make it to the a Regional and if they lose any where along the way it wil be a big team that can match their guards.

If there is one team hurt more by this weird schedule that two weeks of exams and two weeks of weather dealt this winter it was the Rocky Mpunt boys.  They have been in search for a point guard all season and practice is where you find players who step forward.  They begin the playoffs with the best front court in the east in Dante Battle and Emmanual King. They even have tall back up in Jaquell Bryant who while he is in the game make them tougher to score on inside.  Isaiah Alston and Brod Caudle are excellent outside shooters.  The team that beat RM will neutralize the front court and win the guard play.

That is what has happened in every Gryphon loss.  If Rocky Mount finds magic they can be a hard out for any one.  If they don't get great guard play this week the season will end without a fifth straight trip to the regional.


Southern Nash has their best all round team since I have been in this area.  They are a team of excellent shooters but no size at all.   Fike is as talented of a team in Big East as there is.  Seems they don't have the discipline down the stretch which points to guard play.  If they would catch fire they could go along way.  If not home early.

Pod System Is Back?

The playoff seedings are out and yes Rocky Mount's two basketball teams will be hosting Monday Night the time not yet established but Gryphons will have one more home game this year.  The Gryphon Boys are seeded 11th drawing East Guilford 16-6.  The girls seeded 12th get Nash Central seeded 21st.

To make things worse The number two overall seed Northern Nash gets a home game against Fike.  So the first round of the state playoffs the Big East will lose two teams without losing outside the conference.  By virtue of being the number two seed Northern could if they keep winning get the first three games at home.

Northern should they win Monday draw the winner of the 14/19 game Triton and Cleveland. Rocky Mount and Nash Central will send the winner to a Wednesday meeting to 8/25 winner as long as number eight West Brunswick wins.  West Brunswick is 8-14 if 25 wins Rockingham Co 12-10 wins then RM/NC winner would get a home game.  Hunt as the 17th seed is in same bracket as RM-NC  and should Hunt pull two major upsets could be a third game foe if Either is a live Friday.

Rocky Mount boys are paired up with three seed Terry Sanford 19-3-30 seed Morehead-7 seed NE Guilford15-7.  Should the Gryphons win and NE Guilford win the Gryphons hit the road Wednesday. Terry Sanford would be in waiting for that Wednesday winner if they win as expected.  Hunt is seeded 2nd  and Fike 23rd so that gas Fike in same bracket as Hunt and just might play their arch rival Friday if they both win twice this week.

Boy did Southern Nash and Rocky Mount do well in the State wrestling.  As a team Southern finished 4th with 57 points while Rocky Mount scored 50.  Southern 160 pound wrestler Jacoby Benjamin finished 2 nd .  Rocky Mount wrestler 120 pounds freshman Wilson Smith finished third.  RM wrestler 195 pounds Keyaad Coley finished 3rd.  220 pound Southern Nash wrestler Ryan Ashley finished 3rd.

  All of these wrestlers lost only one match all weekend.  Only Benjamin made it to the last match before he lost.   The final to wrestlers Southern's Jordan Lacrasse 4th at 126 and Rocky Mount wrestler Rahshaun Elliott finished 6th.  I don't know if both Southern and Rocky Mount have ever done so well at the same time as this year.

Simply Better

The Lady Nights of Northern Nash have played the Lady Gryphons four times and three times won by double digits.  Tonight with the Big East Tournament crown on the line Northern survives a valiant Gryphon effort but wins again.  They are simply better the the Gryphons. Northern wins the girls crown 52-45 but the game was a classic Northern -Rocky Mount dog fight

Three times  the Hunt Warriors  have tangled with Rocky Mount this season and twice they have won on Rocky Mount's  court.  Tonight the Gryphons gave a supreme effort and once again Hunt is simply better in the guard position. Rocky Mount trailed by 9 in the first quarter  but managed to take a six point lead in the third before Hunt made winning plays and win 68-61.

The scores don't reflect how close both of these games were. Tournament MVP Alexus Hill scored 19 most came down the stretch when Northern needed them most.  Smooth Kiana Thomas score 11 for Northern but she got11 rebounds which more than doubled any other Lady Knight.

Carmen Richardson lead Rocky Mount with 14 points but she sat almost all the third quarter with foul trouble.  Keyanna Spivey was Rocky Mount's only inside player who match Northern's inside game getting 13 points and 10 rebounds.

Twice this year Hunt has beaten Rocky Mount in close games in the last minutes.  Both times Hunt's guards made the plays getting the ball in the hands of the people who could make the plays while the Gryphon guards couldn't.

Tournament MVP Josh Willingham had the most points with 17 but he also was the only Warrior who could get inside of Rocky Mount's big men.  Justin Jeferson,Quan Kent scored from the outside and managed to get Willingham the ball.

Northern 22-1 a waits the seedings which should get them a number one seed in a sectional.  Hunt at 20-3 more than likely will receive a sectional number one but three losses will have them sweating the seeding announcement.  Both Rocky Mount teams should get two seeds which more than likely give Gryphons fans another home double header Monday. Remember that is not official until the seedings are announced Saturday afternoon.

Fifteen wrestlers from Nash County Took part in the state wrestling championship and every one won at lease one match.  Saturday is state championship day and one Jacoby Benjamin 160 pounds from Southern Nash will be the only one with a shot to win a state title.

Three others are still in the running to finish as high as third.  Keyaad Coley 195 from Rocky Mount has won three of his four matches.  Also still alive for third are Jordan Decosse 126 Southern Nash and Wilson Smith 120 from Rocky Mount.

Top Dogs Advance

Hunt the Number  one seed in Big East had to contend with county rival Fike in the semi finals of the Big East tournament and had to grind away to advance to the final beating Fike 77-59 while in the night cap host and number two seed Rocky Mount played the number three seed Southern Nash and both played about as sloppy of a first half as you can get tying 19-19.  The Gryphons came out and smoked Southern in the third period scoring 30 while holding Southern to 15 and that was enough to get Rocky Mount into Friday night's final winning 66-52.

Hunt had four scorers in double figures with Josh Willingham leading the way with 22, Justin Jefferson 16'Keenon Tabron 13 and Quan Kent 11.  Fike countered with two double figure scorers MyQuan Gooding 14 and Trevon Virgil 12.  Both teams collected 31 rebounds but Fike's  down fall was they committed 21 turn overs  while making Hunt miscue only 12 times.

