Hob Nobbing

Sunday went to the Carolina Hurricanes game and sat in My wife's company Luxury Box.  Her company has about a 100 employees and if any employees wants to go to any game you would like four tickets  in the box just request any game and if any tickets are available for that game you can get four.  A couple of weeks ago we were told no other person had requested any of the other tickets for that game and we got the other six tickets.

Two VIP parking passes and off we go.  The VIP parking is between Carter Finley Stadium and the South entrance and it runs around to the east entrance.   The VIP parking placard on my rear view mirror I'm being waved right on through and drive right on in the the VIP section which is first come first served.  I knew the box was over by the east entrance so I drove as far toward the east entrance  as I could go and parked and the last space was empty and we were about 30 feet from the entrance.

We were getting all kinds of looks like who could they be as we stepped out of our car into the East entrance.  We walked over to our box and the door was locked and we had to get a security/usher to unlock box.  The first thing his beeper is sounding and I am thinking must be getting ready to tell us we can't get in.  The usher announces the Hurricanes just traded Eric Staal and he is still in the locker room because it just happened.

He opens the door and shows us our private bathroom, where all the beverages are, and there is a bar with two seats and eight cushioned seat in front of the bar.  We did not do this but you can preorder sandwiches, popcorn, and eating items on a menu which we did not do because we didn't know soon enough that we had the whole box to ourselves.  We could order anything on the menu and we had a waitress to go get any thing we wanted.  Probably the best part of all is if you are sitting in a regular seat and go to the concession stand or bathroom everyone in you row has to stand up for you to pass by. You could stand anytime you wanted you were never in anybody's way.

We walked outside our box and just a door down from us is the Fox Sports South pregame TV show in progress and across the hall Mike Maniscalco is during the pregame radio show on 99.9 the fan.  During  the first and second intermissions our security/usher brought us the game stats to view.  We could not think of anything being better other that the Hurricanes winning.  The game ends and we stayed until the horn sounded, how could I leave early in all that luxury.  Two minutes we are in the car on the way to P F Changs.

High school baseball is underway and the Rocky Mount Gryphons lost Tuesday at Bunn 10-3.  Today at home the beat 4-A Knightdale 9-3.

Southern Nash won their season opener Tuesday over Southwest Edgecombe 17-12.

Nash Central lost at South Johnston 4-3.

Northern Nash played their first game of the season today at Roanoke Rapids.

A Week Left

There is one week to go in the ACC basketball race and the three Triangle teams still vie for position for any upcoming playoff action.  Both Duke and Carolina have records that assure them NCAA bids but both have had periods of time that they show signs of weakness.  For what ever reason NC State has had a year to win more than they lose will be a big accomplishment.

Wolfpack:  The team that finished last year and what was to be this year's team never materialized.  Defections to the pros of a player who's pro potential was questionable and a major injury to his replacement has created a struggle the entire season.  Cat Barber just might be the best player in the league but can he win the MVP of the league on a team that will not make NCAAs?

If Cat is to be a good pro he will have to do it as a shooting guard.  He dribbles too much.  The amount of minutes he controls the ball he doesn't make his teammates better.  The Pack's other players are limited. Two of their rebounders can't score.  Abu could be next year one of the best players in the league but must rely on someone getting him the ball.  Their outside shooters are inconsistent.

Their inside defense causes trouble for every team they play which helps keep them in every game.  The bottom line on the Pack.  They need to finish one win more than they lose to just get into any of the other tournaments.  Maybe Next Year.

Duke:  How does a team with the status of Duke only have seven or eight players  on scholarship?  I thought they got anybody they wanted. Despite limited number of players Coach K gets every ounce  out of his players.

They don't have much defense under the basket.  They need a point guard to get the ball to the right player at the right time so they don't have go one on one so much.  They also have the best coach who even pushing retirement gets better with age.

Can the Devils repeat as national champions?  I doubt it.  I don't see this team winning six in a row and I could also see them losing the first round.  I don't think that will happen if they get placed in Raleigh.

The Tar Heels:  Preseason number one.  At times this year they have played like they are the best team in the country.  Their best player has not had the year that his past three have been.  If he was having and average of his first three the Heels would be by far the best team in the country.  Just suppose he finds his shot during the tournament.  Their three point shooting team wise is awful for a top five team.

