2,000

Duke became the fourth team in college basketball history to win 2,000 games last night as they also advanced to the round of 16 in the NCAA tournament with a victory over Creighton 66-50.  Duke trails Kentucky, Kansas and North Carolina as the only teams with more NCAA wins.  The Devils survive foul trouble but take second half control and advance to the Sweet 16.  This is the 21st time in Coach K's career at Duke that they have made the Sweet 16.

Miami who doesn't play too often in the NCAA tournament survived a close call against Illinois 63-59.  As well as the Hurricanes have played this year since they haven't been in the NCAA tournament in years you had to worry that the top team in the ACC might not react very well in a tight game but the Canes came through.

North Carolina's season ended  playing one of the teams they are chasing in the all time wins list in Kansas as the Heels lead most of the way but faded late to lose 70-58.

How about the State of Florida.  Three teams in the sweet 16 as Florida Gold Coast, Florida  and Miami are all in.  Florida GC becomes the first 15th seed to make it to the Sweet 16.  Maybe this is the year for a no name to win it all.

Can anybody tell me why  now that they have gone to the four games on four different stations and all the games start at a different time when one goes to commercial why they are all in commercial.  Several times this weekend I have flipped to watch another game and that game has the same commercial playing  that the game I was watching had on.

Found out last night there has been a schedule change for Rocky Mount baseball this week as they play Nash Central on Tuesday at home at 7pm.  They were suppose to play Hunt Thursday but I understand that Hunt has a conflict and the game has been moved to Friday.  When I know the time I will pass it along.

I can tell you one rule I wish they would change right now.  This season the jv's are playing just before the varsity.  Last week when Rocky Mount played Fike the jv game finished right at the time limit.  To me this does not give the varsity the proper time to get ready for the game.  Please move the jv games either to another day or let the jv's play away while the varsity is home.  If they are going to play both at the same site start the jv game a half hour earlier than they do now please.

J'Kyra Wins MVP

J'Kyra Brown has been Rocky Mount's girls basketball go to player for her three varsity years.  She is the all time leading scorer in Rocky Mount history.  We all can see that if she can stay healthy she still has a lot of basketball left in her life as long as those knees hold up.  Last night Brown showed that even in a group of all stars that she will stand out.  J'Kyra score 16 of her 19 points in the second half last night to lead the North Carolina All Stars to a 76-67 victory over South Carolina in the Carolina Classic basketball game played in Myrtle Beach South Carolina.  The game was tied and went overtime before North Carolina out scored South Carolina 9-0 in the extra session.

The North Carolina baseball team is living up to the high expectations of a team that was rated #1 in the preseason.  Yesterday the Heels won a double header from Boston College and ran their overall record to 21-1.  Former Gryphon Benton Moss continues to lead the ACC in wins as he pitched seven inning allowing just one earned run as Carolina won the second game 5-2.  Moss is now 6-0 on the season.  Not bad at all for the all times wins leader in Rocky Mount history.

Both of the Triangle teams left in the NCAA Tournament play today.  Carolina and Roy Williams tangle with Kansas at 5pm. That game will be on ch 5 at 5pm.  Duke does not play until 9.30pm on TNT and they will take on Creighton.  Miami is also in action today as the ACC has all three of their teams left in action trying to make the Sweet 16.

I realize that when I say this that I am a Wolf Pack fan but if you have missed the ESPN 30-30 program  Survive and Advance this week about the 1983 teams winning of the NCAA Tournament you have missed one of the really good 30-30 that ESPN has done.  It entails Jim Valvano's rise to fame being such a dynamic motivational speaker and how all of his motivation helped carry the team to victory.

How his speaking helped bring him down as coach and how his speaking helped start the V Foundation.  One of the players said it best.  In order for the V Foundation to start Valvano had to become  a world wide celebrity. Winning the NCAA in 83 brought him that.  Then he had to get cancer because he had started being an annalist for ESPN.  "Wouldn't it be something that one day that the discovery of how to cure cancer is made at Duke hospital where Valvano died.  The Lord works in mysterious ways"

Roy Collects # 700

Roy Williams won his 700th basketball game as a college coach as the Tar Heels of North Carolina survived and advance to the second round of the NCAA basketball Tournament. Hot as a fire cracker on the fourth of July Carolina held a 20 point lead  that melted away in the second half but the Heels were able to make enough shots to win 77-71 over Villanova.  Next in line for the Tar Heels is Kansas and that game is Sunday in Kansas City.

Duke beat Albany 73-61 and have advanced to round three of the NCAA Tournament. They will meet Creighton who took down Cincinnati.  Despite having only five losses on the season Duke never had Albany at any point where it looked as if a blowout was near.  They had a comfortable lead but never threw a knockout punch.