Hunt jumped to a 20-6 first quarter lead and Fike never got any closer than seven at any time rest of the night.  Hunts wins their 19th with only three losses and Fike after starting 12-0 fall to 18-7 with all seven losses coming at the hands of Big East teams.

Rocky Mount had to rely on the rebounding advantage  getting 44 to only 20 by the Firebirds.  Emmanual King scored 19 points 13 rebounds.  Shooting guard Asaiah Alston   scored 19 and he almost got a double double getting 9 caroms.  Donte Battle rounded out the double double game getting 11 points and 13 boards.

Southern was lead by Bryan Vines  who had 15 points and Aaron Newkirk was the Firebirds rebound leader getting 6. Both teams on the night had 17 turnovers.

Fike and Southern Nash now must wait for the playoff seeding on Saturday to see where they go while Rocky Mount and Hunt have one more game Friday night in Big East finals at 7:30.  Rocky Mount and Northern Nash meet in the girls finals for the fifth year in a row.  I'll be working the girls game for TV while Wes Bradshaw will do the boys game.

After one round of the state 3-A wrestling championship  Rocky Mount who sent Six wrestler to Greensboro five are winners in their opening matches giving Rocky Mount  12 points which is good for fifth.  Southern Nash is 14th with six points.
Wilson Smith  RM 120 pounds wins by fall--- Rahshaun Elliot RM 145 wins 5-2---Joseph Cooper RM 145 wins 6-1---Keyaad Coley RM 195 wins 10-3---Jeffery Person RM 285 wins 3-2 OT.  The only Gryphon loser was Enciso Jorge who lost 3-2.

Dakota Medina SN 106 lost by fall---Jordan Decosse SN won 4-0---Clinton Whitaker SN 145  lost by fall---Ryan Ashley SN 220 won 2-0.

Steven Joyner NC 170 won by fall.  All other Nash County wrestlers lost their opening match and fall into the losers bracket where they will try to work their way back up to at least 3rd.  I can't tell you for sure but Rocky Mount is in position to finish as high ss they have ever finished in wrestling.

Who Else Did You Expect

Tonight the top two teams in the Big East top ranked Northern Nash made hay in knocking off the fourth place team Nash Central 64-30 while in the night cap Rocky Mount the second seed edged Hunt the third ranked team 52-49.

The Lady Gryphons and Lady Warriors went tooth and nail through the first half. They were tied at 14 after the first quarter. hunt biggest lead of the night was 20-16 but by the end of the half the Lady Gryphons had tied it at 28. The first six minutes of the third remained nip and tuck but Gryphon pressure push a 34 all tie to 40-34 at the end of three.

Nursing a six point point lead with just over four minutes to the Gryphons tried holding on to the ball against the taller Warriors but poor passing and the Warriors defense created a 44-44 tie and the next two minutes plus the Gryphons went back to attacking the basket and  Carmen Richardson scored
The last eight points for the Gryphons.

Rocky Mount kept Hunt in the game making only 10 of 24  free throws but Richardson made four of five the last few minutes.  Their reward is a championship game meeting with Northern who has already beat them by double digits three times this year.

Richardson scored 27 on the night and the Gryphon shooting guard added 10 rebounds.  Keyanna Spivey delivered down low against the taller trees of Hunt scoring 13 point and pulling down 8 rebounds.

Alexus Williams lead Hunt with 15 points and 11 rebounds.  Brianna Pate scored 11 as the only other double digit scorer.  Hunt at 14-9 now waits for the NCHCAA playoff seeding which I doubt they will get a home game in the playoffs next week.

There was some comments made the last time Nash Central played Northern by coach Terry Cash that the MVP of the Big East was her guard Ni'Ya Styles.   If I had a vote I would vote for Alexus Hill of Northern.  Tonight Hill put an exclamation point in front of Terry Cash as to why she should be the MVP.  Hill scored  23 points, 10 rebounds, had six assists could of had three more but two shots were missed by team mates  while another was fouled while shooting.  To add more to her MVP resume' she had three steals and two blocked shots.

Kiana Thomas delivered 20 points and 9 rebounds.  C C Harrison plucked down 15 rebounds as Northern Nash delivers a knock out blow to Nash Central 64-30.  Central made it a game through the first half as the score was just 31-21.  When you only score 9 points in the second you get a blow out.

Ni'ya Styles lead Nash Centralwith 12.  Krystal Atkinson pull down 7 rebounds for Central but no other Lady Bulldog had more than 5.  Northern at 22-1 will now play Rocky Mount  for the Big East tournament title Friday night at 6pm.  Both Rocky Mount and Northern for Rocky Mount at least one home game while Northern should get three home games in the sectional if they keep winning.

Ho Hummers

Monday night the second game of the Big East Tournament saw a classic girls game going into overtime before the highest seeded team could pull out the victory. Tuesday night the boys hit the hardwood for the first time and neither of the higher seeds were pressed.  In the opener Southern Nash decided they were not going to let the Bulldogs beat them twice in a row after NC upset Southern Saturday at Southern.  Focused the Firebirds  roll 66-42

The night cap saw Fike beat Northern Nash  70-50  with the Knights staying within striking distance until the fourth quarter when the Golden Demons  finally started making foul shots.  Middle of the
Third Fike was only 3-13 at the free stripe but finished 15-26 on the night. They pulled away when they made points every trip while Northern stayed close when the were missing free points.

The opener Southern out rebounded Central  36-28, made less turnovers 15-17 and had more help scoring points as three hit double figures while the Bulldogs had only one. Nash Central lead at the half 23-21 but Southern out scored the Bulldogs  45-19 in the second half.  To say the least Nash Central varsity boys have had a tough athletic year losing all 11 football games and going 5-18 in basketball.

Marquise Wright lead the Firebirds with 16.  Joining him in the double digit category were Emmanual Merriweather 11 and Richard Hall also with 11.  Aaron Spivey scored 15 for Central.  Aaron Newkirk grabbed 7 rebounds while Daniel Pittman garnered 6 for Nash Central.

The night cap saw Fike's Trevor Virgil throw down 29 points and also getting above 20 was Myquan Gooding with 22. Gooding pulled down 8 rebounds while Virgil had 7.  Darryl Prunty put 19 in the hole for Northern and Isacc Dupree doubled down wth ten.

