If It Is Going To Happen

So far this basketball season Northern Nash girls opened the season against 4-A East Wake with a four point win.  Early in December another  four point game to 4-A Conley.  Other than those two games Northern Nash has not been pressed by anybody no way no how.  Their average victory margin for the season is 24 points a game.  Big East play is almost twenty six per game.

If there is to be someone who thinks they just might clip the Lady Knights then Friday night is going to have to be the night.  Friday starts the second time around in conference play and the unbeaten Knights travel to Hunt who is led by six one Brionna Pate who when all is said and done this year just might be the Big East player of the year.  She is averaging almost 19 points per game  for the Lady Warriors who have worked their record to 14-4 overall and 4-1 in conference play.

Don't all you Northern fans jump up and down and say how can the top player in the league not be from Northern?  Pate has been the one man wrecking crew for Hunt.  Northern has so many good players that it appears they are winning as a team while for Hunt it has been that they got one really good one.

If Northern was to fall during the regular season you would expect that Hunt has to be the team to do it.  They lost by 18 at Northern first time around.  The way the Knights have played against everyone this year  you would almost say if Hunt can keep it under ten points would be a major accomplishment.  If they can't who is left to give Northern a tussle?

I'm going to remind you can look it up if you wish but back in 2010 when in late January the Rocky Mount Gryphons were putting together their run to the state title I told everyone that they could win it all.  I'm telling you right now the Northern Girls have a real chance to hang their second banner.  Injuries are always a factor in the luck process of being healthy at the right time.

Luck just might be falling Northern's way.  What I have seen all year as their biggest weakness is coming together at just the right time.  Kianna Thomas has been terrific all season leading the Lady Knights in scoring, blocked shots and the like.  Her height at six three she can be intimidating standing there waiting for you as you drive to the basket.  If she gets in foul trouble  or needs rest  the Northern weakness all year has been at her back up.

Those of you that don't pay attention would not notice at all that Ceyanna Harrison has not played this year for Northern due to knee surgery she had.  Just at the right time CC has played in the last three games for the first time this year.  Is Northern getting ready to pull an 1983 N C State on everyone?  CC was a major twin tower player last year and will probably be a backup for the rest of the season as she gets back into playing shape.  Six feet three she is the hole filler for the only weakness that I can see in this Northern team unless another injury befalls this team.

So Northern 16-0 5-0 and Hunt  14-4 4-1 scrap for the top spot Friday three of the other four teams are battling for third or fifth.  Rocky Mount 7-7 2-3 travels to Nash Central 11-7 2-3 and Southern 0-18 0-5 visits Fike7-9 2-3.

Nip And Tuck

We have talked several times this year that all four Nash County High School teams were all a like.  No big men but a team all the same size.  This past Friday Rocky Mount and Southern two of those teams just alike went over time and tonight Northern hosting Rocky Mount go over time again and this game was close all the way.

It will not be decided until the end of overtime on senior Adam Renner's three as Northern gets themselves back in the playoff  hunt as Rocky Mount is stung for the second game in a row when it looked like they had the game. 74-73.  Northern moves up to 2-3 in the conference and Rocky Mount falls to 2-3.

 Tonight Southern Nash has put their bid for the top  division in the Big  East beating Nash Central  63-56.  The Firebirds go to 3-2 in league play and Nash Central drops to 2-3.  Can you see a tend developing?  Depending on the outcome at Fike there may be a four way tie for last at 2-3 should Hunt beat Fike.

The Lady Gryphons so far this season have been an every other team. Win one, lose one,  one stretch they won two in a row then lost two straight.   Having won on Friday then it's time for a loss especially since Northern Nash will be defending their home turf.

The unbeaten Lady Knights did what they have done to everyone they were bigger, faster  and they were not going to give the Lady Gryphons any thought that they had a chance.  Northern Nash whips Rocky Mount 62-29.

Hunt has control of second in league play as they go to 4-1 in Big East play knocking off Fike 55 -37
Northern at 5-0 leads Hunt by a game.  Rocky Mount, Fike and depending on the Nash Central outcome at Southern there could be a three way tie at 2-3.

