South Carolina Takes Both All Star Games.

 The 15th annual Carolina's All Star Classic basketball games played this past weekend in Myrtle Beach South Carolina were won by the Sand Lappers.  The girls game was not that close as the final was South Carolina 90- North Carolina 71.

The games were played with the clock set on twenty minute halves and Tia Hudgins and Aluxus Cooper both came in as first subs in the game just under 15 minutes in the first half. Both Rocky Mount senior girls Hudgins logged 18 minutes of playing time and she scored six points on 1-4 shooting but made 4-4 free throws.  She also pulled down four rebounds.  Cooper played 13 minutes and she also scored six points and she made two out of three shots plus two for two at the line.  She also hauled in three rebounds.

Hudgins only basket was classic Tia Hudgins as at the 6.33 mark in the half she pulled down her second rebound and put it back up for two points.  Just under five minutes to play Cooper was credited with an assist and she scored her first points with .28 seconds to play in the half when she sank two free throws.
The All Star game was played Saturday night in Myrtle Beach at Socastee High school.

Gryphons Terrill Hilliard played in the boys game and coach Mike Gainey was on the North Carolina bench as assistant coach.  South Carolina also won that game but this one was a dog fight as the final was 100-96.  Hilliard started for the North Carolina All Stars.  Hilliard played 19 minutes as every player in this game played between 19 and 20 minutes.  He was 2-5 shooting and made a three pointer but less than 20 seconds into the game Hilliard recorded one of his five rebounds in the game and by the half had a steal and an assist.
He made his three point attempt with six minutes to go and a layup with under five minutes to play.

Monday night Lady Gryphon Soccer beat Hunt at Hunt 4-1. Lauren Smith lead the way with two goals.

Tonight baseball 0-1 in Big East play travels to Hunt in a game that the Gryphons need badly if they plan on staying in the race for a playoff spot this season.  Game time is 7pm at Hunt.

Are The Planets Lining Up?

All of you Carolina fans who are old hat at this making it to the Sweet 16 give us Wolfpackers a chance to soak up the glory at least till Friday. It's only the second time in 24 years that we have made it this far.  We have forgotten how it feels to be here.  Yes we were here six years ago but now with the closest thing to Jim Valvano on the bench who goes by the name of Mark Gottfried Wolfpack fans actually have hope that we could do this again next year and the years after.

There is a whole lot of similarities in 2012 and 1983.  The Pack had to beat Virginia in the ACC Tournament in 83 just to get in.  This year a couple of wins got us over the top. We were the last name out of the hat so even though we are an 11 seed it seems like we just did make it. Opening round in 83 we had to beat a California school  Pepperdine in the opening round and this year San Diego St.  83 we had to beat Virginia to win the West Regional and we may very well have to beat Carolina this go round to make the final four.  At the end of the road could be the unbeatable Kentucky much like Houston was in 83.

In 83 State beat Ralph Sampson and company in the ACC Tournament using the three point basket but in the NCAA they had not adopted the three pointer yet so the Pack had to beat Virginia in Salt Lake City the old fashion way with two point baskets.

I know the bubble can burst at any time but it sure is good knowing we are the second team in the Triangle instead of that other triangle school over in Raleigh.

I have to tell you I was pulling hard for Duke Friday night.  The lack of team ball finally caught up with them and the best thing that could happen to Duke is get Rivers in the NBA and start playing team defense again.  Duke could never make a stop when they needed it  against Lehigh.

Yes i was pulling for the Heels Sunday  and  I know North Carolina fans have to be in shock knowing the NCAA has disappeared in front of their eyes. If you were like me when I changed channels last night I'm thinking this Carolina team can beat Kentucky only a half hour later hear of another wrist injury.  I just don't see how Marshall can play and even if they try it if I'm Ohio I press all over the court when Marshall tries to bring the ball up.  Sure was looking forward for State-Carolina playing for one of us to go to the final four but neither might not be there come Sunday.

Both games are Friday night Carolina plays at 7.47 on WTBS and State follows on WTBS at about 10:15.  Bask in the glory at least till Friday.  Kansas will be a tough one for the Pack and Ohio has a chance now that Marshall is injured.  By the way this weekend State travels to Carolina in Baseball both are tied at 5-1.  What a weekend this could be if they meet in basketball Sunday.

