Tuesday, February 5, 2008

UMES win championship title at NCAA Mid-Winter Classic

Photo: UMES Hawks Lady Bowler Jessica Worley, Senior, Brick Memorial H.S., Brick, N.J.

JONESBORO, Ark. - Jessica Worsley averaged an amazing 212.2 pins over 10 games and was named to the All-Tournament Team of the NCAA Mid-Winter Classic as third ranked (#3) University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) won the event's championship with 13,829 pins and posted a 10-4 record at the event. Worsley tallied an amazing 2,122 pins for the event while teammate Kristina Frahm was also on the All-Tournament Team with 1,833 pins over nine games for an average of 203.67. Together they paced the Lady Hawks to one of their best showings of the season.

We bowled great," said Head Coach Sharon Brummell. "Day three was a little disappointing, but overall, the team needed this. We went into an event with all five of the top teams in the nation and we came out on top. Sure, four less wins would have been great, but we knocked down more pins than anybody and showed we can bowl with anybody," she added.

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Wow! UMES mopped the floor with #2 ranked Vanderbilt. This was a very impressive win for the Lady Hawks and the MEAC.

Listless WSSU Rams beaten 60-50 by Bethune Cookman

In Coach Bobby Collins’ two seasons at Winston-Salem State, one thing that has never been in doubt is his team’s effort. That changed last night. In front of a crowd of around 500 at the Joel Coliseum Annex, the Rams went through the motions on their way to a 60-50 loss to Bethune-Cookman. The lack of energy was apparent from the start, and it never got better.

I’m embarrassed,” Collins said after a long ‘discussion’ with his team in the locker room afterward. “With the lack of intensity and the lack of effort I’m highly disappointed.

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Alabama State wrecked by PVAMU Smith's 35 points

Photo: Chari Smith, junior, 6-3 guard from Los Angeles, CA and Mt. Sac JC had a WNBA night against the Lady Hornets.

Montgomery, AL - The Prairie View A&M Lady Panthers (14-7, 9-0 SWAC) have swept the first half of conference play after coming away with a 93-82 win over the Alabama State Lady Hornets (7-13, 3-6 SWAC).

After to pulling to within one point at 45-44 in the second half of play, the ASU Lady Hornets fell behind double digits at the 15:21 mark of the half at 56-46. Prairie View A&M would let Alabama State get no closer than six points from that point as they went on to capture their eleventh consecutive victory.

Chari Smith had a career night, putting up 35 points on 13-of-18 shooting from the floor. She tallied a double-double also contributing 14 rebounds. Candice Thomas scored 19 points on 5-of-10 shooting while Gaati Werema chimed in with 13 points on 5-of-8 shooting from the field.

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Deloach corrals energy after missed dunk, lifts NSU Spartans

Photo: Michael Deloach, guard, 6-0/175 Junior, Rocky Mount, N.C., Bonner Academy.

NORFOLK, VA - Norfolk State's Michael Deloach stands about 5-foot-11, which made his 360-degree dunk attempt in the first half Monday night look problematic from the start. Deloach appeared to take off too close to the bucket, failed to get sufficient elevation and smacked the ball against the bottom of the rim.

NSU coach Anthony Evans didn't bat an eye at the audacious attempt. It was just Deloach being Deloach, the Spartans' energy guy off the bench. The junior from Rocky Mount, N.C., played his role to the hilt Monday, pumping in 16 points in 21 minutes to lead Norfolk State past Howard 59-44.

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Moore commits to North Carolina Central


Dominique Moore has been a Patriot. Now he’s about to become an ambassador. Moore, a Patrick Henry senior who was voted the Western Valley District’s offensive and defensive lineman of the year in 2007, has made an oral commitment to North Carolina Central University.

The 6-foot-3, 280-pound tackle will sign a full scholarship with NCCU on Wednesday.
Moore said Monday he chose NCCU over similar offers from Winston-Salem State, Norfolk State and Virginia State. He made his choice after visiting NCCU over the weekend. “I liked the people and the environment,” Moore said. “The people seemed more close than Winston-Salem State.”

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SCSU men come from behind to beat Florida A&M


Playing with the lead is a luxury the South Carolina State men's basketball team has rarely enjoyed in the new year. Monday's contest against Florida A&M at the Smith-Hammond-Middleton Memorial Center marked the seventh time in eight outings the Bulldogs found themselves facing an uphill climb at halftime..