They have a boat load of big men that play too soft.  One problem for their big men just might be they have too many and each doesn't play enough.  They do shoot  well from 10 to 15 feet from basket which offsets their lack of power underneath.

The biggest problem Carolina has is everyone's expectation.  When you look at the rest of the nation  there is no one any better.  With all the complains from fans they are capable enough to put together six games in a row and win it all.  Any thing less than a final four appearance will be disappointment.

Both Duke and Carolina both have won so much over the last forty years that they both have that swagger of confidence that State doesn't have anymore.  How times have changed.  The late 40's all of the 50's  and half of the 1960's  the Pack was the team that brought the ACC to national prominence in basketball.

The Enigmatic Stephen Curry

Way back in the days of the infant cable industry while living in Ahoskie on September first 1979 our cable system brought on the the Super Station WTBS and with it the Atlanta Braves.  That year they had a rookie named Dale Murphy that would as time passed be an all star and by the end of the 80's would be the only reason to watch those lowly Braves.  If they were behind 9-5 late in any game you might watch just to see if Murf might hit a home run in his last at bat of the game.

Also during the 80's there was this basketball player from Virginia Tech named Dell Curry who on one weekend on back to back nights beat Carolina and State with his shooting in what was called the North-South Doubleheaders.  Curry would become a staple of the Charlotte Hornets and even today he is part of the TV color.  The name Curry is now a name associated with the state of North Carolina.

His two sons have played college basketball in the Old North State.  One brought the name Davidson back to the front pages of the sports section.  Now Steph Curry is a super star of the super stars of the NBA.  No one in the history of the NBA have seen the type of shooter Curry is.  The three point line is like the foul line and mid court one step in  Is his three point line.

I have a hard time watching NBA basketball with all the pushing and shoving in what they now call basketball.  If they push Curry away from from the foul line he just shoots past the three point line.  If they push him away from the three point line he just flings up a forty footer.  Here is what is amazing from NBA stats.  Curry has the best shooting percentage in the NBA in the paint.

At six two he is unafraid of driving against the big guys.  He is by far the best player in the NBA.  His range is so unbelievable that the only player in the history of basketball  to compare him to is Wilt Chamberlin.  Wilt was so big no one could get to the basket.  Only Bill Russell could play even Steven with Wilt.

The biggest question about Steph Curry is how long can he keep producing this way.  At some point
His aim has to get off from forty feet just a little.  He has done nothing that we know of that tarnishes his name, the NBA or his home state.  I have no rooting interest in the Golden State Warriors other than when they are on I will watch the way I use to watch Dale Murphy, I'll watch Curry just go see him pop a 40 footer.

I find it hard to believe they will win 73 games which would break the all time wins record for one season.   They are now hitting the part of the season where it is a drag after a whole year of three and four games a week on the road.  They face teams every game that give them a supreme effort just to say they beat the Warriors.  Night in and night out during this point of the season it is hard to keep up the pace every night.

There has to be a game down the stretch when he misses a clutch shot.  MJ, Kobe all have had their time as the best player in the NBA.  Right now it is Stephen Curry the best long range shooter in the history of basketball.  He is from my home state.

Down and Out

It always seems that whatever sport the Big East is trying to win a state championship in all roads lead to I-85.  Football season Rocky Mount had to win East Regional in Mebane and Eastern Alamance.  How many times this century has Western Alamance stood in the way.  In 2008 the Gryphons won a baseball title having to beat Rowan County.  Tonight Southern Nash had to travel to Eastern Alamance and Nash Central girls hosted Northern Guilford.

The Lady Bulldogs were the high seed and earned a home game but the Northern Guilford could care less about their seeding.  This game was nip and tuck all the way in fact all the way and some  more as this one goes over time.  Tied 49 at the end of regulation the Lady Bulldogs could muster but two points in overtime and fall in the sectional finals 56-51.

Southern Nash would be the Big East team heading to Eastern Alamance in this third round game  with the knowledge that a victory would send the Firebirds to Fayetteville and the Eastern Regional.  Tonight the Firebirds are never in this game as Eastern Alamance heads to Fayetteville after they take down Southern 76-50.

The Big East Basketball season ends just in time as baseball starts Monday.

