Friday, February 23, 2007

Sectional finals preview

The Shelby and Crest boy’s basketball teams have established themselves as legit contenders.

They have passed the necessary tests during regular season play, conference tournaments and two rounds of the playoffs.

Up next, the sectional finals — the N.C. High School Athletic Association’s version of the Sweet 16. Should they advance tonight, the Chargers and Lions will be three wins away from state championship glory.

But solid opponents await tonight in the third round.

After defeating 13 of its last 16 by double figures, Shelby (23-4) — the defending West Regional champs — travels to Asheville Erwin High to take on Newton-Conover (22-5) at 8.

The two teams enter the game as double-digit winners in both of their playoff contests, but on paper the key matchup will be Shelby’s balanced offense against the Red Devils’ stingy defense. Paced by the post scoring of Eric Mayo (19 ppg/playoffs), Bradley Ager (16) and Tim Gullate (12.5), Shelby has put up 80 per contest in the playoffs.

Newton-Conover, the top seed from the Catawba Valley Conference, has given up an average of just 48 in its two wins.

Crest (21-7) has a much shorter trip for the sectionals as it takes on McDowell (22-6) at Gardner-Webb’s Paul Porter Arena at 6:30.

Both teams are battle-tested in the playoffs, especially after the second round. The Chargers turned up their intensity in the second half against a solid West Mecklenburg squad and claimed a 77-67 triumph. Bruce Smith (28 points, eight assists) was huge from the point for Crest as the Hawks keyed on Dion Malachi (13 points, 10 rebounds) down low.

Meanwhile, the Titans survived a nail-biter at home — defeating a surging Butler team 58-57. McDowell is the regular season and tournament champion of the Northwesetern Conference.

R.I.P. D.J.

An unsung hero of one of my favorite teams ever to watch in any sport. This guy was the glue of the great Celtics' teams of the '80's.

One of the best play-by-play calls ever ...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=43DrapEn5QA