Making Up For Lost Time

To say the least the first two years of college baseball did not go  the way Tyler Joyner dreamed of as the Northern Nash grad turned down a minor league contract to head to ECU to pitch for the Pirates.  Billy Godwin put him in the heat of battle early bringing him in  a tight situation for one inning of relief work in which he gave up one run.  Maybe not the greatest of starts but there is plenty of the season still to go.

An NCAA investigation of the Pirates baseball program and a couple of players are kicked off the team and Tyler finds himself on the shelf for the remainder of his freshmen year but still on the team.  There are a lot of situations we all get ourselves into at and early age that we wish we didn't do and Tyler had one that brought on an injury and in order to heal he missed his entire sophomore season.  Two years of college and only one inning pitched for the Pirates. 

Healthy and now in his third year Tyler Joyner made a commitment to walk the straight and narrow and rededicate himself to stay on the field this season and be what Billy Godwin thought he could be three years ago.  Through this weekend Tyler is 3-0 on the season and has pitched 32 innings for the Pirates.  His ERA is less than two at 1.97.  You know this is Tyler's third season and he is eligible of the Baseball draft in June.  If he finishes this season the way he has started  the temptation will be there as a left hander pro baseball teams pay premium dollars for his kind.  Keep it up Tyler!

Down in Chapel Hill Hobbs Johnson found his first year playing for the Tar Heels was pitch to one batter and come back to the bench. When the Heels were ready to go to Omaha for the College World Series Johnson stayed home to attend summer school as there were questions  whether he would be eligible in 2012 unless he hit the books harder, and he did.  Hobbs is still a relief pitcher but this year in seven appearances he has pitched 9.1 innings and has an ERA of 1.93.  He has struck out 11 batters in his nine innings.  Johnson and former Gryphon teammate Benton Moss are both making an impact for the Tar Heels.

Since his six run second inning of his career at Carolina after his ERA ballooned  to over 42 Benton Moss had a streak  of 18 scoreless inning pitching for the Tar Heels.  Today at Maryland Moss absorbed his first college loss but  all he needed was a couple of runs as Moss pitch six innings and gave up one run and took the loss as the Heels lost their first conference game of the year 1-0 to Maryland.

Moss has pitched 25 plus inning and that 42 ERA has come all the way down to 2.13.  He has struck out 28 on the season.he now stands at 2-1 for the Heels.  That one shaky inning Benton has worked his way back to the Sunday starter.

Three Rocky Mount area high school legends making the grade in division one baseball.

Big Fourth Equals Gryphon Win

The Rocky Mount Gryphons hosted the Vikings of Tarboro High School this afternoon and the Gryphons pushed across seven runs in the fourth inning and that was enough to get their third win of the season as they beat the Vikings 10-5.

Will Edwards got the start for the Grypons and he had a 1-2-3 first inning.  The second produced four walks and a single and Tarboro took the lead in the second inning 2-0.  Kent Cox replaced Edwards with two outs in the second with Spenser Ramsey and Ramsey held the Viking in check  through six innings.

Tarboro starter Timmy Walker went into the fourth inning having yielded only a single and one walk but by the end of the third seemed to be tiring.  The first batter in the fourth Spenser Ramsey walked and Tarboro's head coach Justin Smith replaced Walker with Tyler Wooten and six of the next seven Gryphons got hits leading the way for a seven run 4th inning.

The Gryphons had played error free ball through five innings but the sixth and seventh they committed three errors and had several other chances to make outs but didn't make the needed plays.  Tarboro plated two in the sixth and one in the seventh after Sam Lilley came on to replace Ramsey in the seventh.

It is only the third win on the season for the Gryphons who now stand at 3-6 and 0-1 in Big East play.  Tarboro drops to 4-3. .Ramsey picks up the win while Tyler Wooten absorbs the lost for the Vikings.

The Gryphons had their best hitting day of the season getting 12 hits and 11 came after third inning.  Logan Smith  led the way getting two hits and two rbi.  Jeremy Johnson, Collins Watson and Micah Varnell all had two hits and rbi.  Andy Morris, Sam Lilley, Ben Winstead  and Ben Yates had singles for the Gryphons.Chase Johnson, Keith Williams,Trey Radford and Drury Armstrong collected the four Viking hits.

Tonight I will be doing the Faith Christian-Rocky Mount Academy game for the All New Sports Show which will air March 25th.