For the third straight time at home, the comeback formula proved to be a winning one as SCSU rallied in the second half to defeat FAMU 65-59 to even its mark in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference.

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UAPB Golden Lions blow lead, fall to Jackson State

While there is still one half of the Southwestern Athletic Conference season left, Monday’s 55-51 loss to Jackson State may prove to be damaging to the Arkansas-Pine Bluff men’s basketball team’s hopes of winning the regular season conference title. The loss puts UAPB (9-11, 5-4 Southwestern Athletic Conference) in a tie for third place in the SWAC with Mississippi Valley State and Monday’s victor, Jackson State.

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JSU practices patience in recruiting game


Anxiety will run high for the next 24 hours as football prospects and collegiate programs go through the final recruiting push before Wednesday’s National Signing Day. But Jackson State coach Rick Comegy admits his staff may have to stay patient late into Wednesday and possibly beyond — more than many Division I-A schools.

Jackson State enters the day with 18 verbal commitments and four mid-year transfers.

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Norfolk State Lady Spartans scores first MEAC win--over Howard Bison

Photo: Danelle Tate led NSU with 23 points and 14 rebounds in the OT win over the Howard University Lady Bison. The 5-10 freshman forward is from North Stafford H.S., Stafford, VA and is majoring in Business Administration.

NORFOLK, VA - After 40 minutes of basketball and with just six players available, no one could have blamed the Norfolk State women if Howard was the fresher team in overtime Monday night. Instead, the Spartans were quicker to loose balls and played with renewed energy. "We just wanted it real bad and it showed out there," guard Ebony Gibbs said.

Gibbs hit two free throws with 5.5 seconds left to force overtime and NSU took over, rolling to its first MEAC win 94-88 at Echols Hall.

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UAPB's Football Schedule Includes Cotton Bowl Visit


PINE BLUFF, AK -- New coach Monte Coleman's first Arkansas-Pine Bluff football team will take on three familiar opponents from the old Arkansas Intercollegiate Conference and will make a trip to Cotton Bowl Stadium in Dallas next fall, as UAPB's athletic department released its 2008 slate on Monday.

Old AIC members Arkansas-Monticello (Aug. 30 in Pine Bluff), Henderson State (Sept. 6 in Arkadelphia) and Central Arkansas (Sept. 13 in Little Rock) are all three on the Golden Lions' schedule for the first time since the 1994 season.

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2008 UA-Pine Bluff Football Schedule

AUG. 30 ARK.-MONTICELLO PINE BLUFF 6 p.m.
Sept. 6 at Henderson State Arkadelphia 6 p.m.
Sept. 13 vs CENTRAL ARKANSAS LITTLE ROCK 6 p.m.
Sept. 20 at Alcorn State Lorman, MS 6 p.m.
Sept. 27 ALABAMA A&M PINE BLUFF 6 p.m.
Oct. 4 BYE
Oct. 11 JACKSON STATE PINE BLUFF 4 p.m.
Oct. 18 PRAIRIE VIEW* PINE BLUFF 4 p.m.
Oct. 25 LINCOLN (HC) PINE BLUFF 2:30 p.m.
Nov, 1 at Southern* Baton Rouge 6 p.m.
Nov. 8 vs Grambling State* Little Rock 4 p.m.
Nov. 15 MISS VALLEY STATE PINE BLUFF 2:30 p.m.
Nov. 29 vs Texas Southern** Dallas 2:30 p.m.
*-West Division SWAC Games
**-at Cotton Bowl

FAMU gets seven commitments for '08 football

Florida A&M has received oral commitments from seven high school football prospects, including Florida High safety Oye Ojo on the eve of National Signing Day on Wednesday. Ojo is one of five commitments from Florida. The others are wide receiver Tyrone Brantley and kicker Nicardo Blake from Boyd Anderson High School, athlete Derek Shaw from Lake Brantley High School, and quarterback Martin Ukpai from Fort Lauderdale High School.

FAMU also has received commitments from defensive back Michael Greene from Lovejoy High School in Hampton, Ga. as well as strong safety Sean Rush out of Otay Ranch High School in Chula Vista, Calif.

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Surging Morgan State Bears too much for Delaware State Hornets

Photo: Todd Bozeman, second-year head basketball coach has Morgan State University on top of MEAC standings.

BALTIMORE, MD -- The experts said it wouldn't take Todd Bozeman long to figure out the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. How does two seasons sound? Bozeman's Morgan State men's basketball team maintained its lead in the MEAC on Monday, beating three-time defending regular-season champion Delaware State 64-59 in a wild game at Hill Field House.