BOSTON (AP) — Larry Bird led the Celtics to two NBA titles in the 1980s, and Boston worshipped him. Bird had a favorite of his own, though, and it wasn't either of the future Hall of Famers who joined him in the league's greatest frontcourt.
``Larry Bird was totally in awe of Dennis,'' former Celtics coach K.C. Jones said Thursday after Dennis Johnson died at the age of 52. ``Dennis was just an awesome player. He played hard and he took the big shots.''
Despite sharing the ball with Bird, Kevin McHale and Robert Parish, it was Johnson who hit the winning shot against the Lakers in Game 4 of the 1985 NBA finals. And it was Johnson finishing off one of the most memorable plays in league history: Bird's steal against Detroit in the 1987 Eastern Conference finals.
``The bigger the game, the better he played,'' former Celtics general manager Jan Volk said. ``All he wanted to do was win; he desperately wanted to win and make a contribution to a winning effort.
``He thrived on competition and challenge. Everybody he played with had enormous respect for him as a player and as a person. I would suspect that everybody he played against shared that respect.''
Even some of Boston's most bitter rivals.
``He was a great player on a great ballclub. He played with passion and grit,'' said former Detroit center Bill Laimbeer, whose Pistons met the Celtics in the playoffs four times in the '80s. ``It was fun to play games like that. You always enjoyed it. It made for not only great games, but great entertainment.''
The MVP of the 1979 NBA finals for Seattle and the point guard for the last Celtics dynasty, Johnson was coaching the Austin Toros of the NBA's minor league when he collapsed after practice. It was another sad day for the once-proud franchise that lost patriarch Red Auerbach on the eve of the season and then made more bad news on the court, making a run at the league's record losing streak.
The Celtics lost a franchise-record 18 in a row before winning their last game before the All-Star break, a streak that all-but guaranteed that another franchise record will be extended: It's been 21 years since Boston last added to its unprecedented cache of 16 NBA titles.
``I had the great privilege of playing alongside D.J. in the backcourt for six seasons and two championships,'' said Danny Ainge, who now runs the team's basketball operations. ``He was one of the most underrated players in the history of the game, in my opinion, and one of the greatest Celtic acquisitions of all time. D.J. was a free spirit and a fun personality who loved to laugh and play the game.''
NBA commissioner David Stern praised Johnson for ``contributions to the game went far beyond the basketball court.'' Bird once said Johnson was ``the best I ever played with.''
``Dennis was a great player, one of the best teammates I ever had, and a wonderful person,'' Bird said.
Bird made a Hall of Famer's share of great shots in his career, but in Celtics lore he might be best remembered for his steal in the final seconds of the fifth game of the 1987 Eastern Conference finals against Detroit. He swiped Isiah Thomas' inbounds pass under Boston's basket and fed Johnson for the winning layup.
``He was one of those guys who just willed his team to win,'' former Los Angeles Lakers forward Kurt Rambis said. ``He was such a integral cog of the success that the Celtics had.''
Boston went on to beat Detroit in seven games but lost to the Lakers in the NBA finals. It was the third matchup between the cross-country rivals in four years, and it would be Boston's last run at a title in what has now grown to more than two decades.
``It seems like just yesterday when D.J. made the shot against Detroit that allowed our Celts to go to the championship against the Lakers,'' U.S. Sen. John Kerry said in a statement. ``DJ brought more than trophies and triumph to Boston. He helped define one of the Golden Ages in Celtics history. It is a tragedy he was taken from us so young.''
Johnson retired in 1990 and worked as a scout and an assistant coach. He sought work as an NBA head coach, but the closest he came was as the interim boss of the Los Angeles Clippers at the end of the 2002-03 season when Alvin Gentry was fired.
``Red always told me that he'd make a hell of a coach,'' said Volk, who took over as GM from Auerbach in 1984. ``He was very analytical about the game. He approached the game intellectually and strategically. He had a lot of basketball ability, but he was first and foremost an intelligent player.''
Johnson went 8-16 in his Clippers audition and never got another shot as an NBA head coach. Soon after he was promoted, though, he found himself in Boston to play the Celtics, working out in their practice facility under the championship banners he helped win and another with his retired No. 3.
``You see that banner up there; you see that number? I did that,'' he said to his players, a couple of rookies who might not have known. ``As soon as I walked in, the feelings all came back to me. The Boston Celtic feelings. I've never had a bad day here. It is the best.''

Thursday, February 22, 2007

Boy's 2nd Round Results

2A: Shelby 74, North Henderson 61
Next: Shelby (23-4) vs. Newton-Conover (22-5) at Asheville Erwin HS, Friday at 8 p.m.

4A: Crest 77, West Meck 67
Next: Crest (21-7) vs. McDowell (22-6) at GWU's Paul Porter Arena, Friday at 6:30 p.m.

3A: Olympic 67, Burns 57
Burns finishes at 8-17 overall.

Wednesday, February 21, 2007

Girl's Playoff Results

First round
4A: AC Reynolds 71, Crest 68

3A: St. Stephens 45, Kings Mountain 28

2A: Maiden 58, Shelby 56

Tuesday, February 20, 2007

Boy's Playoff Results

4A: Crest 85, Freedom 66
Wednesday: West Meck (19-9) at Crest (20-7)

3A: Burns 73, South Point 69
Wednesday: Olympic (13-12) at Burns (8-16)

3A: Hickory 84, Kings Mountain 69

2A: Shelby 86, Hibriten 50
Wednesday: North Henderson (14-10) at Shelby (22-4)

Sunday, February 18, 2007

HS Basketball Playoff Preview

Most of Cleveland County’s state playoff basketball teams are matched up against unfamiliar squads in the first round. Only Crest’s boys, who face Freedom, are playing a team they have seen this season.

But all will be in familiar territory — at home.

Due to the N.C. High School Athletic Association’s rotating seeding priority, the Southwestern and Big South Conferences, respectively, got the luck of the draw and seven area teams will entertain first-round foes in the expanded, 64-team playoffs.

The boy’s playoffs begin today with the second round on Wednesday, while the girls start Tuesday and continue Thursday if they advance.