The crowds to say the least have been sparse  but I believe the pace will pick up starting Wednesday night when the top two girls team take to the floor in a double header.  The opener will send the top dog in Big East girls basketball Northern Nash taking on Nash Central.  With three of the four teams left in the girls action being from Nash County and the fourth Hunt already a winner this week on Rocky Mount's home court plus won when they played here two weeks ago both of these games could fill the gym. The second game Wednesday has Hunt against Rocky Mount.

Thursday the final four in the boys action will send top seeded Hunt a loser only three times all year meeting their arch Rival Fike while the night cap on Thursday will have the home team Gryphons on the floor hosting Southern Nash.  I think these two match ups should also fill the house.

Should all for of the top seeds win they would meet Friday that would send number two Rocky Mount against Northern Nash Girls.  The boys game could match Top seed Hunt and Rocky Mount and you know both those games will fill the house.

Big East Humm Dinger

The first night of the Big East basketball tournament at Rocky Mount High School saw the girls take the floor in game one. Hunt sought revenge from Friday  night losing to Fike at Fike but tonight nothing doing as Hunt takes care of business in beating Fike 62-44.

Alexus Williams lead Hunt with 13 points and 9 rebounds. Kiana Ballard scored 11 but her domination on the boards  was her game getting 12.  Dejah Horne led the Lady Demons with 10 and E J Proctor played her final game for Fike before she heads to Duke to play soccer scored 9 and head 9 rebounds.  Hunt advances to a 7:30 Wednesday date with Rocky Mount who split with each other during the regular season and Hunt won at Rocky Mount.

The game of the night and just maybe of the whole tournament was the second game of the night when the number four seed Nash Central took to the floor against the number five seed Southern Nash with and invite to the winner to take on the top team in the Big East Northern Nash at 6pm Wednesday.

The first quarter ended as if both teams knew that the guillotine called Northern was in waiting and neither team acted as if they wanted any part of Northern.  Southern lead 7-5 and the first field goal from either team didn't happen until 3:45 to go in the first. Things heated up from that point on.

The Lady Bulldogs lead 23-22 at the half, 41-35 after three and Southern Nash stole and inbounds  pass and missed a layup to win the game in regulation.  Needing two free throws to win Southern settled for one and a tie at 54 after four quarters.  In the overtime Central out scored Southern
13-8 to win a wild girls basketball game.

Lost in the loss is a 38 point  10 rebound performance by Southern's Destiny Burgess who have 14 points midway in the third  quarter and picked up her Southern team mates and score 24 points  the last 16 minutes.  By tournament rule only players on the all tournament  will come from only the teams that play in the semi finals.  Just maybe the greatest game ever play in the five years of the Big East tournament will go unnoticed.

Ni'ya Styles scored 24 for Central to lead in scoring.  Krystal Atkinson carried a load for Central scoring 15 points and pulling down 15 boards.

The boys hit the hardwood Tuesday as Southern Nash meets Nash Central and Fike takes on Northern Nash.

Rocky Mount High School won the Eastern Regional wrestling tournament Sunday and will send six wrestlers to the state meet which starts Thursday.  Freshman Wilson Smith won the 120 pound event for Rocky Mount and in doing so was named the Outstanding Wrestler of the Tournament. Rocky Mount had a second Regional Champ in the 152 pound class as Joseph Cooper was a winner.  Southern Nash also has a Regional Champ  in the 125 pound weight in Jordan Decosse.

Nash County had six wrestlers who finished 2nd in their weight Class and they too head to Greensboro.  Rocky Mount will send Rashaun Elliot 145, Keyaad  Coley 195, Alberto Jorge 220 and Jeffery Person  285.  Southern Nash's Jacobs Benjamin finished second  at 160 pounds and Nash Central's Steven Joyner  was second at 170.

Northern's Paulo Sanchez placed third and earns an invite at 195, Ryan Ashley from Southern placed 3rd in the 220 class  and also heading to the state is Jamahl Harris of Northern at 285.  Three other wrestlers made it placing 4th.  Dakota Medlin  106 and Clinton Whitaker 152 of Southern Nash.  Northern Nash Kendal Hamilton is packing his bags at 160.

Barring Weather Big East Tournament Starts Tonight

Despite not completing the regular season the Big East will begin it's tournament with the top two already assured spots and the only teams sweating will be in the boys Fike who stands in fourth but if 5th seeded Northern Nash or 6th seeded Nash Central should win the tournament it could keep Fike out even though they have one of the best over all records in the east.

The chances are slim that either Northern or Nash Central could pull off a miracle.  They most likely would both have to beat Rocky Mount on its home court or Hunt a team trying to get a top four seed to get all home games in the sectional.  Now if Fike wins the tournament then they would move up to the number two seed and Rocky Mount would fall to three and now Southern Nash gets on the hot seat and with their over all record they just might not get into the playoffs.

The opening night tonight finds Fike 17-6 playing Northern Nash and Southern playing  Nash Central.  The winner of Fike/Northern will play Hunt Wednesday while the Southern/Nash Central winner draws Rocky Mount on the Gryphons home court.

Tuesday night the girls will have the floor with the number three seed Hunt playing Fike who won their first conference game of the year Saturday when they beat Hunt 52-44.  They will play the second game right after Nash Central And Southern Meet.  The  Southern/Nash Central winner gets Northern Nash who didn't lose any conference games and lost only once all year.  The Fike/Hunt winner gets Rocky Mount on Thursday.  Hunt beat Rocky Mount in Rocky  Mount while Fike gave the Lady Gryphons a battle until the last couple of minutes.

The sectionals will rank all teams, first the conference champions.  Their ranking will start with the first place team with the best overall record being top seed right through all other conference winners.   Then the second place teams then the third and the top fourth seeds with the best overall records filling out the top 32.  This seeding process will be for both the boys and girls.

If you are either the first seed through fourth seed you are guaranteed home court throughout the sectional as long as they keep winning.  If you are a conference champion and are seeded 5th through 8th that leaves you getting two games at home and you would have to win the sectional on the road.

The Hunt  boys need to win the Big East to help their overall record while even if Northern girls lose a game in the tournament they would have to sweat getting a top four seed.  Regardless of whether you think the tournament is worth while or not those at the top or close to the top need to win and not have to play the waiting games on whether they make the tournament or not.