Just a follow up to the North Carolina Wesleyan defeat Friday night.  They lost to LaGrange who against the Battling Bishops made 15 of 34 threes and several came down the stretch when they couldn't miss.  This afternoon in the championship game of Conference USA South Convenant  who was the number two seed beat LaGrange in overtime 101-92.  LaGrange  trailed by the exact same score they trailed to the Bishops 54-39 at the half Friday night but it was with 17:35 in the second half.  Some how or other LaGrange managed to tie the game trailing by 11 under five minutes and by seven with a minute left.  They tied it at 81 and forced overtime.  They didn't shoot threes worth a flip making only 6 of 25.  Only if they had of done that last night.

Tale Of Two Halves

Tonight in the semi finals of the USA South Basketball Tournament in Everett Gym on the campus of North Carolina Wesleyan College the state of Georgia brought two teams  to Carolina  and took on two teams from the Tar Heel State and when the Gym lights dimmed Saturday the two teams from Georgia will play for the title.

The opening game Covenant took care of Greensboro College 91-84 and in the nightcap LaGrange over comes a 15 point halftime disadvantage and destroys the Battling Bishops dream of a regular season and tournament championships and an invitation to the D3 Big  Dance.

The Panthers came out of the box exploding three point baskets making six the first five minutes of the game and led by ten points.  Then the Battling Bishops picked up the the defense and for most of the remainder of the half the Bishops out rebounded, out ran and out shot the Panthers to lead at the half by 54-39 .

The Bishops had 11 fast break points in the first half but the Panther decided their only chance was a walk it up the court half court game and by doing that the Bishops offense stalled and had only 2 points off fast breaks in the second  half.

The Panthers tied the game at  71 all and at that point number 24 Drew Vanderbrook decided it was time to make five straight threes and during the last ten minutes the Bishops  never got a flow to cut the lead that reached 12 down the stretch.  The Bishops forced  to foul the Panthers were near perfect at the foul line.  Final LaGrange 99 Battling Bishops 87.

Justyn Olsen led the Panthers with 26 and three teammates had 19 each, Mark Wagner,Braxton Ford and Drew Vanderbrook.  The Bishops had five to hit double figures led by Adrian Moore 19, Isaiah Alston 18, Brandon Brown 14, D J Weaver 13 and Marcus Williams 12.

The question now for the 20-7 Bishops is there any way to Make  the NCAA D 3 Playoffs by not winning the automatic USA South Bid?Talking with Rikki Rich Sports Information Director at Wesleyan The so called D 3 Power ratings had LaGrange as the fourth seed in the South Region  and NCW 5th.

 Here is what the Bishops don't need is for every other conference tournament being played to have upset winners and a low seeded team win their conference tournament and push ahead of the Bishops.  The biggest thing of all that the Bishops  don't need is for Covenant to beat LaGrange Saturday and win the USA South automatic big and LaGrange still ahead of the Bishops getting an invite.  Sure won't be three teams from the USA South in the Tournament.

On To The Semi's

The USA South Men's Basketball started today on the campus of North Carolina Wesleyan College.  The Top seed played the fourth game of the day the Battling  Bishops were suppose to play the 7pm game but the three preceding games managed to push the top seed Bishops to well after eight before they took the court.

The Battling Bishops did not disappoint the home folks.  The eighth seed Averitt Cougars gave the Bishops all they could handle up to the 14 minute mark in the second half.  Tied 40-40 the Bishops led by Sophomore Adrian Moore from Plymouth and former Gryphon Isaiah Alston the Bishops scored 21 straight points in about three minutes to open up a wide gap only to see Averitt chop the lead to eight before the final Bishop Push produced an 81-66 Bishop victory.

Since  Moore has be inserted into the starting lineup the Bishops have run off 11 wins in a row and need two more wins this weekend to get an invitation to the NCAA D 3 basketball playoffs.  Moore finished the night with 30 and Alston 20.  D J Weaver added 12 points and Brandon Brown aided with 11 rebounds.

The Bishops will face in the 7pm semi final action at Everett Gym LaGrange the four seed and a 77-73 win over Ferrum.  The 5pm game will have the 2/3 seeds facing off as  the three seed Greensboro had to get a tip in with 2.8 seconds to play to beat the 6th seed Piedmont 77-75. The 2/7 game featured 52 fouls and took three hours to complete as Convenant downed Wiliam a Peace 87-80.