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The K Perspective

Duke's coach K won his 1000th college basketball game Sunday.  They said on TV Sunday that 212 of college basketball's  coaches have not won 1000 between them.  There is not a coach in NBA history that has won more and they play at least 80 games every year. Red Aurabach 938 is the NBA  leader,

Since K has been to Duke the Blue Devils have been ranked 85.7 per cent of the time.  Duke was in year four of the K career before they made poll for first time.  K has won 927 wins while at Duke.  That alone would rank third on the all time wins list.  His all time 1000 wins and Jim Beiheim 962.


K's teams have beaten Maryland the most 55 times.  Georgia Tech has lost 53, Clemson 52, Virginia 52 and NC State 51 times.  K has beat Carolina 40 times.  Carolina has also beaten him the most 38 times.  Wake Forest is next in beating Duke with 24 wins.  That is also the same number for Maryland 24 and next State with 22.

K doesn't have all the records yet.  He has won 421 ACC games.  That second to Dean Smith 422.  Teams that have a winning record over K stands at 10.  Lafayette 1-4, Holy Cross 2-4, Iona 2-3, Kings College 0-1, Long Island 0-1.  All those teams beat him while he was coach at Army.

The list is only five from division one.   Arizona 3-5, Louisville 2-4,  California, Tennessee and Stanford he is 1-2 against all three.  He has the most wins all time but he is second in D one  games coach 1307.  That's second behind Jim Phelen at 1356.

During the Month of February he will  turn 68 years old.  He has good health but I hope this fabulous career doesn't end like that of either of the college football imortals Bobby Bowen stayed too long and Joe Paterno who covered up crimes.

You know during his career his mate wife Mickey has grounded him when ever he needed to be.  It is my opinion that we will see K two more full years if his health keeps.  One more Olympics and then one more full year at Duke.  That would be the end of the 2017 season.

Ever how limited this statement might be but I have only seen two news conferences that when it was over the news media applauded the person who was being interviewed.  The news media is suppose to be dignified and cover the story for the story not the person.  When Arnold Palmer did his last interview playing at the Masters 400 news media personnel stood up when he walked away and the entire room gave him a standing ovation.

 Sunday when the news conference was over in the bowels of Madison Square Garden in New York City the news media there and you would have thought Duke won the national championship cause the news media swarmed the place like State had beat Duke and took over the basketball floor.  Once the Coach K news conference ended they all rose to applaud.  Sunday was special for everyone who loves Duke, The ACC  or basketball in generally.

Do Or Die For Northern

Just ten days ago there was a six way tie for first in the Big East when everyone after two games were 1-1 in the standings.  Two games last week and Northern was the only team to go 0-2 and as they host Rocky Mount Tuesday find themselves in dead last at 1-3. 

Hunt was the only team able to survive both games last week in winning both and find themselves on top of the heap at 3-1.  Rocky Mount, Fike, Nash Central and Southern Nash  all won one and lost one  so they are tied for second or fifth depending on how you view the  half empty glass theory.

Rocky Mount 2-2  9-4 @ Northern Nash  1-3  4-11.  Northern Nash is proving to be the team that you don't want to play.  They are almost as good as everybody else but keep finding a way to make life miserable for themselves.  They are how ever good enough to make everybody they play worry especially at Northern.  Rocky Mount is one big man away from being great and when you look at most Big East teams that's everybody but Hunt because they are the tallest team in the league.  Northern can't afford another slip and Rocky Mount can see the top spot in the league but another loss would not help that in any way on Tuesday.

Hunt 10-6  3-1 @ Fike  11-4 2-2.  There is the chance should Fike beat Hunt and Rocky Mount beats Northern and it doesn't matter about who wins the Southern/Central game there could be a four way tie after Tuesday.  If any team is going to catch Hunt they had better do it at home.  Here is Fike's chance against their arch rival.

Nash Central 10-5 2-2 at Southern Nash 10-6 and 2-2.  If Rocky Mount needs one big man then Southern is a point guard away from the regional or farther.  They had 29 turnovers at Rocky Mount mostly from  not playing under control. They still won  the game which should tell every body Southern has some ball players.  Nash Central right there in the middle, if they steal one in Bailey they are upper division.

The story is  more  defined in the girls division.  No one has yet to give Northern Nash a tussle .  Hunt has beaten every one but Northern.  Rocky Mount and Fike win one and lose one .  Nash Central shockingly has lost three of four.  There is one good thing with Southern Nash girls.  They keep showing up.