Here’s a quick breakdown:

Boys

Shelby (21-4), the SWC regular-season and tournament champion, takes on Hibriten (6-19), the Catawba Valley’s fourth seed. The Panthers have the worst record in the 2A West bracket and Shelby should cruise into the second round. The Golden Lions may not get a tough test until the sectional finals/third round against Newton-Conover (20-5).

Burns (7-16) is one of two teams (along with Kings Mountain) in the 3A West hosting a first-rounder with a losing record. The Bulldogs, who hit their stride during conference play, take on 4-16 South Point. If they win, Burns would also be home to face the winner of Olympic (12-12) and North Buncombe (16-11) in the second round.

Kings Mountain (8-18) drew a tough test as it will host Hickory (17-6), the No. 2 out of the Catawba Valley. The Mounties are playing their best ball of the season at the right time, and they will need to continue that consistency to advance.

Crest (19-7) battles former Northwestern Conference foe Freedom (12-13), one of four 4A wild-card teams. The Chargers and Patriots split a pair of regular season meetings, each winning on their home floors. Freedom is better than its record indicates, but Crest — coming off a loss to Hunter Huss — should bounce back at home.

Girls

Shelby (21-4) looks to bounce back from a heartbreaking loss to East Rutherford in the SWC championship when it hosts Maiden (12-12). The Golden Lions’ fullcourt pressure and scoring of Lindsey Montgomery and Tiera Sweezy should be plenty to get them to a second-rounder at Mitchell County (20-5).

Kings Mountain (12-10) entertains St. Stephens (21-6) from the Catawba Valley. The KM girls have endured numerous injuries this season, so just making the playoffs is a solid accomplishment for Donna Dewitt’s squad.

Crest (12-13) faces A.C. Reynolds (16-10) in a contest where both teams feature solid size in the post. The key to the Chargers advancing will be how they handle any backcourt pressure by the Rockets, who have a win over highly ranked McDowell to their credit.

Looking ahead

If area teams advance to the sectional finals/third round, the games will be played on a neutral floor.

The sectional sites are as follows with boy’s games Friday, Feb. 23 and girl’s games Saturday, Feb. 24:

4A boys — Gardner-Webb University;

4A girls — East Burke High School or Catawba Valley Community College if East Burke qualifies;

3A boys and girls — Mars Hill;

2A boys and girls — Asheville Erwin High School.

The West regionals will be the following week in Winston-Salem.

Friday, February 16, 2007

March Madness reminder ...

T-Minus 23 days and counting until Selection Sunday. If you're a tournament junkie like myself, the free March Madness on Demand is the way to go ... and it's a good idea to go ahead and get in on the VIP pass. Here's the link ...

http://www.ncaasports.com/mmod?refcode=es_nslist

Friday, February 9, 2007

ACC homestretch column

My ACC column that appeared in Friday's edition ...

Surprise teams are surfacing. Rivals have met. We are on the cusp of the term “on the bubble” entering our everyday vocabulary.

Yep, it’s February.

March is the month that gets all the hype in college hoops, and rightfully so, but the teams that get to lace them up for the NCAA Tournament solidify their resumes — or don’t — this month.

If the season ended today, the Atlantic Coast Conference would be in pretty good shape to get at least seven in the Big Dance. Things could change, but North Carolina, Duke, Clemson, Virginia, Florida State and Boston College, not only would get in, but all would have a solid shot at being seeded eighth or higher in the tourney.

Georgia Tech (15-8) and Maryland (17-7) have decent overall marks but they both will have to have a better showing down the stretch and in the ACC Tournament to make the “field of 65” (that will always sound weird).

Maybe North Carolina is the only team with Final Four-caliber talent in the league this year. But if the ACC does get seven or more in the dance, it says a lot about a conference that many dismissed as being “too young” at the start of the season.

While it’s always fun to talk about March, let’s not get too far ahead of ourselves. There’s still a tight league battle at the top — essentially turning into a four-horse race between BC, Virginia, UNC and Virginia Tech.

I said it at the start of the ACC season and I’ll stick with it, it’s hard to pick against the firepower and coaching the Tar Heels have in their arsenal, especially if freshman Ty Lawson continues to be unguardable at the point. I like BC, UVA and VT in that order behind UNC.