The Bears (13-8 overall, 8-1 MEAC) kept their unbeaten record at Hill (7-0) intact. "It was a grind-out win," Bozeman said. "It was a conference win; that's what's most important."

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Attendance was 3409 for this matchup.

North Carolina A&T blast Hampton Lady Pirates

Photo: North Carolina A&T State University head women basketball coach Patricia Cage-Bibbs has Aggies undefeated in conference play.

GREENSBORO,N.C. – What started out as a battle for first-place turned out to be a game that strongly solidified the North Carolina A&T women’s basketball team as the team to beat in the MEAC.

The Aggies forced the MEAC’s second-place Hampton Pirates into 39 turnovers and placed four players in double figures to earn a 73-41 win. Junior forward Brittanie Taylor-James led the Aggies with 18 points. Junior Amber Bland scored 14 points and added seven rebounds. Senior Nancy Rembert finished the night with 13 points and nine boards.

With the win the Aggies (15-5, 8-0) have defeated the four teams ranked below them in the standings. They don’t play Coppin State again and their return games against Maryland-Eastern Shore and Delaware State are at home, while they will have to go on the road when they next meet the Pirates.

“I don’t want to lose any games (during the regular season) but our focus is on winning a championship,’’ said head coach Patricia Cage-Bibbs.

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Why I'm OK taking University of Alabama over an HBCU

"I have three more months." That is the phrase I keep repeating to myself. Then it's all over - high school that is. I can even picture me and my friends throwing, or holding up, our square hats in the air, as we say our last goodbyes to high school hallways and our first hellos to college campuses.

But will the college campus I chose be the right one for me? With careful consideration, I've decided to attend the University of Alabama. As I broke the seal of my acceptance letter to UA, I felt as if my decision to attend the capstone university was the first great choice of my adult life.

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Kid did not want to give his name--do you blame him?

Thompson's bucket helps DSU women rally over Morgan State

Photo: Ashley Thompson pulled down 8 rebounds and scored 4 points in the Lady Hornets win over Morgan State. The 6-0 Sophomore forward is from Southern Maryland's McDonough HS, La Plata, MD.

BALTIMORE -- The first-half statistics for Delaware State's Ashley Thompson were less than stellar Monday night. Two shots from the field. One point. Ouch. Thompson's second-half numbers weren't spectacular, either, but she redeemed herself in the nick of time.

Playing for injured senior Katreem Palmer, Thompson scored the tying bucket with less than a minute to play to help the Hornets women's basketball team to a 52-49 victory over Morgan State in a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference game at Hill Field House.

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Alabama State Hornets outgun PVAMU Panthers

The Hornets opened up a 25-point lead midway through the second half and coasted to a 98-86 win, improving to 12-7 overall and 8-1 in the Southwestern Athletic Conference. "This was a good win for us," ASU coach Lewis Jackson said. "We played well for portions of the game, but we also have some things to work on."

First on Jackson's list is getting his players to put games away when they have the chance. "When we got up by 25, the guys thought the game was over," Jackson said. "We made a substitution there to get some guys a breather and we just lost all aggression. We spent the rest of the game going through the motions. And that's not going to get it done. We need to have that killer instinct."

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UMES Lady Hawks soars over Coppin State Lady Eagles

BALTIMORE, MD -- The University of Maryland Eastern Shore women's basketball team has extended its winning streak against MEAC opponents as they defeated Coppin State 69-62 on Monday night. For Coppin State, Shalamar Oakley had 25 points with teammate Rashida Suber adding 17 points.

The Hawks were led by both April McBride and Casey Morton, who each tallied 18 points. McBride, the reigning MEAC Player of the Week, had a double-double, adding 16 rebounds to her 18 points. Tiffany Reid had another good performance as the reigning MEAC Defensive Player of the Week had 15 points and three steals. Brittany Adkins was the fourth Hawk in double digits with 13 points and 13 rebounds. This was the fifth straight win for the Lady Hawks.

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Hampton gets past cold North Carolina A&T

Photo: Vincent Simpson, 6-1/170 guard scored 13 points against the Aggies. The sophomore is from Cardinal Dougherty H.S., Philadelphia, PA.