There is no doubt that Friday's loss N C State had  in the NCAA Tournament was a microcosm of their season.  Down early because of no defense  they look as bad as any team in the country.  Then inspired in the second they looked as if they were as good as any body.  Here is a fact to chew on.  Once State beat Duke and all the TV shows by C J Leslie after saving the student in the wheel chair State went 10-9  during rest of the season.  Leslie who now thought he was a star had games he failed to make an appearance in but I must say he played well Friday.

Miami is the only ACC team that acted like what we want the ACC to do.  Win big against a no name.  The ACC is 3-1 in this tournament.  Duke Carolina and Miami will all play Sunday afternoon.  I hope they work it out where all three play at different times.

Gryphons Sweep District Honors

Gatorade announce Wednesday the all District teams and the Player of the year across the state.  J F Webb's Isaiah Hicks who the Gryphons saw up close and personal is the Gatorade player of the year state wide.  The District 3 level Rocky Mount High school took all the top honors as both the boys and girls District 3 players of the year and the Gryphon's coaches also sweep the district as coaches of the year.

Donte Battle leads the all District team which is compromised by all classifications not only 3-A.  Battle averaged a double double for the season 18 points and 10 rebounds per game. Joining Battle is Rocky Mount Prep player DeShawn Freeman who lead his team to the 1-A championship game.  Also on the first team is  Nash Central's Jaquan Wilkins.

The second team is chocked full of Big East as MJ Gainey comes from the Gryphons, Chi Ali Bunn hails from Southern Nash.  Nate Pittman from Nash Central and Daniel Westbrook from Hunt.

Over on the girls side J'Kyra Brown is the District 3 Player of the year. J'Kyra who became the all time leading scorer in Rocky Mount girls history averaged 27 points per contest in leading the Gryphons. She is joined on the first team by Quinesha Lynch of Northern Nash and Alexus Hill.  Khadijah Manning of Southern Nash also makes first team.  The second team is lead by Carmen Richardson from the Gryphons and two Tarboro players N'Yasha Savage and Lisa Jones.

Mike Gainey is the District 3 Coach of the Year as he took his Gryphons back to the Regional finals after having lost several starters from last year's state championship team.  Somewhat of a surprise is Pam Gainey won coach of the year over Grover Battle who's team lost just 3 times all year. All three  of those losses were to Rocky Mount.   Despite depth Gainey still lead the Gryphons to the 3rd round of the playoffs and in the last game was in it until the end on West craven's home court.

Gryphon Baseball was cold out or snowed out which ever you prefer.  Right now there is no decision on any makeup date because starting next week all weeks will have two conference games except the Easter break week.  The Gryphon pitching staff riddled with injuries has enough on their plate to pitch two conference per week and throwing a  non-conference game in the fire which you know the back end of the staff will pitch that one that game just might never get made up.

Let The Games Begin

Quite frankly as the NCAA Basketball Tournament begins today I find myself not all that excited about this years tournament mostly due to the fact I don't see any of North Carolina's team playing the last weekend.

As uninspired as I am I am sure come 12noon on Friday when Duke hits the floor I will be pumped up to pull hard for Duke.  The Pack will begin play at 1:40 Friday and who knows which team will show up. Carolina gets into action Friday night.  All three big Four teams should win Friday.

I can't see N C State beating Indiana in Dayton.  Just North of Cincinnati practically right on the Indiana border. into Indiana.  That like any North Carolina based ACC school is like playing in Charlotte for I-U.  The place will be all red on Sunday but not Wolf Pack red.

Who in their right mind can pick Carolina Sunday if they play Kansas in Kansas City.  Nobody should but as the ESPN Special this week on the 1983 N C State team showed the world any team can win.  The best of the three Triangle teams in Duke and I have picked them to make it to the final eight but I have to tell you my confidence in them is not very strong.

If the NIT can give you a gauge then the ACC is 2-1 and Kentucky is home.  Maryland and Virginia advanced while FSU is out.  Kentucky played at Robert Morris and all Gryphon fans know who Robert Morris is.  That Baseball's Andy Morris's Dad.  Well almost any way.  Robert Morris gym held an over flow crowd of three thousand fans.  Kentucky's house the bathrooms holds more than that .  In this day's world of college basketball it's anybody's game and we just might have a no name cutting down the nets in two and a half weeks.

Wednesday Gryphon baseball traveled to Southern Wayne.  These two met two weeks ago in the season opener and the Gryphons played poorly but they gave a good accounting of themselves yesterday.  Spencer Ramsey pitched five innings and he gave way to Andy Morris with the score tied 3-3.  The Saints scored two runs in the bottom of the seventh to win 5-3.  The Gryphons are on the road again today.

