Mike Potter ·
9 Feb 2010, 12:01 AM ·
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N.C. Central goes looking for a road win tonight in women’s basketball, and although Joli Robinson’s club is almost always an underdog on the road it shouldn’t be a prohibitive one this time.
NCCU (7-14) will take on Big South Conference member Winthrop (8-14) in the schools’ first meeting in women’s basketball. Both teams are nicknamed “Eagles.”
The 7 p.m. contest will be at the Winthrop Coliseum, which hosted several ACC women’s basketball tournaments in the 1990s.
Joanna Miller (pictured) is NCCU’s leading scorer, while Shanice Cole leads Winthrop in scoring, rebounding and assists. Continue reading »
Basketball, N.C. Central, Women's Basketball Bud Childers, Danielle DeBerry, Joanna Miller, Joli Robinson, Latoya Bennett, Shanice Cole, Winthrop
Mike Potter ·
8 Feb 2010, 10:36 PM ·
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CAMERON INDOOR STADIUM/DURHAM It’s one more battle to see which blue-clad women’s basketball team is the best in the Triangle - at least for one night.
And both homestanding No. 8 Duke (18-4, 6-1 ACC) and visiting No. 18 UNC (16-5, 4-3) are in a bit of a bad mood.
The Blue Devils’ chances to run the table in the ACC ended on Thursday, when they got slapped in the face with a 61-57 loss at up-and-down Boston College.
Meanwhile the Tar Heels, who once upon a time were favored to win the conference’s regular-season title, have lost two straight including an 80-69 defeat on Thursday night at Miami that may have made the Hurricanes’ season. We’ll see.
It’s the first time they’ve played each other this millennium when both were coming off a loss.
Duke coach Joanne P. McCallie lost her first six meetings with UNC before the Blue Devils won 81-79 last March 1 on Senior Day at Cameron.
The cameras are in the house for ESPN2’s Big Monday. And Duke gives them a show, putting six players in double figures in a 79-51 rout. Continue reading »
ACC, Basketball, Duke, N.C. State, UNC-Chapel Hill, Women's Basketball Allison Vernerey, Boston College, Bridgette Mitchell, Cetera DeGraffenreid, Italee Lucas, Jasmine Thomas, Joanne P. McCallie, Joy Cheek, Karima Christmas, Keturah Jackson, Krystal Thomas, Laura Broomfield, Miami Hurricanes, Shay Selby, She'la White, Sylvia Hatchell
David Fellerath ·
8 Feb 2010, 10:34 PM ·
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The roster updates from the Cary offices of the Carolina RailHawks have been trickling in. There have been heartening re-signings, most notably that of quicksilver Guyanese winger Gregory Richardson. Also back for another season: stalwart defensive midfielder Amir Lowery, goalkeeper Eric Reed, the aggressive midfielders Brian Plotkin and Joseph Kabwe, and defender Caleb Norkus. Right back Greg Shields—currently on loan to Partick Thistle of the Scottish second division (according to the gratifyingly transparent Web site of the Glaswegian club, we know that his loan expires March 31)—seems to be slated for a return, as well.
Today brought two pieces of news. First was the surprising retirement of 2009 team defender of the year Jeremy Tolleson. Only 27 years old, the Atlanta native has elected to hang up his boots and become a missionary in Honduras. Tolleson began last season on the sidelines, recuperating from a foot injury. His return came at a fortuitous time, however, when central defender Jack Stewart was lost for the season with a broken leg. Tolleson subsequently partnered with Mark Schulte to anchor the league’s best defense; despite being only 5-foot-9, he effectively positioned himself to snuff out attack after attack, and also proved to be a dangerous attacking weapon with his long balls forward (3:18).
It’s disappointing to lose a player of his caliber, but one can’t help but be impressed by his willingness to walk away from a sport that has surely dominated his life for 20 years. Although it’s true that Division 2 soccer players in America are paid little more than missionaries (and perhaps D2 soccer players are secular missionaries, spreading love for a game that pays them less than they could make doing almost anything else), it still comes as a start to fans that an athlete could have a calling above playing sports for a living. Our hat is off to you, Mr. Tolleson, and Godspeed.
Tolleson’s departure will intensify interest in whether Stewart will return to the club. Continue reading »
Carolina RailHawks, Soccer AC St. Louis, Amir Lowery, Brian Plotkin, Caleb Norkus, Caleb Patterson Sewell, Claude Anelka, Daniel Paladini, Jeremy Tolleson, Joseph Kabwe, Josh Gardner, Mark Schulte, Martin Rennie, NSC Minnesota Stars, schedule, Steve Ralston
Mike Potter ·
8 Feb 2010, 4:23 PM ·
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N.C. State guard Marissa Kastanek has won ACC rookie of the week honors in women’s basketball, while Miami’s Shenise Johnson has been named player of the week.