GREENSBORO, N.C. -- Teams that live by the 3 will die by the 3. One game after setting a season high with 65 percent shooting on 3-pointers, N.C. A&T hit just 4-of-21 shots from the beyond arc and fell, 68-52 to Hampton on a nationally televised game Monday night at the Corbett Sports Center.

In a contest that featured two of the top scorers in the MEAC, the Pirates' Rashad West outdueled Steven Rush. West scored a game-high 17 points, including three 3-point baskets. Meanwhile, Rush had seven points and was 1-for-7 on 3s. A&T (11-10, 5-3 MEAC) shot just 30 percent for the night, hitting only 15 field goals.

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SC State overpowers FAMU Lady Rattlers

Photo: Guard Taniyah Dawson scored 13 poinst, 3 assists and 3 rebounds in 38 minutes of action against the SCSU Lady Bulldogs. Dawson is a 5-7 junior from Poteet H.S., Mesquite, Texas, majoring in Pharmacy at FAMU.

Super-sub Marie Reid came off the bench for 23 points to power South Carolina State to a 74-63 win over Florida A&M Monday night in a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference contest at Smith-Hammond-Middleton Memorial Center. Reid, a transfer from Memphis, has come off the bench to lead the Lady Bulldogs in scoring in four of the last five games and has averaged 24 points in three consecutive contests, two of which Coach Tonya Mackey's team has been victorious.

The visiting Lady Rattlers were led by Q'Vaunda Curry with 20 points and eight rebounds. Stephanie Foster added 15 points and Taniyah Dawson 13 in the loss, which dropped FAMU to 10-10 overall and 1-7 in the league.

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FAMU simply had no answer for Lady Bulldog 6-4/210 sophomore center Marie Reid who hit 9 of 15 shots, 6 of 8 free throws and nabbed 4 rebounds. The Lady Rattlers are currently 10-10, 1-7 MEAC with nine remaining conference games. Seven of the nine games are at home in Gaither Gymnasium so we need to make that run starting with Saturday's home game with conference leader North Carolina A&T (15-5, 8-0 MEAC).

-beepbeep

Monday, February 4, 2008

La Vergne's Gray commits to Tennessee State

La VERGNE, TN — All-State wide receiver Chris Gray has committed to play football next season at Tennessee State University. Gray caught 54 passes for 814 yards and nine touchdowns for the Wolverines last fall, which made him one of the most productive receivers in all of Middle Tennessee. He also was named All-Region 4-5A and first team All-Area by The Daily News Journal.

“I think there’s no doubt that he can play at that level,” La Vergne coach Will Hester said. “From my personal perspective, TSU got a steal. I feel he can play at that level and play at any level above that.”

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Gray is 6-0/189 and runs the 40 in 4.5 seconds. You may view the Rivals.com two star receiver highlight videos by clicking on this link:

Sumter star commits to Jackson State Tigers

Photo: WR Carlos Everett has 4.45 speed and has accepted an offer from Jackson State University to play for the Tigers .

BUSHNELL, FL — Former South Sumter High school football star Carlos Everett has committed to continue his football career at Jackson State University. Everett played the last two seasons for Hinds (Miss.) Community College where he caught 13 passes for 277 yards and one touchdown in 2007. He also scored a touchdown on a 60-yard punt return in the Mississippi Association of Community/Junior College All-Star Classic.

The 6-foot-1, 190 pound wide receiver scored 36 touchdowns in his career at South Sumter and played on the Raiders team which went to the 2005 Class 2A state championship game. Upon graduation from South Sumter, Everett signed to play for coach Chuck Amato at North Carolina State, but was a non-qualifier. Everett had chosen the ACC school over the University of Florida and Miami.

Everett chose Jackson State over Kansas State and North Carolina A&T.

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Scout.com has Everett ranked as a two star talent.

Transfers put NSU ahead of the recruiting curve

Photo: Norfolk State University Quarterback Dennis Brown is from Miami, Florida.

NORFOLK, VA - Dennis Brown stepped out of the car after driving 10 hours from Storrs, Conn. He had never set foot on Norfolk State’s campus but wasn’t in the mood for a tour. He wanted to watch film, maybe lift some weights. He asked football coach Pete Adrian for keys to the weight room. “Dennis, let’s get you settled in a room first,” Adrian recommended.

Don’t blame Brown if he’s a little overeager. The former Connecticut quarterback said it feels as if he has waited forever for an opportunity to show off his arm strength and athletic ability. “I was out running the stadium stairs at 7 the next morning,” said Brown, 6-foot-3 and 196 pounds.