NCAA Brackets A Real Roll Of The Dice

I have been filling out NCAA brackets long before  there was ever one printed in the paper much less go on line to any site and try to win a million dollars by picking a perfect score.  This years NCAA Tournament is probably the most wide open in the history.  Regardless of why but there is no Houston and Phi Slamma Jamma in the field.  Yes,there are some really good teams but look  the top seeds have all lost a bunch.

If there was ever a year for Butler this is it.  Of the forty years or so that I have filled out brackets I think for the first time I don't have Duke or Carolina in the final four. I always have one or the other.   For someone who lives on Tobacco Road I have sinned greatly and ask for forgiveness.  I have waited until Tuesday night before I looked at the brackets for the first time because I wanted all the information I could find.  I have every teams RPI, BPI, Victories on the road. foul shooting the last four minutes and even their blood pressure.  I am armed and dangerous I as  reveal my final four.

I have laid out my brackets and a funny thing happened on the way to the Final Four some team named New Mexico  has become my Butler for this year.  They are a #3 seed and I found myself continuing  to put a check my their name in every game.  I am sorry to say but I have Kansas taking out the Heels in the Sunday game and Kansas will make it to the  big weekend.

Almost everyone in the Twin Counties should deep down in their heart be pulling for Louisville with North Edecombe player Montrezl Harrell on the team and thanks to him Louisville won the Big East Tournament.  I have them taking out Duke  in the Final eight game.  There is only one spot left and that is for the ACC Champion Miami.  There must be something wrong with this world when you say Miami ACC Champions but I tell ya man Miami, the Canes on back to back days took down the Pack who played rather well and North Carolina  who was just as good as the Pack and they did it in Greensboro.

Those four who make it to the Elite eight are Duke,Georgetown, Indiana and Kansas State.When all is said and done on semi final Saturday Miami and Louisville will play for the national title and the Ville will win.  Ok so that is my first bracket.  My next one will not have any of those team making it.  Let me see if I can find a Butler the second time around.

Gryphons Open Conference With Win

Jeremy Johnson gave the Rocky Mount Gryphons six strong innings of pitching allowing only one run  on five hits while striking out ten Wilson Fike batters as Rocky Mount opens conference play with a 3-1 victory over Fike.

Andy Morris open up the game getting a triple in the right center gap and Johnson's sac fly gave the Gryphons a 1-0 lead in the first.  Starting Fike pitcher Charlie Vaughn held the Gryphons in check for four inning giving up only one hit.  Tyler Poythress pitched the fifth and sixth innings for Fike.  Fike was quiet until the fifth when Tyler Poythress singled advance to third on a sac infield single by Sam Ellis.  Poythress scored on a fly ball sac by Richard Hinton.

The bottom of the sixth inning  Johnson started off with a single, Trevor Hayworth reach on an error.  Ben Winstead's fly ball drove in Johnson to give the Gryphons the lead at 2-1. Jerrell Hunter drove in run #3 with a hit over second to give the Gryphons their three runs.

In somewhat of a gamble with several pitching injuries still plaguing the Gryphons coach Kent Cox brought on Cody Smith to pitch the seventh.  So far this season Smith either strikes you out or walks you and Smith acted like a closer should in striking out one batter and got a three up and three down top of the seventh to record the save.

Andy Morris, Jeremy Johnson and Jerrell Hunter had the three Gryphon hits while Tyler Pouthress had two singles and he had help  with a hit from Sam Ellis, a double by Charlie Vaughn and a Jordan Crumpler hit .  Jeremy Johnson got the win and Tyler Poythress took the loss.

Rocky Mount record expands to 4-3 but 1-0 in Big East play while Fike suffered their first loss of the season as they stand 6-1 and 0-1 in the Big East.

Former Rocky Mount Gryphon Benton Moss was named Monday as the ACC pitcher of the week after he pitch a seven inning gem Saturday night for North Carolina.  Moss allowed two hits and struck out seven batters and picked up his fifth win of the year and stands at 5-0 which is the most wins any pitcher in the ACC has.  His five starts this year for the Tar Heels he has struck out at least seven in every game and 39 on the season which is fourth in the ACC.

I hope you had a chance to see ESPN's 30-30 Series Survive and Advance Sunday night.  It featured the 1983 N C State WolfPack and their journey having to win nine games in a row  to either get into the NCAA tournament and then survive trailing in the second in seven of them.  It is not only about that team but the death of coach Jim Valvano and the spirit he gave that 83 team to never give up and even as he died from cancer he lived the spirit until his death.  It was an awesome show and I hope you catch a rerun that they will show a million times in the next two weeks until the next 30-30 hits the air ways.