Holly Strong

Tonight in the Black Box Auditorium of Rocky Mount High School the IB students of Rocky Mount High School put on their eight annual One Voice Talent Show.  This year's show was called Project Holly and the current IB students past and present and even the community of Rocky Mount came together to join the fight with Holly Fryer a former IB student who is fighting cancer.

They all did it for Holly and even little brother Ian delighted the crowd as MC.  The highlight of the night was a group from Englewood Baptist Church sang That's What Friends Are For and a penciled art work done by Tony Harrison of Holly. The night was topped off when Tyron Taylor had of dream of winning the National Spelling Bee and all he had to do is spell the word strong.  His spelling of strong was HOLLY.

Tonight's show raised over thirty two hundred dollars and now puts Project Holly to over eight thousand dollars raised.  Many times our community comes together to be one and tonight and over flow crowd were one.

The Lady Knights of Northern Nash had their hands full fot three quarters but the fourth was all Lady Knights as Northern Nash's final game if the regular season keeps them unbeaten as they beat Rocky Mount for the third time this year by double digits 57-45.  Alexus Hill playing her final regular season game scored  26 points to lead the Knights.

The high school  playoff seedings are one week from today and with a victory tonight I see no way Northern could possibly be seeded any lower than fourth in the seeding which would guarantee them home court advantage throughout their sectional.

Northern out rebounded Rocky Mount 34-26.  Northern's defense caused the Gryphons into 17 turnovers while only having 12 themselves.  Northern finished the season 21-1 while Rocky Mount finished 13-8

The Gryphon boys jumped out early on the Knights, lead by 11 at the half and beat The Knights 83-67.  Rocky Mount finishes 8-2 in conference and 14-7 overall.  They finish in the Big East in second and have a bye until Wednesday night's semi finals of The Big East Tournament.  Northern finishes 1-8 in the Big East and plays Monday night in Rocky Mount against Fike who is 16-6 on the year but only 4-6 in conference play.

Play Ball

Isn't it amazing just three days ago we had snow sticking to the roads 30 minutes after it started because the temperature was cold enough that every flake stuck.  Friday's temps made 90 per cent of the snow to disappear and yes there will be a lot going on in the area today.

Last night at Fike the Hunt boys completed a perfect conference schedule winning in front of a standing room only crowd 69-61.  Today Rocky Mount travels to Northern Nash with nothing on the line as far as seedings are concerned but the Lady Knights could top off their conference season undefeated. Southern Nash and Nash Central will finish all that they will play today as today's action will be only their ninth conference games.

Since no seedings are involved but Hunt, Southern, Nash Central and Northern not playing all ten games this will allow the Big East tournament to start Monday at Rocky Mount with Southern Nash boys playing Nash Central again.  Fike will play Northern Nash.  The Fike/Northern winner will play Hunt Wednesday and the Southrrn/Nash Central winner will meet Rocky Mount.

Even though Rocky Mount is on the road at Northern today the gym will be a busy place as the Eastern Regional wrestling tournament will begin. Weigh in begins at 9:30 and the tournament will keep going until the wrestlers who are still winning wrestle up to five times.  The NCHSAA puts a limit in the number of matches per wrestler per day at five so the finals will be held on Sunday at Rocky Mount's gym.

Tonight the Black Box Auditorium at RMHS will be a live with entertainment as the IB programs annual talent show will be performed.  It starts at 7pm admission is donation and all funds raised will be donated to the UNC Cancer Center in the name of former RMHS student Holly Fryer who after being the goalie on the soccer team as a sophomore has fought Liver Cancer the last four years.

Basketball Saturday!!!! Maybe

It has already been prearranged that if there was no school on Friday and if  it is determined at noon Friday that it will be ok and safe sports  and after school activities will resume on Saturday.  If you remember two weekends ago when school was out on Friday and all after school activities suspended  it was decided to allow activities  on Saturday.  Last Saturday's games were to make up games and had nothing to do with school out.

Well, school is out again Friday so the decision will be made by noon after officials have a chance to check to see if the temperatures help melt the snow and ice as well as it did Thursday.  The forecast says the temp will be a little higher than today not much.

If games are played Rocky Mount will travel to Northern Nash.  Nash Central will be at Southern Nash and Hunt will travel to Fike.  All games not finished in the regular season will not be played and the Big East Tournament will begin Monday at Rocky Mount High. That will leave four teams playing only nine conference games as Nash Central at Northern Nash and Hunt at Southern Nash will not be made up.

Rocky Mount High School is suppose to be host the Eastern Regional Wrestling Tournament Friday and Saturday but with school out Friday the earliest it can start now is Saturday assuming safety it is determined.  If the tournament had started Friday Saturday would normally be championship day but the NCHSAA says it may allow Sunday finals.  You can best bet believe they will do everything they can to finish Saturday night if it means wresting at midnight.

Another activity that is suppose to come off Saturday night is "One Voice"  at Rocky Mount High's Black Box Theatre 7pm. This is the program the IB students at RMHS put on each year and the money raised from this talent show is given to a program of need.  This year all money raised is going to the UNC Cancer  Center in honor of Former RMHS IB student Holly Fryer  who two years removed  from Rocky Mount High continues her fight with cancer.

Can both events go on wrestling and one voice go on at the same time.  Another problem  Rocky Mount High playing basketball at Northern may be over at just about curtain time for one voice.

The NCHSAA  has said they may lift the no Sunday sports for North Carolina schools this year due to the fact this winter especially the last three weeks has been rough.  That way Wrestling could finish on Sunday if needed.  Another concession made by the NCHSAA is they will allow teams to play four games next week and they will be allowed to do it Monday Through Friday because all basketball has to finish Friday night in order for basketball seeding for the playoffs can be complete by  6pm Saturday night.

To say the least the past three week's weather has been as bad as what year was it 1980 when eastern North Carolina in some spots got two feet of snow.  The one thing I remember about that storm was the only time I have ever seen thunder and lightening while a blizzard was going on.

