20th Final Four

It was the second match up on the season and both were classics.  December was a run and gun affair with three pointers flying.  The first half Sunday the Tar Heels closed off the inside and Kentucky never had the lead.

The Heels were not quite as good holding down the penetration in the second half and found themselves trailing 64-59 with four minutes to play and Roy Williams went to a zone defense three straight trips  and before the Carolina run ended they led 69-64

Kentucky was not dead and tied the score at 71.  Carolina holding for the last shot found themselves putting the ball in Luke Mayes hands who was in the game because he was having the game of his life and playing better than  Isaiah Hicks. One foot across the three point line Maye hits the shot to send Carolina to their 20th final four.

Carolina 75-73 over Kentucky. Carolina will get a shot at the title that they lost at the buzzer last year.

Carolina will play Oregon making  their second trip to the final four but the first since the first final four in 1939.  They will play the first game Saturday.  Two teams making their first trips ever are  South Carolina and Gonzaga.

Under the category of what a weekend Jarrett Mobley a freshman at UNC Pembroke who last year at this time was playing for SouthWest Edgecombe had what you would call a rather nice weekend.

Pembroke playing North Georgia the top team in the league came to Pembroke and Mobley on Friday went 4-4 two home runs and drove in 7 runs.  Saturday he went 4 for 5 with and RBI.  Today he just went 1-3 with and RBI.  For the weekend Pembroke won two of three with Mobley going 9-12 two homers and 9 RBI.  Sounds like Peachtree Conference player of the week to me.

Hobbs Johnson went south to spring training trying to latch on with any team that would give him a chance after he was released by The Milwaukee Brewers in July.  Unable to find a team he has returned home and is helping on Cameron Ramsey's staff at Rocky Mount Academy.

Spring Time And Baseball

It is hard to stay inside the house on a day like Saturday.  The sun was shining and a great day to get outside and enjoy the first few days of spring.

A couple of weeks ago had a battle with a running nose but with alka-zeltzer and amoxicillin I fought it off and thought I had it licked.  Friday woke up with a sore throat again and on Saturday back to the medicine cabinet to start all over again.


Watch the State Louisville game  on tv wishing that I could be sitting in the sun enjoying the beautiful day that was in progress.  Down in Florida it is near the end of spring training and as of today it looks that Brian Goodwin will be on the roster of the Washington Nationals when they head north next week.

He has hit just 114 in the spring and his battle with Michael Taylor has  clearly been won by Taylor and he will be the first option as backup outfielder.  Brian looks as he will be a pitch hitter waiting for that injury as just about all spring he has backed up Bryce Harper.

Michael Taylor was the starting centerfielder last season but a 220 average he was demoted to Syracuse by July.  He has had an excellent spring and will be back in Washington.  He is an example of you are never guaranteed anything in pro sports

Benton Moss is waiting word on whether he will start out in Port Charlotte Florida which is the upper A team of Tampa or heading to Montgomery Alabama their AA team.  Minor league camps still have a couple of weeks to go.

North Carolina the last ACC team left in the NCAA basketball tournament plays today at 5:05 against Kentucky.  CBS is the network where the game can be seen.

Archie Miller who was the Wolfpack faithful pick to be the next basketball coach has taken the Indiana job. Sounds like  a good school to be at as it is in the top ten who have slumped in recent seasons.They too got rid of their coach for not making the NCAA tournament.