Another Basketball Playoff Crisis

I know there are several Big East teams that now that their basketball seasons are over wish that they could have somehow or other managed to get their games played on Sunday.  Guess what?  Those teams in Wake County that decided to wait till Sunday got a big surprise Sunday morning.  Ice cover roads force postponements of several games which has the 4-A basketball bracket in shambles heading to  Monday's second round.

Now that the state has committed to playing second round games on Monday those that still have 1st round games to finish will need to play Monday pushing some second round games to Tuesday and anyone needing to play Wednesday will just have to miss the News conferences in Fayetteville on Wednesday.  As I write this Sunday night there has been no word from the NCHSAA as to what they can do.  What can they do other than play the remaining first round games on Monday?

Nash County's four high school boys were 0-4 in the opening round while the girls were 1-2.  The only team left standing  from Nash County is the undefeated Lady Knights of Northern Nash 22-0 and they will host Williams high who stands 20-4 so this is not an easy second round game for the Lady Knights.  Game time is 6pm Monday at Northern.

The weather has already played havoc for high school baseball and the season starts officially on Tuesday for most.  Rocky Mount Gryphon's home opener was scheduled for Thursday but Kent Cox and Ron Vincent have already decided to dangerous to put pitchers and batters and fielders on a baseball field when they haven't had any on field practice at all this year so far.  No word as of yet when the makeup will be.  Unless the schedule changes between now and then the Gryphon home opener is now set for Tuesday March 10th at 4pm against SouthWest Edgecombe.

You have probably heard that the Big Ten is trying to start to  make all freshman athletes in all sports ineligible in order to give freshman a full year of college before  putting them on the athletic fields.  I doubt that will ever get off the ground.  Seems funny to me that the power Five conferences were in such a rush to break away from rest of the NCAA in order to try to get all the TV money for themselves.

Do you suppose now what was have Texas A&M playing Kentucky in the SEC, Miami playing Notre Dame  and Penn State having to travel to Nebraska for conference play that the conferences are too  big an area or that this new pay  the players deal is going to cost way more for each school  than income from the Power Five deal.  The Power Fives just maybe in their rush for greed priced themselves right into losing money instead of making more.

Addiction Strikes Again

Those of you may remember about the HBO story on Josh Hamilton that once he left the ball park every day someone had to be with him at all times to keep him from stopping at a bar or to even buy drugs.   There is a  story out that Hamilton has fallen off the wagon and has had a meeting with MLB about his latest problem.

Drugs got him suspended from baseball early in his career and now at 34 he may get a 25 game suspension for this relapse if this story is true.   Drugs have cut short what possibly could have been a hall of fame career had not his life been engulfed with this mental affliction.  We all know whether is  being fat or smoking cigarettes when ever you try to stop a habit  it is hard to do so in one way or the other we all have our sins  but some are harder than others to break.

Has anybody noticed that since Duke kicked one player off they have not lost a game.  I see Duke is a good team but I don't see final four this year.

N C State gave back what they earned again this week another big time victory wasted losing to BC.  Looking at winning percentage Mark Gottfried since he has been in Raleigh is winning nearly 65 per cent.  The next step for Wolfpack basketball is beating the so so teams every time like Duke does and take your chances with the top teams.

The Big build up about the Kentucky- Arkansas game on Saturday was this was the last top 25 team Kentucky would play until the NCAA so their chance for a perfect regular season is almost 100% now.  I also heard Kentucky hasn't played another  top 25 team since December so will the Wildcats be tournament tested tough????

A year to forget for the Rocky Mount girls basketball team ended with a good effort at Corinth Holders.  The season started losing a player to death and finished with two weeks of weather without practice.  Despite all the goings on this team still finished with a 10-10 record.  They had seven losses to teams still in playoffs with a combined record of 77-18.  Northern 22-0  three losses, Hunt 18-6 two losses, Hayesville 19-6 one loss and Corinth Holders 18-6 one loss.  If there is one thing that Pam Gainey is good at and that is teaching defense.  This team stayed in most games despite poor guard play.

The Lady Knights of Northern Nash are the only Nash County school still alive heading into the second round.  They are home Monday night at 6pm to Walter Williams of Burlington a 15 seed but their record is 21-4.  This is a big test for the Lady Knights as they try to stay unbeaten.

Finally Basketball Again

You know when ever your star player almost outscores the other teams total you know a stomping is on the way and the undefeated girls of Northern Nash remain so after they open the 3-A playoffs with a 60-31 victory over Morehead.  Kiana Thomas scored 27 for Northern as they advance to round two Monday night at home when they will take on Walter Williams from Burlington.