Rocky Mount 2-2 7-6 @ Northern 4-0 and 15-0:  The Christmas Tournament in Rocky Mount was just like the rest of the games for Northern.  Wear you down after a while.  The Rocky Mount boys need a big men the girls need a point guard.  All Northern needs is to stay healthy and stay focused.

Hunt 13-4 3-1 @ Fike 7-8 and 2-2:  I think Hunt is the better team but this is the Wilson County Rivalry and this one is in Fike.  I think Hunt is the only team to really give Northern a Challenge for the title but a loss at Fike would kill that idea.

Nash Central 1-3 10-7 @ Southern Nash 0-4  0-16.  There is no doubt the Lady Bulldogs can not let Southern creep up and win this one.  The worse thing they could do is show up thinking it is over for they get there.

You know the regular season has three weeks to go so all this jumbled mess with all these 2-2 teams in both the boys and girls it is time for somebody to make a playoff push.

It All Depends On Who You Pull For

I throughly like being able to sit near the floor near coaches and hear their inter action with their players, and the referees.  You can see those that are good coaches the way they talk with their players  and then you can hear them plea with the refs.

I really like hearing Robbie Kennedy of Southern Nash as he pleas with the refs.  You would think  that all the refs were against him as during one moment in the action early in the third quarter Friday night after a Southern foul he pleaded with one of the refs that he didn't think he was getting a fair shake on the foul calls  that they were just calling everything on his team and nothing against Rocky Mount.

I looked at my play sheet and Rocky Mount had been charged with 14 fouls and Southern only six.  I chuckled and made a comment to Josh Walfish of the Telegram who sat beside me that Robbie's view of the game was with one eye closed.

Coaches surely have more invested in their team's outcome than those of us who sit in the stands and pull for one team or the other.  Just maybe the parents of those in action are the next vested in the outcome.  Everyone wants to win and we see a foul on the other side while everything we do is by the book.

In fact I am still rather hot under the collar that Kennedy Meeks of Carolina didn't foul out of the State game in Raleigh because he was on the back all night long against the Wolfpack big men when rebounding.  He had only one foul the entire game.  Couldn't the referees see anything in that game?

If you happen to be the only person in the stands that came to enjoy the game without pulling for one side or the other you see the game completely different  than those that are favoring one side.  We all want our side to win and in order to do that sometimes the refs have to make the calls that favor my view point which by the way they never seem to do.

Hardly ever do you hear a group of fans stand up and holler in unison  good call ref when the foul was against them.  You hear something like "that wasn't a foul just a minute ago at the other end, why is it now?'

Athletic competition is great for all who attend and take part from the players who get plenty of exercise during the contest.  Coaches who after games need to soak their throats in hot water to aid their sore throats from screaming at players and Refs.  Fans jump up and down in their seats whether they are applauding a great play or screaming at a dumb refs call.

We either all go home happy or we go home mad.  There is one thing that we all get  to do. We all had a good time at least until the final score.  If you think as you were riding home.  What a pleasure it was to watch our young people pour out their hearts  to do the best they could do.  Those of us in the stands did all we could do to sway the outcome in our favor by either telling the coach he didn't know what he was doing or screaming at some blind referee.

Boy, I can't wait for the next game!!!!

What A Basketball League

One of the things I like  about the new gym is Rocky Mount is I can sit on press row right on the floor by the visiting team.  This night you could just tell that Southern Nash had that look in their eyes as the game began.  The first four minutes they swamped Rocky Mount and jumped to a 14-2 lead.

There is something within our bodies that emotion can only carry you  so far  and by the end of the quarter the Firebirds were huffing and puffing and looked tired.  Don't know what is is if a coach could figure it out they would be a genius.  Rocky Mount tied the game at 22 and had a basketball taken away in a charge and by this time Southern had found that second wind and finished the half up. 35-27.

Rocky mount played catch up until about the two minute mark and found their first lead of the game. Forty seconds to go in the game Rocky Mount leads 64-61 and all they need to do is make free throws.  They didn't and with four second left lead 68-66 after a Southern basket and on the inbounds Rocky Mount commits only their ninth turnover of the game but Southern ties to send the game to overtime.