Kastanek led the Wolfpack with 19 points in its only game over the span, a 70-57 win over visiting Virginia Tech on Sunday.
Kastanek was 3-of-6 from behind the 3-point line and had five rebounds and four steals in the victory, which ended a three-game losing streak.
Johnson had 25 points, 10 rebounds, six assists and a career-best eight steals as the Hurricanes shocked No. 9 UNC on Thursday night. She also led her team with 16 points in a romp over SIU-Edwardsville on Sunday.
ACC, Basketball, N.C. State, UNC-Chapel Hill, Women's Basketball Miami Hurricanes, Shenise Johnson, SIU-Edwardsville, Virginia Tech
Mike Potter ·
8 Feb 2010, 12:01 AM ·
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CAMERON INDOOR STADIUM/DURHAM One team has been going through some pretty hard times lately.
The other is coming off one very tough night.
But none of that is likely to matter much tonight at 7, when No. 6 Duke hosts No. 9 UNC as part of ESPN2’s Big Monday.
The Blue Devils (18-4, 6-1 ACC) looked like they might have a chance to sweep through the ACC schedule unblemished before their game on Thursday night at Boston College, which cancelled that idea with a 61-57 upset win.
That was happening at the same time the Tar Heels (16-5, 4-3), who were preseason favorites to win the conference, were dropping their second straight defeat in an 80-69 decision at resurgent Miami. Sylvia Hatchell’s club has struggled on the road this season, going 2-4 away from Chapel Hill.
It will be the first time since 1997 that the teams are facing each other when each lost its previous game. Such a scenario has traditionally bidden well for the Tar Heels, who are 7-1 in games against Duke when each had lost its previous outing.
UNC badly needs a victory to have any realistic chance at the ACC’s regular-season title.
The two teams split last season, with the homestanding Blue Devils winning their regular-season finale 81-79.
Duke held a press luncheon on Friday to discuss the situation.
“I don’t even remember what I felt like last year playing them,” said Duke senior forward Joy Cheek (pictured.) “I felt like it was just another game. When you try to hype it up even more than what it is, that’s when you mess up. It’s been going on for years and years, and it’s a big game because of the schools’ strong competition and rivalry, but you can’t think of it like that. Continue reading »
ACC, Basketball, Duke, UNC-Chapel Hill, Women's Basketball Boston College, Cetera DeGraffenreid, Chay Shegog, Italee Lucas, Jasmine Thomas, Joanne P. McCallie, Joy Cheek, Krystal Thomas, Laura Broomfield, Miami Hurricanes, She'la White, Sylvia Hatchell, Waltiea Rolle
Mike Potter ·
7 Feb 2010, 7:28 PM ·
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REYNOLDS COLISEUM/RALEIGH N.C. State returns home for a Super Bowl Sunday matchup, this time against a team that seems to be at its same level in the ACC.
The Wolfpack (12-10, 2-5 ACC) is taking on Virginia Tech (12-10, 2-6), looking to snap a three-game losing streak one week after a 13-point loss at last-place Clemson. The Hokies, whose big claim to fame this season was a home-court shocker over UNC, have never beaten N.C. State in women’s basketball.
Both head coaches - the Wolfpack’s first-year mentor Kellie Harper and the Hokies’ Beth Dunkenberger - are former head coaches at Western Carolina.
Regional cable TV cameras are in the house. And the Wolfpack eventually responds with a pretty good show in a 70-57 victory. Continue reading »
ACC, Basketball, Duke, N.C. State, UNC-Chapel Hill, Women's Basketball Amber White, Beth Dunkenberger, Bonae Holston, Clemson, Emili Tasler, Kellie Harper, Lindsay Biggs, Marissa Kastanek, Savannah State, Sharnise Beal, Tia Bell, Utahya Drye, Virginia Tech, Western Carolina
Mike Potter ·
7 Feb 2010, 12:01 AM ·
Comment
N.C. State’s tradition of Super Bowl Sunday basketball games continues today.
The Wolfpack women’s team, which hasn’t played in a week, will try to end its three-game losing streak with a 4 p.m. contest against Virginia Tech at Reynolds Coliseum.
The Hokies have never beaten the Wolfpack in 10 tries. Tech’s season highlight so far was an upset over visiting ACC favorite UNC back on Jan. 14.