Northern Nash boys were the only Big East team playing in the first round with a losing record and Adam Renner's shot at the buzzer missed and Northern's basketball season is over as they lose 49-48 to Southern Lee.

If there was any question about whether the Big East having all the teams jammed together would pay off in the playoffs it hasn't.  Being so even almost every boys team was on the road and they all lost.

Rocky Mount made  a good account for themselves but both the boys and girls season has ended on this the first day of the playoffs.  Rocky Mount boys trip to Gibsonville to play Eastern Guilford was close but no cigar as the Gryphons lose 78-74.  The girls played a higher seed in Corinth Holders and the Lady Gryphons came close but lose 46-43.  The boys finish 12-8 and the girls are even at 10-10.  I think considering the first day of practice for the Lady Gryphons was the day after senior forward Tiara Hinton  was killed in an auto accident this team has a heavy heart all year.

Hunt boys the conference champion and Hunt girls who are rather good except they are in the same conference with Northern Nash's girls both win impressively against conference foes  Hunt girls beat Fike 61-46 and they travel to Chapel Hill Monday while Hunt boys beat Nash Central 63-45.  The Bulldogs could not get a rebound.

Southern Nash big moment this season was beating Rocky Mount in Rocky Mount and it was uphill rest of the way.  A trip to Cardinal Gibbons ends the FireBirds season 78-52.

Fike gave a good account for themselves but in the end another Big East team loses 76-68 at Northern Guilford.

Nash Central girls traveled to Havelock and once again the Big East comes up on the losing end  58-45.

We worried all year about all the teams having no height and every one of the so call just alike teams fall in the opening round.  Hunt the top boys team looks  to host Northern Guilford Monday while the two tallest teams in Big East girls  Northern Nash and Hunt move on to Monday playoff basketball.

Hunt boys and girls each played a Big East team.  The other boys teams were 0-4 and the girls were 1-2 against other conference competition.

Basketball Saturday

Yes, there will be basketball on Saturday for every team in our area that qualified for the playoffs.  The NCHSAA had to make an executive ruling that was not what the schedule called for and here is what they have decided.

There will be basketball on Saturday for all the teams that did not go to school on Friday.  About 10% of teams have gotten their first round in and that leaves everybody else to play Saturday.  If the weather is too bad in your area then Sunday can be a first round playoff game only.  All first round games have to be finished by end of Sunday and only first round games.

Monday will be the second round and the third round or sectional finals will be Tuesday night.  Wednesday will be news conference day in Fayetteville for the teams winning three games.  Starting Thursday four games will be held per night in both the Crown Coliseum and Crown Arena.   The times and scheduling has not been posted for how early or how late the games will go starting Thursday.

Back to the Saturday action since most everyone has forgotten  who they are playing and here is the time as we know it right now.

Rocky Mount boys seeded 18 travel to Eastern Guilford seeded 15th and the game will be played at 5pm
Rocky Mount girls seeded 28th travel to 5th seeded Corinith Holders game time is 5pm
Southern Nash  Boys seeded 28th travel to Cardinal Gibbons 5th seed  game time 4:30
Nash Central seeded 27th  boys travel to Big East champions Hunt 6th game time 5:30
Nash Central girls travel to Havelock time unknown
Fike girls at Hunt  4pm
Fike Boys at Northern Guilford 5:30PM
Northern Nash Girls host Morehead at 4pm  and Northern Boys host Southern Lee at 6:pm..

The state did allow  any team  not in school today to hold a practice considering for some that they have not held a practice or been together as a team since the last night of the regular season which was two weeks ago tonight.

Weather Hits Everybody

The high school basketball playoffs are on the verge of having sometype of drastic measures taken in order to get just one game in.  Once again school is out in this area and that leaves us game less Friday.  There are many schools Friday especially in the southeast are are attempting to go to school in some cases two hours delays but many are playing first round games against teams still out Friday which kills their opportunity to play.

We are to the point that the NCHSAA must make some decisions.  First would be a decision directly in opposite of what the NCHSAA stands for, money!  Most all playoff games the the NCHSAA  get a major cut of all the gate and round one games is the least.  They could drop first round games and announce Saturday a new bracket 1/16- 2/15 and cut to two games making it to the regional.  That would require playing games Saturday whether your school went to school on Friday or not and just maybe playing second round games on Sunday or Monday.

If they are willing to play games Sunday like last year they could stay with the regular three game bracket and play Saturday-Sunday and Monday.  The 3-A regional boys start Tuesday which would require for those who advance four straight days of basketball without much practice in the last two weeks.