Another Day Lost, Won't be last

Another day of school is lost and with it another day to try to finish the regular season basketball of the Big East.  I hope you don't feel there is hope for school on Friday.  If there is no school Friday there is simply no way to finish the regular season by Saturday which will make it spill over till Monday the supposedly first day of the Big East tournament.  I have no idea what the rule is about starting the tournament Monday based on the standings as of today.  Since all playoffs seedings are based on regular season standings.  Seems to make more sense to finish regular season.

You know the weather must be really bad when they will postpone the Duke-Carolina game over the objections of ESPN.  Game is rescheduled for Feb 20th.

Heard on TV while watching the State-Wake game on Tuesday an interesting fact.  Florida State won the national championship in football, Syracuse is right now number one in basketball and the preseason baseball poll has Virginia number one in baseball.  Seems as if ACC is the power conference of the nation.

Here is Joe fan who really has no reason to think that this is a possibility but I think the Wolfpack will win Saturday at Syracuse.  State hasn't gotten that signature win yet and the Cuse is not blowing folks out lately.  I don't care who you are the pressure mounts the longer a win streak gets and I think the Orangemen have been playing lately to not lose over playing to win.  Now that I have said this State will probably lose by 30.  Should they beat Syracuse  that would probably turn around and lose at Clemson next week.

The NFL has thrown around the idea that they might drop kicking an extra point and go to some variety of running for one or two points.  It makes no sense to me to mess with the extra point but I think something that would really open up the game is eliminate a field goal inside the red zone
and make you go for it on fourth down inside the 20.  Think about the possibilities.

I hate the field goal when a team is on the one yard line.  I think having to give it up or score would make teams try to score more when they are on the fifteen yard line.  The NFL wants more scoring but what I think what fans want is more gambling type situations. Folks go to Nascar to see the wrecks and teams going for broke gives more opportunity to mess up when you don't score but rewards those that are successful.

Let's Play What If

Ok school is out again today and with it goes another possible day to get regular season games in the books.  Hunt, Southern Nash, Northern Nash and Nash Central all have two games left to play.  Let's be honest, if this storm brings ice as promised I doubt there will be any school for the rest of the week.  If the regular season spills into next week there is a good chance the Big East Tournament could be cancelled or shortened.

Rocky Mount and Fike only have one game left but if Friday night games are lost due to the weather you know that those extra games say Nash Central at Northern lost for tonight probably will be set for Saturday, if that happens that throws RM/NN is pushed to Monday.  What if the weather is so bad Saturday is out.  The NCHSAA hand book states that all tournament games must be completed by Friday before the Saturday Playoff seedings. If it takes to next Tuesday to finish the regular season that leaves three days to play ten tournament games and that is not likely.

In order to save some of the tournament only the top four seeds could play on Wednesday but here is another hand book issue.  The rule book states that a team can play four games in a week as long as one is one Saturday.  A tournament final on Saturday is out because the tournament must be finished by Friday.

Looks to me the only way to save the tournament this year is everyone with two games plays Saturday and everyone only has one left on Monday.  The weather forecast if it is true it would take a miracle to get back in school on Friday.

The biggest issue of all should the tournament gets canned is why try to play the final two games on Monday and Tuesday.  Any playoff team would go six days without playing so it would make since to me to say play the Rocky Mount-Northern next Wednesday.  All of this conjecture is of course base on school being shut down for rest of the week.  If they could get back in school Friday all the worlds problems will be solve and the tournament will go on.

Here Comes The Defense

Those of you that have been wondering about the Rocky Mount  High school basketball team and what is wrong with them losing seven games so far this year. I think I see one of the biggest problems that is finally getting better.  Defense.  Just think all teams have had this problem since the first of January, practice time.  Everyone played only once two weeks in a row first for exams and then a third week got caught for snow and only played one again.  All these multi game weeks doesn't give teams time to practice so there has been plenty of sloppy play the last month.

Ever since Rocky Mount was behind to Fike at the half Rocky Mount has now put together ten quarters of defensive basketball. They out scored Fike by 14 in the second half powered by defense.  Saturday the defense was quicker than the Nash Central Bulldogs and tonight the defense came to play.

The Gryphons forced 23 Firebirds turnovers mostly the second and third quarters. Sure looks to me like all of a sudden the Gryphons have a want to on defense that they have not shown all season.  Playing their last regular season home games Dante Battle and Emanual King took it upon themselves to try to get every rebound.  Battle had 12 boards and 24 points while King also had a double double getting 12 and 12.  The defense creating turnovers Isaiah Alston took advantage getting 17 points.

The end of the first quarter was 16-15 Gryphons but from that point on it was all Gryphons until the subs took over. they lead by 46-22 at the half, 70-29 after three and the final of 81-52.

We already know that if the Lady Gryphons can't do anything else you can count on the defense even when the offense  is struggling.  Tonight the D made the offense look good as the Lady Gryphons slowly pull away from the Lady Birds of Southern Nash 63-36.

Michelle Gainey lead the way for the Gryphons as she scored 14 during the Gryphon surge to pull away.  Carmen Richardson lead the scoring with 16.  Tyreka Nicholson lead the Lady Birds with11.  Rocky Mount won the rebound battle 53-30 lead by Keyanna Spivey with 11 but 12 Gryphons got at least one board.

Both Gryphons teams go to 7-2 in league play and by beating Southern tonight the boys clinch second and will get a bye in next weeks Big East Tournamnet which will be held at Rocky Mount starting Monday.  I haven't heard who won the Nash Central -Hunt game so I can't say the Lady Gryphons clinched second.  If the weather allows they finish the regular season Friday night at Northern.

Hunt clinched first in the Big East in boys basketball ripping Nash Central 75-47.  Northern girls clinched first in girls play beating Fike. Fike boys beat Northern 68-60.  Found out tonight this is the year only three teams from the Big East make the playoffs.  I talked with Robbie Kennedy AD at Southern and they plan to move Wenesday's Hunt game to Tuesday if they can make it through no early school dismissal on Tuesday. I would think Northern and Nash Central might do the same.

Weather Threatens Final Week

Senior night for Rocky Mount High has been moved to tonight due to possible snow or ice starting Tuesday!!!!


Hunt High has a game and a half game lead with one week to go and for them that means three games and the weather forecast doesn't look like this will be good week for many.  Cold weather is here and a couple of low pressure systems are coming from the south and if the temperature is right that is most of the time how we get big snows or ice.  Should weather prevent games this week what happens?

