Saturday, February 25, 2017

Knights and Gryphons Advance

Three times within the Last  decade the Lady Gryphons have played a fellow conference member five times in a season.  Twice it has been Northern Nash

Just like this year the Gryphons played Northern in the Christmas Tournament just like they collided with Nash Central this year.  They met in both conference meeting and met Northern for the conference tournament. Twice just like with the Bulldogs this year.  One of those meetings with Northern was for the right to go to the semi finals in Fayetteville just like tonight except tonight's winner is heading to Northern Durham who crushed topsoil 61-25. The team heading to Greensboro will be the Lady Gryphons who handle Nash Central   56-39.

Keyanna Spivey scored 25 points and Michelle Gainey 15 in Scoring more than the entire Bulldog team.

Just maybe Terry Sanford's 16-11 record was very deceiving.  The Knights of Northern Nash have not run over anybody in the playoffs so far and again tonight all Northern Knights fans can be glad Darius Spradley plays for the the green and gold.

Northern led by six at end of the first quarter.  The second, third and almost all the fourth Terry Sanford inched closer and closer and then it happened again. Tied 56 all and the clock ticking down to under ten seconds Henry Drake knows there is only one person who needs the ball in his hands with the clock ticking down Darius Spradley.   Spradley and the Knights are heading to round four as Terry Sanford fails to tie and another home game beating Terry Sanford 58-56.

Northern will take on the number three seed Eastern Guilford who shipped East Alamance 82-62. Round four is Tuesday.

It has not happened since 2012 when Rocky Mount boys and girls advanced to the Regional Semi finals so Northern boys and Gryphons girls help send two Big East teams to the Regionals.

The playoff ride is not good news for  the Jaguars of Rocky Mount Prep.  Their fourth meeting of the year goes to Riverside Martin for the third time but surely this is the most important one Riverside 66 RM Prep 62.

Show Down Time

Rocky Mount Lady Gryphons won the regular season Big East Title.  Nash Central won the Big East Tournament title  their first ever in their history season ending tournament title.   The winner will play in the East Regional semi finals against either N E Guilford 27-1 Number one seed in the east or Topsoil 17-9  the 7th seed.  Should NE Guilford win they host either Big East team.  Should Topsoil win they would travel to Rocky Mount or host Nash Central.

The Match Up.

Nash Central 18-8 @ Rocky Mount 21-3 6 pm tonight

These two have played four times each winning twice. Nash Central won their first meeting in the Christmas Tournament 40-36.  Michaela Nelms scored 17  for the Bulldogs while Keyanna Spivey had 10 for the Gryphons.  The first conference meeting the Gryphon won in Rocky Mount 61-52 with Nelms scoring 20 and Spivey 23.  The encounter in the Dog Pound the Gryphons won 51-36 as Nelms scored 12 and Spivey 24.  Then last week in the conference tournament final the Bulldogs score a 52-49 win.  Nelms finds the nets for 21 and Spivey 25.

Those four meetings the average score has been 49-45 Rocky Mount.  Interestingly the Bulldogs are averaging 12 points  above what Rocky Mount averages as they have held all teams to 33 per game.  Nash Central must find a way to slow Keyanna Spivey below her 20.5 average against the Bulldogs.  Rocky Mount has  fared better when Michaela Helms was held below her average.  16 in the two Rocky Mount wins.  19 in the Bulldogs wins.  Which one will accomplish  what they have to do to win?

The Match Up Terry Sanford 16-11 @ Northern Nash 24-3 6pm tonight

The Bulldogs average 55 points per game while Northern scores at a 71 clip.  First look it would seem that Terry Sanford will have to slow down the pace of this game.   The other side of the ball the Bulldogs hold the opposition to 51 points while the Knights 55.  If the stats don't lie then this will be a run and gun attempt by Northern and a walk up the court attempt by Terry Sanford.

Sanford has three double digit scorers in which the Knights will have to contend with.  Telligence  Johnson leads the team at 14 per contest followed by Player Stats 13.5 and Gabe Harbison 11.8.  Stats is the top rebounder at 8.5.  The heart and soul of the Knights is Darius Spradley  who has been playing on a bad toe.  The Knights will need him at his best plus not in any foul trouble.

The Match Up Riverside  Martin 22-3 @ Rocky Mount Prep 22-5 7pm

Have met three times this season with Riverside winning twice.  Prep won at home 69-68. Lost at Riverside 77-63 and just last weekend at NC Wesleyan lost in Tournament 67-58

Riverside is led by Markel Freeman 18 pts per game.  His main help comes from Jordan Spruill 12.6 and Jadaki  Bonds 13.1.  Prep counters with Keyshawn Bryant 18 points.  His main help comes from teammates Trevor Batchlor 10.6 and Jayden Draugh 10.1

Any of the four teams still alive from Nash County that win will officially be playing Tuesday in the Eastern Regional semi's.  Three can make it we know one will and there is a chance that only one Will unless all involved play the greatest game ever.