Southern in the first two minutes of OT scored the first seven points and Rocky Mount could not catch up.  Southern  Nash beats Rocky Mount 78-75.  Southern committed 29 turn overs to only nine for Rocky Mount and won.  Rocky Mount out rebounded Southern 41-38 and lost.   Rocky Mount missed more free throws and lost.

Marquise Wright lead Southern with 23 points but he was a monster on the boards grabbing 14.  Bryan Vines aided the Firebird cause with 20.  Isaiah Alston did all he could do firing in 38 points  but like other Gryphons missed several free tosses.

Southern and Rocky Mount are now tied at 2-2 Southern is now 10-6 while Rocky Mount drops to 9-4.

I was late getting to the girls game it was already 7-0 Rocky Mount with four minutes to play in the first quarter.  Sitting there a few minutes I asked the question where is Destiny Burgess  for Southern and the answer was she was not playing tonight and with it was all the scoring punch Southern Girls have.

Rocky Mount led 12-0 at the first quarter mark.  It's not like Rocky mount played great as they had many turnovers and poor shooting.  It was 23-1 at the half.  Southern didn't score their first bucket until thiry six second to go in the third where it was 37-4 at the quarter.  Four minutes to go with a 45-4 lead it he clock was started and Southern finished the game making a ten foot shot and two threes to get to double digits and Lose  48-12.    Rocky Mount gets even at 2-2 and Southern has yet to win this season.

Hunt boys take over First in the Big East with a 65-46 win over Nash Central while the Hunt girls own Second beating Nash Central 56-46.  Northern Girls continue to dominate everyone winning 60-36 over Fike

Legend Keeps Growing

It seems like just yesterday but it was almost four years ago that Mike Krzyzewski was breaking the all time D1 win record when he surpassed Bobby Knight with 903 wins.  Now the sound barrier of basketball wins is one step away Sunday when Coach K goes for number 1000.  Notice I didn't tried spelling his name twice.

When you look around at other coaches on this universe that are on the plateau of wins close to K  none are diversified.  His team in trouble with two losses in a row Duke throws a zone defense at Louisville and stifles them.  That coach at Syracuse knows no other way but zone to coach so when his players don't work with his system he just doesn't do very well.  Coach K tries everything he can think of to get out of the players their ability and he coaches to their strength not what he can get out of the system.

He is of this generation the best coach in the land of changing in the middle of the stream to get to the other side.  His last national championship came after a major injury to his point guard so what did he do?  Change into a slow motion team using the players he had to get the most out of them and a title.  Sunday could another day in the immortal life of Coach K and college basketball.

If you saw Carolina in November and see them now there is no doubt Carolina is better than I thought they could be.  Their big men are leading the way in improvement  but their one sore spot is outside shooting.  Marcus Paige is their loner gunner  and if the other side can keep him under control they have a shot at beating Carolina.


The Tar Heels are legit and yes they were thought of in the preseason as a final four material but started out everyone wondered where is the final four Carolina team was?  Roy Williams said earlier that he needed to quit babying this team and look they have responded.  Ole Roy ain't such a bad coach either is he?

Carolina is rather good shooting the ball six feet from the basket which is an indication they have the ability to get the ball deep into the basket.

Over in Raleigh  the WolfPack has started to get production  from their inside people and with it their future into late March brightens.  If the Pack totally depends on the outside game there will be nights when they can't hit the broad side of a barn like last night.  Despite losing at Miami the Pack took the Canes to the wire on the road and shot poorly.  Remember the Canes embarrassed Duke in Durham  ten days ago.

The inside is led by Washington and every time he shoots I hollered no no but he has a rather nice  left handed hook.  Abu to me reminds me of Montrezl Harrell as a freshman and Anya is probably the best defensive inside player in the ACC.

Mark Gottfried has shown the ability to recruit  and I think the Pack 2015 future depends on Cat Barber.  I think he  has one of those collars around his neck that goes off when he gets to the three point line.  When he drives he opens up every thing for everybody else. Last night's loss puts the Pack at 13-7 and if they go 6-5 the rest of the way in conference that puts them at 10-8 but 19-12 is on the bubble making the NCAA.

I would not be surprised that if all three of the Triangle teams made it to the sweet 16.  Seeding and early matchups will tell the tale  on how far each goes.  This area would go wild if all three make final 16  and  insane if all three were still alive in the final eight.  Nobody needs injuries but Tell you all three Triangle teams are very good and getting better.