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Recruiting: Diversity on Their Fields - HBCUs

Photo: Native Washingtonian and Florida A&M University Head Football Coach Joe Taylor.

Some Historically Black Colleges Are Recruiting More White Players for Football.

It's definitely a trend," said Florida A&M University Coach Joe Taylor, who spent 16 years as head coach at fellow MEAC member Hampton University before joining the Rattlers in 2007. "If you look at the sidelines and the coaching staffs, you see a trend where diversity is very prevalent."

Players and coaches said there are several reasons for the increase in white players at some HBCUs: more comprehensive recruiting efforts because of an increasing pressure to win; the rising level of play in historically black college football; and a generally more diverse society. "Athletics does more for our society in terms of transcending social ills than anything else," Taylor said. "It is about having bigger minds, broader minds, more open minds. If you love the sport, if you have a passion for it, really color tends not to be an issue."

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A 'Magic' project: New documentary explores historic effect of black colleges on basketball, the NBA

DURHAM, N.C. – Full Frame Documentary Film Festival (www.fullframefest.org), has announced that it will host the world premiere of the theatrical cut of “Black Magic”, a documentary directed by award-winning filmmaker Dan Klores.

The premiere will be held Monday, Feb. 11 at 7:30 p.m. at the Carolina Theatre, located at 309 W. Morgan St. in Durham. “Black Magic,” which will air in its entirety as a four-hour, two-part commercial-free series on ESPN in March 16-17, 2008, features two prominent North Carolina basketball legends, Winston-Salem State University graduate, Earl Monroe and North Carolina A&T State University graduate, Al Attles.

Klores, director of “Black Magic” and the 2007 critically acclaimed film festival hit “Crazy Love”, will join Attles and Monroe for a panel discussion following the screening to discuss the history that inspired the film. “Black Magic” tells the story of the injustice that defined the Civil Rights Movement in America through the lives of basketball players and coaches who attended historically black colleges and universities. The film features interviews with Basketball Hall of Fame honoree Willis Reed; Earl Lloyd, the first black athlete to ever play in an NBA game, as well as John Chaney, retired basketball coach of Temple University. Other notable interviewees include Ben Wallace, Charles Oakley and Avery Johnson.

Individual tickets for the “Black Magic” World Premiere and panel discussion are $12 and may be purchased at the event or by visiting the Box Office at www.fullframefest.org. Tickets for both the pre-screening party and film are available to Full Frame members for $35 and $50 for non-members. The 2008 Festival Preview Benefit — "Black Magic" world premiere is sponsored by Duke University Office of the Provost, the Visiting Artist Fund of the Department of Art, Art History and Visual Studies at Duke University, North Carolina Central University and the City of Durham.

About Black Magic:

Directed by award-winning director Dan Klores and in collaboration with ESPN Original Entertainment and Shoot the Moon Productions, “Black Magic” is a new four-hour, two-part film scheduled to air commercial-free on ESPN in March 2008. The film will make its world premiere at the Full Frame Documentary Film Festival on Monday, Feb 11. “Black Magic” is a story of the injustice that defines the Civil Rights Movement in America, told through the lives of basketball players and coaches who attended historically black colleges and universities.

The film is produced by basketball legend and Winston-Salem State University graduate, Earl Monroe, and narrated by Wynton Marsalis, Samuel L. Jackson and Chris Paul.

Feature interviews include Willis Reed, Avery Johnson, Ben Wallace, John Chaney, Bob Love, Al Attles, Pee Wee Kirkland, Earl Lloyd, Dick Barnett, Woody Sauldsberry, Cleo Hill, Bob Dandridge, Sonny Hill, Perry Wallace, Dave Robbins, Harold Hunter, Charles Oakley, Donnie Walsh, Bobby Cremins, Howie Evens, the widows of coaches Clarence “Big House” Gaines and John McLendon, and historians Skip Gates, Cleveland Sellers and Milton Katz.

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SC State Bulldogs to face Florida A&M Rattlers

Both South Carolina State basketball teams will be trying to extend one-game winning streaks Monday when they host Florida A&M in a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference doubleheader, beginning with the women's contest at 5:30 p.m. The men's game will follow at approximately 7:30 p.m.

The Lady Bulldogs will have a different look as they will wear pink uniforms to support the Women's Basketball Coaches Association's "Think Pink" initiative to bring awareness to breast cancer. Attendees are encouraged to wear pink and bring a donation for the organization.

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