Spring sports like basketball have not gotten any practice in since Mother Nature took control of our roads.  Rocky Mount was suppose to have had a practice game Thursday with the opening of the season next Tuesday.  Baseball is a game that pitchers need more throwing to build up strength in their arm and at this point no body is building strength in this weather.

The basketball playoffs regardless of what path they wind up taking will be filled with teams looking like it is the first practice of the season  and this year we may get a champion who's record may just be above 500.

Baseball just might have many games early where the losing team scores 10 runs on walks from pitchers who haven't thrown a strike in practice all spring or winter which ever is correct.  Hitters will have no rhythm and ground balls may go through many legs before the wall stops them.

College baseball has seen baseball games snowed out cancelled or move 500 miles just to get a game in.  Like high school it might be April before we see what your team may be like after they have played and practiced enough to say this is what our team is.

History Found In Canisters

If you played football for Rocky Mount High School in  the years 1967-68 and 69.  The orginal 16 or 8 millimeter film canisters have been found and containing all game footage from those years.  The film is in better condition than what you might expect  but look that is old time film almost fifty years old and it has been found in an attic.

If you happen to be someone that would like to prove to your grand children that you did actually play football this might be for you.  This is certainly history of Rocky Mount High School..  The  holder of this film has found this tucked away in and attic and really isn't sure what needs to be done with it.

Contact Mike Pearce at 908-3084.

Didn't we just talk about this about five weeks ago or so.  NC State had beaten Duke and students stormed the court  and the WolfPack was on the verge of moving up in the high rent district of the ACC a place that WolfPack fans desperately want to return to.

The emotion of the Duke victory State lost six of the next eight games but they have worked their way back to respectability.  Their victory over Carolina that other team State wants to be like has State standing in the very same spot they stood five weeks ago.  They have the keys to the pent house in their hands all they have to do is beat the teams they should beat which could be the next two games at Boston College and at Clemson a team that ripped them in one of those six losses after the Duke win.
 
Pack fans the most important game this year is Saturday at Boston College.  A lost to the last place team  in the ACC  would destroy all they have worked for to get back in the NCAA picture.

Those of you let's get rid of Roy folks after the Pack's win on Wednesday I think the entire Carolina  season and future for rest of the season lies in the foot of Marcus Paige.  You can say all you want but Carolina Goes as Paige goes and anybody that can't practice everyday because of the constant pounding on this foot can't be prepared on even in physical shape to play college basketball  the way it needs to be played.    It is hard for fans who sits in the stands to know what a small injury does to any player.

I sit here on my IPAD  the ground is covered in little more than an hour after the snow  Started and schools are closed again Thursday which kills another day for playoff basketball but there is another issue the fact that players have not practiced in about two weeks.  Who can possibly be in shape.  If they go to play the first day back in school when ever that might be then players will be susceptible to pulled muscles  and injury. This year is quickly becoming the year that the playoffs were cancelled.
 You know that will never happen.

Dire Straits For High School Basketball Playoffs

Tuesday was lost for playoff games and Wednesday has joined in as both Wilson and Nash County  schools are closed tomorrow.  If school is in session Thursday and Friday then the playoffs will go three straight nights which surely could be a major advantage for the home teams.  Reality tells us that the home team has all the advantages regardless of playing three straight nights over every other night.

This weather forecast has nothing in it that would make anyone think there will be school for the rest of the week.  If that happens then the first possible  day for basketball playoffs will be Saturday.  Last year basketball was allowed on Sunday for the first time in history.  So if games are played Saturday and Sunday that still leaves the championship for Monday which is suppose to be press conference day at the Crown Complex  in Fayetteville.

There is still one other possible disaster for the basketball playoffs.  Suppose this Wednesday night Thursday  weather turns into a major storm and there is no way to get any basketball in before Monday.  The regional is suppose to start Tuesday with 3-A  boys in the Coliseum and 2-A girls in the arena.  If the first round of the sectional are played Monday what happens then?

There will be two rounds yet to play and Thursday would be first day for the regional.  I could see a triple header Thursday and Friday  in Fayetteville and maybe play enough games Saturday to play the Championship of the Regional on Sunday.  This is of course contingent on no bad weather next week.

Here is another option drop teams in sectional seeded 17 through 32 and it only takes two games to win sectional.  The Big East boys would  not get to play would be Rocky Mount, Fike, Nash Central and Southern Nash.  The girls would lose Fike, Rocky Mount, and Nash Central.

This weather just may cause some unusual circumstances and all of it depends on how deep the snow or ice is by Dark Thursday night.