Hunt 7-0 has their last home game scheduled Tuesday hosting Nash Central 0-7.  If they win as they should then they win the regular season. Wednesday they travel to Southern Nash 5-2 who is still in the fight with Rocky Mount for second.  Hunt finishes up Friday at arch rival Fike 3-5.

Rocky Mount 6-2 right now on schedule with two games Southern  Nash Tonight and at Northern on Friday. Looks as if tonight will determine second as the worse Rocky Mount  could finish is four losses and the worse for them is third place.  Southern with three games this week could fall to fourth should they not win any of their three games. If they win them all they will finish in second.

Fike 3-5 at this point could still get third but they would have to win both their games if Southern loses all three of theirs.  Northern 1-6 could still finish 4th and make the playoffs with a trifecter  win week and two Fike losses.  Nash Central is left to play out the schedule as they still look for their first win in conference but if they could get win all three of their games and Fike and Northern lose all theirs there is still playoff hope

Don't be surprised if all Tuesday games aren't moved to tonight as after the snow from two weeks ago has force everyone into multi three games or more weeks and both Rocky Mount and Fike having moved their game to Monday two weeks ago are the only two team with a normal week scheduled this week. Everyone else should have learned a lesson from them that when the weatherman warns the best deal is play ahead of schedule.

All Northern 7-0  girls need to do is win Tuesday to clinch first but Rocky Mount 6-2, Hunt 4-3 Nash Central 3-4 and Southern Nash 3-4 could all finish in second at 6-4.  If that happens the second place bye is up for grabs for anybody.

Will certainly be an interesting week to see what might happen to next weeks Big East Tournament should schools windup out for a couple of days this week with all the games still left on the regular season schedule.

Dominant All Day

Gryphons moved Tuesday night's Big East basketball game with Southern Nash to Monday night in  order to beat impending possible bad weather coming in Tuesday.  JV girls will start  at 3:45 followed by the  JV  boys and varsity girls about 6:30 andvarsity boys to follow.

Rocky Mount High caught up with the basketball schedule Saturday playing their third game of the week.  Only Fike and Rocky Mount will play the regular Tuesday-Friday next week as everyone else in of the Big East have three left to play.

Nash Central came to RMHS with both their varsity teams looking for the girls a victory over one of the top Big East teams while the boys just wanted a victory.  What happened was a total mismatch in both games.  Rocky Mount girls scored 37 in the first half which is more than Lady Bulldogs scored for the game.  Final Rocky Mount 60 Nash Central 33.  The   Boys game wasn't much better as the winless Bulldogs in conference play stay that way as The Gryphon  boys roll 73-39.

Carmen Richardson lead the Lady Gryphons with 19 and she lead in rebounding getting 9 of the Gryphons 48.  The Lady Bulldogs could grab only 20 as a team.  Rocky Mount jumped to a  19-5 first quarter lead but they caused 9 turnover in the opening sprint.  By games end NC had 30 turnovers but Rocky Mount using the bench at will had 32 by games end but were never threatened.  Kathryn Wilkins scored  12 for the Lady Bulldogs.

I don't believe Nash Central has any player over six feet three so you know they are in for a long night trying to get to the basket against the taller Gryphons.  What made this and even longer night is the Gryphons were even faster than the Bulldogs.

The Gryphons caused 26 turnovers while only misplacing the ball 13 times.  They out rebounded Nash Central 39-24 and anytime the turnovers and rebounds is that much of a mismatch then unless you make every shot the score is going to be lopsided.

Immanuel King lead the Gryphon scoring with 18.  Dante Battle got the most rebounds with 9 but the Gryphons had a total of 11 players to score and 11 got a rebound or more. Aaron Spivey  scored 23 for the winless Bulldogs.

Over at Northern the Lady Knights remain unbeaten beating Hunt 52-44 while the Hunt boys stay on top and unbeaten in conference beating Northern 74-59.  Next Friday night ends the regular season for the Big East and the conference Tournament starts Monday Feb. 17th.

A big shout out tonight for  Nash Central's Damien Silver as today he is a state champion. As he has won the 3-A 55 meters hurdles at the state indoor track championships.

Shift In The Standings

The big game of the night in the Big East was the top team in the league Hunt 5-0  going up against the upstart of the league Southern Nash 4-1.  Most of us in the business who are suppose to be  die hard know it all's have been whispering that the 4-1 start Southern has had has come at the hands of the bottom tier of the league. As soon as Hunt gets hold of them they will get put in their place. It is of course no fault at all that every time a game that snowed out it came to a team in the upper  crest of the league.

Well Hunt put them their place alright beating the Firebirds 62-50.  I would say that is a pretty good account of themselves considering no one else in the league has played the Warriors at Hunt as close. Hunt heads to Northern Nash Saturday at 6-0. Southern 4-2 will travel to Fike Saturday  Hunt girls beat Southern  62-52.

Something had to give tonight as Northern Nash traveled to Nash Central where both teams were seeking their first conference win.  Both at the halfway point stand at 0-5.  The Bulldogs lead late but The Knights pull out their first conference win winning 46-45.  Nash Central gets their chance at revenge as they travel to Northern Tuesday. Saturday Northern host Hunt while Nash Central will be at Rocky Mount.

I have not had much time since the Super Bowl to speak about the rout.  It seemed almost from the kickoff that Seattle had taken a five hour energy drink while Denver had on a pair of cement boots.  By the half time kickoff the game had become unwatchable.  I stuck to the end to just see how bad it was going to be.

On the way home work today as I rode by Wesleyan and there was a baseball game going on at Bower field.  Didn't it snow last night.

Victim Of Past Success

The 2013/14 Rocky Mount Gryphons are victims of all of the recent great success of Gryphon basketball. People in the stands expect them to perform as others have. I even think that this years players think that they should be just as good as the others. Where this team has missed out is they have had spells when their ability to handle the ball looks jv-ish.  Tonight's game with Fike They miss handled  to ball 16 times in the first half and found themselves down 31-27.

Then there was the second half when this team looked capable of beating anybody turned the ball over only  5 times  and their up and down the court game when they missed shots number 43 was there for the put back.  I don't keep up with offensive or defensive rebounds just the overall total and Emmanual King had a night tonight.  29 points 18 rebounds and most of his points were put backs.