The 5pm game Friday afternoon has Covenant and Greensboro and the night cap will have the Battling  Bishops and LaGrange.



The Firebirds of Southetn  Nash Have  advanced to the finals of the sectional and are one win from reaching the regionals next week in Fayetteville after a  59-44 victory over Eastern Wayne.  Saturday the Firebirds travel to Eastern Alamance to meet the top seed in the east.

The other Big East top seed Nash Central has advanced after a 77-58 win over Triton.  That was a high scoring game. Could the bracket be falling the Lady Bulldog way.  They get a home game Saturday after Northern Guilford upset Chapel Hill who was the higher seeded team and if Chapel Hill had of won would have hosted the Lady Bulldogs but now Northern Guilford 12 seed comes to Rocky Mount to face the Bulldogs.

The news was not so good for both Rocky Mount and Northern Nash.  Neither was favored in their road games.  Rockingham County beat Rocky Mount 50-43 while the once beaten Terry Sanford Buldogs beat Northern Nash 59-40.

John Thompson USA South Coach Of The Year.

The conference USA South basketball tournament starts Thursday at NC Wesleyan and every conference announces their all conference teams and the top team in the league coach John Thompson has been named the coach of the year.  The Battling Bishops  were 12-2 this season which ties for  the most conference wins the Battling Bishops have ever had tying the 1987/88 team.

Brandon Brown the Bishops forward from Fayetteville and Adrian Moore sophomore from Plymouth have made the all conference team.  D J Weaver the senior From Newport News Virginia has made the second team.  The senior center from Winston Salem Shannon Huff has made the Conference USA South All Sportsmanship team.

Thursday afternoon at 1pm the conference basketball tournament will get under way in Everett Gym on the Campus of NC Wesleyan.  1pm the sixth seed Piedmont will play third seed Greensboro. The second game at 3pm will be the seven seed William Peace going up against the second seed Covenant.  There will be no stoppage between afternoon and evening session and the 5pm game has the five seed Ferrum facing four seed LaGrange.  The final game of the night the host and top seed the Battling Bishops meet up with the last team in the tournament eight seed Averett who's two games this year with the Bishops were overtime and three point difference.

Still have four Nash County high schools playing basketball three girls and a single boys team.  Southern Nash  16-8 just may have caught a major break as they take on Eastern Wayne in the second round who sports a record of 7-20.  The game is at Southern starting at 7.

Marquise Wright leads the way for the Firebirds scoring at a 16.6 and 11.4 rebounds.  Damien Bryant  is second in scoring at 10.9. The Firebirds are averaging 57 points a game and the Firebirds need to score closer to that figure over the 37 they struggled to get in the opening round.

Nash Central 21-4 the top Big East girls team alive is at home in the second round when they host
Triton 18-7.  Robbi Allen 15.8 and Michaela Nelms lead the way for the Lady Bulldogs while Hayden Worney 14 points and Je'nae Harvey carry the load for the Hawks.  The Bulldogs score at 52 a game while Triton gets 55 per game.

You know if Rocky Mount Had not won the Big East Tournament then Northern Nash 20-5 would have been at least 14 seed and would avoid Terry Sanford 25-1at least to the sectional finals.   The Knights are better than their 16 seed so the Bulldogs of Terry Sanford had better be prepared for a fight from the Lady Knights.

TS  is led by Ona Udoh averaging 14 per game. No other player  hits double digits which would tell me a team averaging 52 per game have a complete team with a lot of supporting players..  The Lady Knights leading scorer is Jahlia Williams at 11 and Kayla Tucker 10.8.  The Knights don't have a go to player either so this will be a battle of Titans.  This should be a regional matchup instead of a second round game.

The red hot Rocky Mount 16-8 Lady Gryphons are hitting the road and will be traveling to Rockingham County 24-4.  The Gryphons score at 49 per game while Rockingham 58.  They have three players hitting double digits.  Madeline Hardy 15.3, Macy Boler 13.6 and Gabrielle Gordon 11.9 will be a trio hard to deal with.

Keyanna Spivey 15.8 and Michelle Gainey 10.9 will need to hit their averages  and get plenty of support for the Lady Gryphons to pull off any upset in this game.