ACC Basketball Starts in Earnest Today

If their has been a surprise team so far this basketball season it is the Demon Deacons of Wake Forest. So far this season they are 9-3 and one of those losses was Xavier who right now in the college basketball RPI is the number one team.

Today they play their first conference game at Louisville who has started the season 11-2 and in the RPI is rated 30th.  The Deacs are 53rd.  You can see this game on ESPNU at 8pm

North Carolina started out rated preseason number won and thus far stand at 12-2.  They have loss twice and they can lay claim that injuries lead to both losses.  Carolina is 10th in RPI and already stand 1-0 in the ACC and today they play Georgia Tech 10-3 and 68th in the RPI and the game is in Chapel Hill.  This is the second straight home game for the Tar Heels they need to start 2-0.

North Carolina State is off to a 10-3 record and in the college RPI stand at 94th.  Even though  they have won ten times they.  have been most unimpressive in their wins.  They travel to Virginia Tech who stand at 8-5 and their RPI is up to 165.

Duke gets the long trip of the day traveling to Boston College who is just 7-6 on the team.  Their RPI is over 200 at 211.  The Devils have produced a 11-2 record and they have a RPI of 18.

Carolina seems to have everything that it will take to win the national championship.  There is one person they cannot afford to lose and that would be Marcus Paige.   Grayson Allen is second in the ACC in scoring and much of Duke's hopes ride with him.  Duke has already much of the season only used a seven man rotation and any hopes they have they can't lose anybody to injury any more and need Jefferson back.

State has the leading scorer in the league in Cat Barber and when he is not in the game State doesn't have anyone to take his place.  They were picked eighth in pre season and unless they start playing defense I see no NCAA for them this year. Wake Forest has four players averaging in double digit and Devin Thomas is averaging a double double getting 16 points and 10 plus rebounds per game.

So today begins two months of  hopes and dreams that the ACC can win another  national championship.  It would really be good if a team from North Carolina could bring home another title.

Last Half Of 2015

July:

Southern Nash football player Aramahs Martin plays in the East/West high school all star football game in Greensboro.

Leonard Allen resigns as baseball coach at Northern Nash to head to Riverside in Williamston

Kent Cox resigned at Rocky Mount baseball to head to be Chris Lee's assistant in football at Nash Central.  Pat Smith returns to coach Rocky Mount baseball.

Holly Fryar dies.  The former Gryphon soccer goalie five year battle with cancer ends.  Her legacy continues with the Holly Project.

Nash  County Babe Ruth team wins Eastern North Carolina State Championship and finishes second in Southeast Regional.

August:

Big East Coaches pick Fike to win Big East football Championship. Rocky Mount voted to tie for third.

Nash Central breaks their 25 game football losing streak beating Smithfield Selma 36-21.

SouthWest Edgecombe football player Quantellas Norwood was shot by a drive by shooter after a Cougar football in Rocky Mount.  He would return to action in October.


September:  Winston Salem State beats Elizabeth City State 17-10 to win annual Down East Classic at Bishop Stadium.

October:

Lady Gryphon Tennis team finish undefeated in regular season 12-0.

Lady Gryphon doubles team of Brenna Bryant and Chandler Brice finish 3rd in state doubles finals.

Northern Nash wins 3A cross Country regional.


Northern Nash finishes 3rd in state cross county championships

November:

Devonte Brown Gryphon JV football player was gunned down in the streets just hours before Northern Nash and Rocky Mount played the final regular season football game.

Former Gryphon Nick Hahula named the CIAA special teams player of the year for his punting, field goals and kickoffs while playing at  Chowan University.

Grover Battle wins his 500th career basketball game as head coach of the Northern Nash girls basketball team.

December:

Rocky Mount wins 3A state football title beating South Point 24-21 in overtime

The Gryphons win the WRAL Fabulous 15 trophy as best football team in the TV five viewing area.

Northern Nash boys and Rocky Mount Girls win Nash County Christmas basketball
Tournament.

Tarboro's Todd Gurley rushes for over a thousand yards for the St Louis Rams and is
named to the Pro Bowl team.

Like always many good things happened in the Twin Counties in 2015.  Looking for more in 2016.