Despite recent setbacks, I still probably would pick Duke to slip in the top four. Yet with four of its last six on the road, it won’t be easy for the Devils to finish higher than fifth.

They are all big from here on out, but here’s a few key games that will go a long way in deciding how the conference shakes out ...

Saturday: UVA at VT; Feb.13: VT at UNC; Feb. 14: Duke at BC; Feb. 17: UNC at BC; Feb. 21: BC at VT, NCS at UNC; March 1: VT at Virginia and of course, March 4: Duke at UNC.

My just-past-midseason picks to bring home ACC honors:

All-ACC: J.R. Reynolds (UVA); Zabian Dowdell (VT); Al Thornton (FSU); Jared Dudley (BC); Tyler Hansbrough (UNC).

All Freshman: Ty Lawson (UNC); Javaris Crittendon (GT); Jon Scheyer (Duke); Brandan Wright (UNC); Brandon Costner (NCS).

Tuesday, February 6, 2007

Duke's baskets now worth 4 points

Figured this would be good to post before the UNC-Duke game tomorrow ...

http://www.thebrushback.com/acc_full.htm

Thursday, February 1, 2007

HS hoops standings, through Feb. 2 games

Take on the Crest-Huss game Friday: Huss' Donterious Hughes put on an amazing shooting display in the first half, scoring 30 points mostly from long range. He should get a shot to play at the next level.

Not just with Hughes, Huss creates matchup problems top-to-bottom. I'm surprised they haven't had more 100-point games.

The game got physical and heated, especially at the end, but it never got completely out of hand - though it looked a couple of times like it could. I'm not sure of exactly how the conference tourney will be set up but don't be surprised if these two play again with a tournament title on the line.

The Crest girls took over third place with the win. With Ashley Washington and Tiffany Crocker, the Lady Chargers would present matchup problems in the post for most teams in the playoffs, but they've got to continue to cut down on turnovers to be a postseason threat.


Playoff breakdown ... The Southwestern Conference has two guaranteed playoff spots in both the 2A and 3A brackets while the Big South has two guaranteed playoff spots in both the 3A and 4A brackets. The 4A bracket has 5 Wild Cards, the 3A has just 2 Wild Cards and the 2A has 4 Wild Cards.

Conf. All
SWC 2A/3A
Boys
Shelby 8-0 17-4
Burns 5-3 5-15
Kings Mtn. 5-3 5-16
R-S Central 4-4 6-16
Chase 2-6 7-13
E. Rutherford 0-8 2-17
Friday's scores
Kings Mountain 60, East Rutherford 46
Burns 58, Chase 56
Shelby 89, R-S Central 32
Girls
E. Rutherford 8-0 15-6
Shelby 6-2 18-3
R-S Central 5-3 12-10
Kings Mtn. 3-5 11-8
Burns 1-7 1-16
Chase 1-7 0-18
Friday's scores
East Rutherford 55, Kings Mountain 33
R-S Central 53, Shelby 49
Chase d. Burns
Tuesday's Games
Chase at Shelby
ER at Burns
R-S at KM

Big South 3A/4A
Boys
Hunter Huss 9-1 15-4
Ashbrook 8-3 16-5
Crest 7-3 15-6
E. Gaston 5-5 15-6
Forestview 4-6 12-10
South Point 2-8 3-15
N. Gaston 1-10 7-15
Friday's scores
Huss 100, Crest 84
Ashbrook 57, Forestview 43
East Gaston 60, North Gaston 49
Girls
East Gaston 10-0 20-1
Forestview 9-1 20-2
Crest 6-4 10-11
Hunter Huss 6-4 9-10
South Point 2-8 7-12
Ashbrook 2-9 7-14
N. Gaston 1-10 7-15
Friday's games
Crest 59. Huss 52
Forestview 48, Ashbrook 44
East Gaston 59, North Gaston 37
Tuesday's Games
East Gaston at Crest
Hunter Huss at Forestview
South Point at North Gaston