Fike stayed close with the three point shots making ten but their inability to stop the Gryphons in the second half lead to a Gryphon 80-70 win.  Isaiah Alston scored 23 most in the second half.  Broderick Caudle added 12.  Rocky Mount secured 47 rebounds to 24 for the Golden Demons.  The Gryphons had 21 turn overs while Fike had just 11.

Myquan Gooding lead the Golden Demons with 23.  Trevon Virgil 19 and Anthony Evans 10.  Rocky Mount is now 5-2 in the Big East while Fike drops to 3-4 .  The Gryphons host Nash Central Saturday afternoon sometime near 5:30.

Fike girls won the opening tip and took a shot and their next 6  trips down the court were turnovers and by their next shot the Lady Gryphons were ahead 12-0 .  From that point on it was what is the final score going to be.

Rocky Mount girls win their fifth conference game with two losses.  The Fike girls are winless on the conference season as the Lady Gryphons win 71-47.  Fike finished with 32 turnovers but between coasting along  the Lady Gryphons finished with 25 themselves.

Carmen Richardson lead the Gryphons with 24 and Tarmara Harper added 15 points and 10 rebounds.  E J Proctor scored 24 for the Lady Demons.  Rocky Mount won the rebound battle 39-30.
The Gryphons jv girls play Nash Central starting at 1pm Saturday afternoon.  the varsity girls will begin about 4pm

Strangle Hold

Hunt High already with a conference football title under their belt are now on the verge of adding a basketball crown to their 2013/14 school year. Nine days remain until the dust will settle and a regular season champion will be crowned.  Hunt's comeback win at Rocky Mount on Tuesday all but put a bow on the regular season for the Warriors.

Hold the phone folks, there is one team who we normally expect to find in the second division of the Big East right now sits in second only one game behind Hunt and they will play Hunt twice in those final nine days.  Yes, the Firebirds of Southern Nash after routing Nash Central last night are 4-1 a single game behind Hunt.

The reshuffled Big East schedule due to all of this inclement weather we have had the last two Wednesdays  has bundled a load of games to be played these final days of the season.  One sprained ankle by a teams star player could mean that player could miss one half of conference play in the last nine days.

Hunt at 5-0 host Southern Nash Friday.  Should Hunt win they would surely be in the driver seat with a week to go.  But if Southern wins it is a sprint to the finish but a home game against Hunt again next Wednesday.  Southern's problem they have one extra game to play over Hunt and they played that game last night so both have five games to play.

Hunt travels to Northern Nash Saturday, host Nash Central Tuesday and finish next Friday at Fike.  Southern travels to Fike Saturday, at Rocky Mount Tuesday and finishes with Nash Central The final night.  Rocky Mount 4-2 host Fike tonight, Nash Central Saturday, Southern Tuesday and visit Northern for their annual last night

Fike 3-3 still has a game with Rocky  Mount tonight, Host Southern on Saturday and host Hunt on Valentines night.  They have a Tuesday trip to Northern.  Even at 3-3 and games against all three teams ahead of them in the standings this season is far from over.

Tuesday was the first two rounds of the state duel wrestling championships with the top two Big East teams Rocky Mount and Southern Nash being the only two on the road.  The wrestling is broken down into four teams playing two rounds in one day.  Southern Nash takes on the host team in their four team bracket West Brunswick and lose their opening match 40-28.

Rocky Mount has a four team bracket hosted by Havelock and guess who the Gryphons got to play first?  The Gryphons won their opening matching beating the host Rams 41-27.  While the Gryphons are winning Swansboro on another mat is winning their match to set up a second round match of Rocky Mount and Swansboro meeting in Havelock.  Swansboro takes down the Gryphons 46-27 to end the Gryphons season with a record of 31-7.  Boy J J Jones' boys have a heck of a season.

Charitable Contributions

Tonight Rocky Mount High school made a major charitable tax contribution on their 2014 taxes when they handed the Hunt Warriors two games at the free throw line.  The Lady Gryphons made just 15 of 33 free throws on the night and made a valiant come back 10 points back with less than two minutes to play and had two rebound put backs to tie the game but neither fell an Hunt Lady Warriors beat Rocky Mount 59-53.

The boys were sailing along at the end of three quarters leading Hunt 52-42 but failed to make any of their eight free throws in the 4th quarter plus turned the ball over way to much and lose 62-60 to the Warriors. Hunt now stands at 5-0 in conference play while Rocky Mount drops to 4-2.

The Lady Gryphons trailed by six at the end of the first quarter, ten at the half and at several points in the third quarter by 12 but pressure defense they cut it to four at the end of three but the Warriors built it back to 12 in the fourth and at 1:57 the Gryphons trailed by 10. Carmen Richardson lead the fourth quarter flurry for Rocky Mount making 8 of 9 free throws down the stretch but that left Rocky Mount hitting only 7 of 24 earlier in the game.  Tarmara Harper scored 12.  Ashley Hatfield grabbed 12 rebounds and Richardson has 11 as the shorter Gryphons out rebound Hunt 50-45.

Hunt wasn't in a giving mood like Rocky Mount made 15 of their 20 shots at the free stripe. Brianna Anderson lead the Warriors with 19. Alexis Williams scored 11 and Kianna Ballard 10.  Williams had 16 boards while Destinee Hinnant had 11.  Rocky Falls to 4-2 in the Big East while Hunt is 3-2.

The Gryphon boys playing their three guard lineup played much better defense early on Hunt.  Seems when the turnovers started big time in the fourth the D on the outside shot went away and Quan Kent made them pay scoring 22 on the night but made three straight thres when Hunt was making their
move.

Donte Battle 25 points 13 rebounds  lead the way but Isaiah Alston pumped  in 22 .  Rocky  Mount won the boards 37-25 but they also made lots more turn overs than Hunt 21-10. Keenon Tabron scored 16 for the Warriors while Josh Willingham added 12.

Northern Nash girls now have a two game lead as they beat Southern Nash. 63-40.  All the Hunt boys need to do is not fall down the next two weeks as they lead the boys by a game and a half.

Who Wants Second

I think we have seen that the team to beat in Big East basketball is the Lady Knights of Northern Nash.  They have already beaten Rocky Mount the team that seems to be the prime candidate for second twice and by 17 on Rocky Mount's home court.  The only team in the league that compares size wise Hunt, Northern has already taken them down by 17 on Hunts home floor.  Due to all the weather complication Northern and Nash Central have yet to meet but both Rocky Mount and Hunt have handled the Lady Bulldogs.

