We all that take pride in the term Tobacco Road has come use to winning. The 77 year history of the NCAA basketball tournament the Triangle has had a team in the final game 23 times. Duke 11, Carolina 10 and State twice. After last Monday night the three are 12-11 in championship games.
I know this week talk sport radio has been full of Carolina fans whining about the officiating in the game. Pulling for the Tar Heels I would like to point out that the first two Carolina offensive trips up the court traveling was not called against Berry the first two times he handled the ball. Yes the officiating was terrible. The game would have been better letting the players call their own fouls like on the play ground.
Every game there are bad calls and this game was no exception. However I don't think one team had the advantage over the other because the calls were evenly bad on both sides. It wasn't one sided giving one team advantage over the other. I hate any game where touch fouls are called on the outside and fouls don't get called on the inside until blood flows. This is where it hurt Carolina more. The Tar Heels softness on the inside showed up and many turnovers occurred on the ball being lost inside of five feet from the basket.
Why has this game lingered this week as a tough loss over the other ten times Duke and Carolina have lost in the championship game. The reason is this is the first time ever that a Triangle team loss at the buzzer. We are always the ones that win late.
Carolina lost in 1946 by three but the game was already decided before the last few seconds. 1964 Duke lost to UCLA 98-83 which was long decided by games end. UCLA whipped Carolina in 68' by 23 78-55. Marquette beat the Heels 67-59 in 1978. Duke in 78' lost by 6 to Kentucky but you might remember the Wildcats emptied the bench but had to put the starters back in during a Duke comeback.
1981 Indiana clipped the Heels by 63-50. Louisville in 1986 won by 69-66 but it not a last second win. 1990 saw Duke lose by the biggest margin in finals history 103-73. Arkansas beat Duke 96-92 in 1994 which they wrapped up in the last minute. 99' U Conn best Duke 77-74. Not one of those losses occurred as the clock expired.
Carolina won in 1957 on foul shots in triple overtime. State knew the last five minutes they were going to beat Marquette in 74'. Carolina got the Michael Jordan shot and a Georgetown turnover to win in 82. State beat highly favored Houston on a dunk at the buzzer which was voted the best sporting moment of the 20th century by Sports Illustrated. Duke's back to back titles in 91' and 92 were by seven over Kansas 72-65 and 92-72 over Michigan.
So far During the 21st century has been all wins for the locals. Duke by 10 over Arizona 82-72 in 01'. Carolina by 5 over Illinois 75-70 in 05. 09' saw a ten point Carolina win over Michigan State. 2010 saw the Devils survive a mid court shot hit the rim but they survived Butler 61-59. Duke took Wisconson by five in 2015 68-63.
Five straight times Duke and Carolina have won the big game. Other games in Triangle wins it has always been the Tobacco Road teams winning in the close one in the end. The pain of this one is our team lost at the buzzer. We are so use to winning in the end the script didn't end right. The pain of someone doing to us what we always doing to them. Marcus Paige's rebound score in the middle of the trees and his unbelievable three with five seconds left was suppose to lead to an overtime win not a dagger in the heart.
Sunday, April 10, 2016
Crusty Old School
I am sure it has been a big shock to this year's Rocky Mount Gryphon baseball players who played under the soft spoken Kent Cox and now under the "Old School Coach" Pat Smith. This modern world of me-me-me just doesn't work with a coach who plays the game to win with team ball.
Early on there were signs that this Gryphon team had talent. Star pitcher David Harrison struggled and this is my opinion but David had a hard time adjusting to the man who's plain talk of the truth hurt. I was at practice one day and during game situation practice batters were hitting with runners on base with the batting cage in place. JV catchers were alternating catching and both were having trouble catching the ball and had to retrieve them by going to the back of the cage and picking them up and tossing back to the pitcher. Smith standing behind the pitcher hollered to the catchers that this was high school ball and in high school catchers catch the ball.
During his high school career Blake Helms was an average pitcher until his junior year he played Legion Ball and Pat Smith was the pitching coach. Helms had a great legion season, a super senior year and was the top pitcher that helped lead Wilson to the state Legion tournament after Rocky Mount failed to field a team last summer. The "old ball coach can coach. His direct tell it it like it is can be hard on a soft modern day world youth of today. But if they buy in to his way the world can change for them.j
I think that is what has happened to David Harrison. He has bought in to the Pat Smith brand of coaching. Other Gryphons whether it is hitting or fielding are coming around to the Smith way. This week Zack Keeter a catcher by trade but coming around as the number two pitcher joined Forest Bell to shutout The Firebirds after Harrison pitched his second shutout in a row earlier in the week. That had not happened since 2010 when Gryphon pitchers named Hobbs Johnson and Benton Moss did the trick.
There is no predicting the future but the 8-6 Gryphons are showing signs they will be a contender in the Big East till the end. There are three weeks to go and Tuesday night is the next outing for Big East Baseball. Here is this week's schedule.
Tuesday:
Southern Nash 2-2 10-7 at Nash Central 1-3 5-12
Northern Nash 2-2 5-8 at Rocky Mount 2-2 8-6
Fike 2-2 8-6 at Hunt 3-1 8-9
Friday
Southern Nash at Fike
Nash Central at Rocky Mount
Hunt at Northern Nash
Early on there were signs that this Gryphon team had talent. Star pitcher David Harrison struggled and this is my opinion but David had a hard time adjusting to the man who's plain talk of the truth hurt. I was at practice one day and during game situation practice batters were hitting with runners on base with the batting cage in place. JV catchers were alternating catching and both were having trouble catching the ball and had to retrieve them by going to the back of the cage and picking them up and tossing back to the pitcher. Smith standing behind the pitcher hollered to the catchers that this was high school ball and in high school catchers catch the ball.
During his high school career Blake Helms was an average pitcher until his junior year he played Legion Ball and Pat Smith was the pitching coach. Helms had a great legion season, a super senior year and was the top pitcher that helped lead Wilson to the state Legion tournament after Rocky Mount failed to field a team last summer. The "old ball coach can coach. His direct tell it it like it is can be hard on a soft modern day world youth of today. But if they buy in to his way the world can change for them.j
I think that is what has happened to David Harrison. He has bought in to the Pat Smith brand of coaching. Other Gryphons whether it is hitting or fielding are coming around to the Smith way. This week Zack Keeter a catcher by trade but coming around as the number two pitcher joined Forest Bell to shutout The Firebirds after Harrison pitched his second shutout in a row earlier in the week. That had not happened since 2010 when Gryphon pitchers named Hobbs Johnson and Benton Moss did the trick.
There is no predicting the future but the 8-6 Gryphons are showing signs they will be a contender in the Big East till the end. There are three weeks to go and Tuesday night is the next outing for Big East Baseball. Here is this week's schedule.
Tuesday:
Southern Nash 2-2 10-7 at Nash Central 1-3 5-12
Northern Nash 2-2 5-8 at Rocky Mount 2-2 8-6
Fike 2-2 8-6 at Hunt 3-1 8-9
Friday
Southern Nash at Fike
Nash Central at Rocky Mount
Hunt at Northern Nash
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