Former Hampton coach comes home

Mebane returns to Carolina as N.C. State assistant

RALEIGH, N.C. -- In his fifth year at Hampton University, Walter Mebane led the Lady Pirates to the MEAC tournament final. Hampton lost to N.C. A&T and coach Patricia Cage-Bibbs, Mebane's former boss. For his accomplishment, he was abruptly released. Now Mebane, a Durham native, is back home after being hired as an assistant coach at N.C. State under new coach Kellie Harper. Mebane recently talk to The Tribune about his latest career move.

Tribune: Were you surprised by your dismissal?

Mebane: Very. We were coming off one of our better seasons in the conference and also we got to the championship game with three freshmen, a junior and a sophomore. We had made some steady progression the year before and now had a turnaround this year, so I thought we had the program moving in a positive direction. I felt we could get back to the championship again next year Unfortunately that didn't happen. But I try not to look back, and I firmly believe that God closes one door and opens up another, and I just pray that He doesn't keep me in the hallway.

From Archives: Cox 11 Interview with HU Lady Pirates basketball coach Walter Mebane and forward Chinyere Ukoh (11/10/08).


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N.C. State one stop on long road tour for N.C. Central

Eagles learning hard lesson on road

N.C. Central coach Henry Dickerson said that if his players can get through this season, they will be able to handle just about any hurdle they face in life. In its second season of Division I basketball, N.C. Central is traveling 25,344 miles for 21 road games in 14 states, including today's 7 p.m. game at N.C. State. The Eagles have scheduled seven teams from BCS conferences, including Wake Forest, South Carolina and Miami. When injuries hit on top of everything else, a dismal record became almost inevitable for N.C. Central.

The Eagles are 2-22 and ranked last among the 347 Division I men's teams in the Sagarin computer ratings through Sunday's games. NCCU was 4-26 last season. "No matter what they go through in life, this will truly prepare them," Dickerson said of his players. "It seems to me that everybody should go through it to see what it's like." N.C. Central was hurting before it even played its opener. Projected starting forwards Lamar Pittman and Dami Sapara suffered season-ending knee injuries.

In the Eagles' most recent game against Savannah State, 6-foot-9 center Stevy Worah-Ozimo broke an arm. The Eagles are a virtually guaranteed win for many of their opponents, which enrich N.C. Central's athletics budget for playing on the road without demanding a return trip. N.C. State (11-8) will pay N.C. Central $50,000 for playing at the RBC Center in Raleigh. Dickerson said players spend so much time on buses and jets that he has to cut short practice in order for them to keep up with their school work.

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