First-year Wolfpack coach Kellie Harper’s team needs three more wins to assure itself at least a .500 finish and a near-certain spot in post-season play. Both Harper and Virginia Tech coach Beth Dunkenberger are former head coaches at Western Carolina.
Bonae Holston (pictured) leads the Wolfpack in both scoring and rebounding, while Utahya Drye, a product of Durham’s Northern High, leads the Hokies in both categories. Continue reading »
ACC, Basketball, N.C. State, UNC-Chapel Hill, Women's Basketball Amber White, Beth Dunkenberger, Bonae Holston, Kellie Harper, Nikki Davis, Utahya Drye, Virginia Tech, Western Carolina
Mike Potter ·
6 Feb 2010, 6:14 PM ·
1 Comment
McDOUGALD-McLENDON GYM/DURHAM N.C. Central tries once again to get LeVelle Moton his first win over a Division I team as head coach, and this would seem to be a good opportunity.
The opponent is Savannah State, the only other Historically Black College in the country that is playing as an independent this season. NCCU is the only Division I HBCU the Tigers are playing this season.
SSU has won three straight in the series over the last two seasons, including a 46-44 overtime win in Savannah on Jan. 20.
The game is being played at 3 p.m., the time rescheduled a couple of days ago from 7 p.m. because of concerns about nasty winter weather.
NCCU is 4-20 with all four victories over small colleges, and a win today would give the Eagles their highest win total since joining Division I as a transitional member two seasons ago. They get it, outscoring the visitors 7-2 after the final TV timeout to win 65-60.
NCCU scoring leader C.J. Wilkerson gets two fouls in the first 1:38 and plays only seven minutes in the first half. But the first half turns out to be a wash as the teams head into the locker room tied at 30-30. Savannah State is out-shooting the home team 48 percent to 37.9 at the break.
Neither team ever threatens to break the game open.
The Eagles suffer a blow with 3:59 left when Wilkerson fouls out with the score tied, but Patrick Hardy makes just one of two free throws.
Vincent Davis (pictured), Wilkerson’s replacement, gives NCCU the lead for the last time on a 3-pointer with 2:10 left. Continue reading »
Basketball, N.C. Central C.J. Wilkerson, Dwayne Sims, LeVelle Moton, Maryland-Eastern Shore, Michael Glasker, P.J. Taylor, Patrick Hardy, Preston Blackmon, Rashad Hassan, Savannah State, Stetson, Tracy Rankins, Vincent Davis
Bob Geary ·
6 Feb 2010, 11:13 AM ·
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Tryouts. Photos by Arianna Hoffmann.
Your Carolina Rollergirls kick off their 2010 season in Raleigh Sunday with a 12 noon bout between the Tai Chi-tahs and the Trauma Queens. Doors open at 11:30. Get there early, folks, capacity at the Skate Ranch, “where it all began” back in ‘04, is limited to the first 500 arrivals. Adult tix $8; under 12, $5; under 6, free. For directions to the Skate Ranch, check the Rollergirls’ website.
The Rollergirls are looking to return to the nationals of the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association this year after getting knocked out in the regional tournament in ‘09 — unfortunate since the regionals were held for the first time, and very successfully, at Dorton Arena in Raleigh.
“If everybody will give it their all,” says Lady Smackbeth, a team spokesperson, “we can definitely get there.” And win? “It’s sports. Anybody can win any game at any time.” And with a promising group of newcomers joining a strong cast of returning veterans, the ‘10 Rollergirls aren’t just anybody. Continue reading »
Carolina Rollergirls Carolina Rollergirls, Lady Smackbeth, Skate Ranch
Mike Potter ·
6 Feb 2010, 12:01 AM ·
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Maybe the time change will give N.C. Central some good luck.
The Eagles will host their men’s basketball game with Savannah State today at 3 p.m. instead of the originally scheduled 7 p.m., to help everyone involved avoid icy roads.
NCCU is still looking for its first win over a Division I opponent under first-year coach LeVelle Moton.
The Eagles almost got it on Jan. 20 in Savannah before the Tigers escaped with a 46-44 overtime win. SSU has won three straight over NCCU over the past two seasons.
Michael Glasker (pictured) is NCCU’s assist leader. Continue reading »
Basketball, N.C. Central Arnold Louis, C.J. Wilkerson, Horace Broadnax, LeVelle Moton, Michael Glasker, Nick Chasten, Preston Blackmon, Savannah State, Tracy Rankins