Tonight Rocky Mount host Hunt.  Rocky Mount's four conference wins have been close by less than seven points in each but all four have happened on the road. Their five remaining games left to play only a road trip to Northern is away all others are against teams they won on the road.  Since all four wins were close they are no shoo in to win any the second time around.

Enter tonight's game with Hunt, Rocky Mount won  55-51 at Hunt but the Lady Gryphons had trouble getting the ball inside against the tall Hunt front line.  Rocky Mount's advantage was the pressure defense that as the game went on the Hunt taller girls tired and the Lady Gryphons took advantage.

Now at this point Nash Central is 1-2 with seven games to play in the last two weeks of the season. They have two meetings left with Northern which is not exactly in the Lady Bulldogs favor.  Four teams will make the playoffs and at this point Fike is winless so you would think either Nash Central or Southern will be fighting for the fourth playoff spot or if either Nash Central or Southern can best Rocky Mount or Hunt to drop them down to join the battle for fourth.

Southern Nash girls stand at 1-2 with a Loss against Northern and Rocky Mount.  They too have seven games to play and if you include the next two Saturdays they have only 12 days to play those seven games.  That doesn't leave much practice time and not many players get better until you have time to be taught what your mistakes were and then practice  improving before the next game.  There will be a couple of back to back nights with no practice in between.

Tonight the fight begins for who wants second.  A loss now for either Rocky Mount, Hunt, Nash Central or Southern Nash just pushes the loser  closer to fifth spot and out of the playoffs. Who wants a bye in the Big East tournament along side Northern will be the team that wins the most games between the four team tangled together.  I don't foresee any one beating The Lady Knights the rest of the way during the regular season. The one that beats all the others will get second.

Week Of Decision

There is two weeks to go as far as days on the calendar but for some three weeks worth of games still to play.  Hunt 4-0, Rocky Mount 4-1 and Nash Central 2-1 would seem to be the only teams with a real chance to win the Big East regular season.

Southern Nash still has seven games left  and their biggest issue is finding dates that match up with everyone they still have left to play. Hunt must play six times and Rocky Mount has only five on the schedule and four are at home.

You have to look no further than Tuesday night to find the most important game left on the Big East schedule. Hunt  13-3 and 4-0 makes a visit to Rocky Mount 10-6 4-1.  When these two met way back before the snow weeks this was no contest.

The Warriors completely dominated the Gryphon back court and never allowed the Gryphons to get inside where the biggest front line in the Big East lives.  Recently to combat the difficulty handling the ball Rocky Mount has gone to a smaller front line but still remains the biggest but with more ball handlers the Gryphons hope they match up better this go round.

Hunt's defense was as quick as the  Seattle Seahawks on the Gryphons last time and this will be the winning factor. Can Rocky Mount solve the pressure supplied by the Warriors and get the ball inside.  Will Hunt  be too quick once again.

The Big East Tournament will be in Rocky Mount and for any team hoping to advance to the Regional home court advantage is vital.  Should Hunt win Tuedsay they most like will win the regular season and even if the Gryphons would win the Tournament Hunt would have the top seed where I doubt the number two seed would get more than one home game in the sectional unless there would be some monumental upsets in the opening game to alter home court advantage.

To say the least tomorrow's game is worth a sellout but in the first meeting the Hunt home crowd was very sparse.  Remember Hunt is a football school first but in order to win and go deep in the playoffs their crowd will need to help them to advance when the really good playoff  games come.

Back On The Court

Finally Rocky Mount High played in a strange place a home game.  The Gryphons have not performed there in 50 days or since December 13th.  The Lady Gryphons so unfamiliar with the rims took almost five minutes to make there first basket.  Once the boys started the Gryphons turned the ball over their first six trips down the court.

It didn't matter to Alexus Hill how long Rocky Mount had been away from home she doesn't play there but one time  a year but she played the first quarter as it was her home scoring eight points and pulling down five rebounds.  This game felt like Northern was winning by thirty in the first half but 14 was biggest lead. By the fourth quarter it seemed closer than it really was and Northern Nash girls take sole pocession of first place  beating the Lady Gryphons 57-40

The Lady Gryphons had better be glad Carmen Richardson showed up today as Richardson scores 30 of Rocky  Mount's 40 points. Only two other players scored for the Gryphons as they scored five a piece. Northern playing mostly zone bottled up the Gryphons they scored very few inside ten feet.

Alexus Hill lead Northern with 25 but she had help as five other Lady Knights scored five or more.  Hard to believe Rocky Mount out rebounded Northern 30-27 but many of Northern's resulted in put back points while the Gryphons didn't have many.  Northern made 15 of 18 free throws while Rocky Mount went just 19 of 33 .  Northern goes to 4-0 in the Big East while Rocky Mount falls to 4-1.

The much shorter Northern Knights hung tough with the Rocky Mount boys for a while but a spurt by the Gryphons just before the half gave Rocky Mount a 28-23 lead.   They put the game away in the third quarter out scoring Northern by 12.  With five minutes left leading by 29 Mike Gainey cleared the bench.  Final score Rocky Mount 69 Northern 44 .

Rocky Mount out rebounded Northern 54-27 and that doesn't include the many tap  backs at the basket as many times the Gryphon big men played volleyball  keeping the ball alive trying to tap shots in. After starting out with six turnovers at the beginning of the game Rocky Mount finished with 16 while Northern committed 14 .

Emmanuel King lead Rocky Mount scoring 20 and had 11 rebounds.Donte Battle was the only double digit scorer with 12 points and 9 rebounds but nine other Gryphons scored and another nine had rebounds. Demonte Johnson lead Northern with 11.  Rocky Mount goes to 4-1 in the Big East and Northern drops to 0-4.

Rocky Mount will host Hunt Tuesday night as this will be the battle for first place as tonight Hunt beat Fike at Hunt 83-68 to go to 4-0 in the Big East.  A Hunt victory on Tuesday would give them at least a two game lead on a Rocky Mount and even though it would not clinch first they would be in the drivers seat.

By the way I think Seattle is better than Denver but I'm taking Peyton  27-23.