Sunday, December 14, 2014

At a Tiny HBCU, A Basketball Legend is Coaching Again: Cheryl Miller's Perfect Place

#10 NAIA Ranked Langston University Lady Lions are currently 11-0 in Cheryl Miller's First Season.

LANGSTON, Oklahoma -- When Cheryl Miller was still young enough that she could only dream about being one of the greatest basketball players in the world, her mother, Carrie Miller, rarely got to see her play. Cheryl's mother would take her younger brother, Reggie Miller, to his game, and Cheryl's father, Saul Miller, would take Cheryl to hers. "And that was fun in the beginning," Cheryl said, "but my mom was always missing out on watching me play."

That didn't mean her mother missed out on hearing what happened in Cheryl's games, though. After each game Carrie missed she'd wait until Cheryl took a shower and got dressed for bed. "She'd sit there by my bedside and have me just go over the game, just tell her about it. I think I never got to the fourth quarter. I never got to the fourth because I'd fall asleep." But Cheryl could always hear her mother's soft farewell just before completely dozing off. "Goodnight, Pearl," she'd say. "Truly my heart and soul, my mom was."

To find Cheryl Miller now, you have to know where to look. Langston University is about 10 miles farther off the interstate than most people are willing to go. Those that do usually aren't looking for the women's basketball game. They're not looking for the football game, either. Most are just looking for the Marching Pride's halftime show. This is not a school with a budding athletic tradition or a football team that demands attention, and sometimes it seems like most people attend the games for the award-winning marching show band. Langston is a safety school for some, a last resort for many, a place many want to forget as soon as they leave it.

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Albany State’s Larry Bullock is leading the charge

ALBANY, Georgia — It was the shot discussed around the city.

Down by two against Georgia College with less than five seconds left, the Albany State Rams got the ball into senior Larry Bullock’s hands and he knocked down a corner three to win the game.

“It’s a shot that I’ve always dreamed of hitting,” Bullock said thinking back to that November game. “I don’t think words can describe that shot because that can be a once-in-a-lifetime situation that you’ll have. I just thank the Lord for that shot. He blessed me, he gave me the strength and will, and also my team for believing in me as well. ”

That particular play is indicative of Bullock’s role on the team this year — the person everyone can count on to make things happen when the team needs it the most.

Former ASU head coach Chris Cameron described Bullock as the glue that held everything together last year. He said the then junior was willing to give up his own agenda for the good of the team.

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Saturday, December 13, 2014

Southern’s facilities upgrades are moving slowly

A.W. MUMFORD STADIUM
COURTESY: SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY AND A&M COLLEGE ATHLETICS 

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana -- The Southern football team’s first practice of preseason camp was moved to the Seymour gymnasium because of thunderstorms.

It was a signal of the nomadic nature that awaited the Jaguars throughout the season.

Coach Dawson Odums tried to work inside of A.W. Mumford Stadium to avoid the uneven surface on the adjacent practice field, but there’s only so much wear and tear that’s tolerable on a surface that not only is the site of Southern’s home football games, but also hosts its soccer games and Southern Lab’s football games.

So it was quickly back to the practice field.

When daylight saving time ended in early November, it became too dark for the Jaguars to hold their late-afternoon practices on the practice field, which doesn’t have lights. So Southern packed up and traveled a few miles to Doug Williams Stadium at the Louisiana Leadership Academy. The lights and field turf there provided a very good practice facility, but traveling to and from campus for a few weeks was a burden.

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Navy Let Lead Slip Away in Loss at Maryland Eastern Shore

PRINCESS ANNE, Maryland -- Maryland Eastern Shore (5-7) erased a 13-point deficit and outscored Navy 19-2 over the final 8:50 for a 53-46 win over Navy (3-8) on Saturday at the Hytche Athletic Center.

Navy held a 44-34 lead with 8:54 left in the second half, and had previously led 40-27 with 11:33 remaining, but the Hawks ramped up the defensive pressure and limiting Navy to just two free throws in the final 8:50 of the contest in the come-from-behind win.

"We did everything we could do to put ourselves in a bad situation in this game," said head coach Ed DeChellis. "We got ourselves a nice lead, but then we had some crucial turnovers, we made silly plays and we couldn't make any shots. They got into us defensively and we didn't handle the pressure well."

Senior guard Brandon Venturini led Navy with 13 points and five assists.

Maryland Eastern Shore was paced by 17 points from Devin Martin and 15 points from Michael Myers.

The first half saw 11 lead changes and Navy made a run when Venturini's second 3-pointer of the first half put Navy ahead, 16-15. Maryland Eastern Shore answered right back with a 3-pointer from Devin Martin but the Mids were then able to close the half on an 11-4 run.

The spurt began when Venturini buried another 3-pointer and then converted a fast-break layup. Sophomore Edward Alade made a layup and then junior guard Tilman Dunbar found sophomore James Hemphill for a layup. Freshman Shawn Anderson grabbed an offensive board and went back up to put Navy ahead by five at the break at 27-22.

Freshman Daniel Noe knocked down a 3-pointer and Alade scored inside as Navy went up 10 to open the second half at 32-22. Junior Will Kelly had a block on the defensive end and then ran the court and was rewarded with a fastbreak layup as Navy pushed its lead to 11 at 36-25. Dunbar scored on a fast-break layup off a dish from Venturini and then Navy caught UMES sleeping when Venturini broke free off a halfcourt inbounds pass to put the Mids up 13 at 40-27.

Navy eventually extended its lead to 44-34 after a Dunbar layup, but the Hawks went on a 12-0 run over the next four minutes to retake the lead at 46-44. Anderson would eventually break Navy's drought with two free throws, but UMES would get a second-chance layup by Dominique Elliot and a pull-up jumper from Travis Trim, along with three free throws to hold on for the 53-46 final.

Navy was 0-5 from the floor with five turnovers over the final 8:50 of the contest.

Maryland Eastern Shore shot 51 percent from the floor while Navy shot 38 percent. The Hawks were 7-of-15 on 3-pointers, while Navy was just 4-of-19. Navy outrebounded Maryland Eastern Shore, 28-23.

"This was a game we could have won," said DeChellis. "We had a big lead, but we let it slip away."

Navy will have nine days off before returning to action at home on Monday, December 22 against Towson for its final non-conference game of the season.

Box Score

COURTESY U.S. NAVAL ACADEMY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS

Ram Ramblings: Boulware makes bold move within his coaching staff

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina -- I’ll admit that I didn’t think I would be writing about football in mid-December since the Rams’ season ended Nov. 15 in the loss to Virginia State in the CIAA championship game.

It was a bit of a shock when I found out Coach Kienus Boulware had decided to part ways with one of his co-defensive coordinators, Daren Hart. There were plenty of rumblings after the championship game loss that Boulware and Hart had some disagreements, but I’ve been around long enough to know that coaches don’t always get along.

I remember being at a couple of practices in recent years when Boulware and Connell Maynor, who was the head coach and offensive coordinator, would get into some verbal bashing during scrimmages. But at the end of those heated practices they would usually make peace.

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NSU | Gaston's early showing impresses teammates

NORFOLK, Virginia -- It's early, but Norfolk State's players are talking about who should win a postseason award.

Not surprisingly, he's one of their own.

Junior forward RaShid Gaston enters today's 2 p.m. game at Mount St. Mary's looking to extend a streak of five straight double-doubles, the latest of which propelled the Spartans (6-4, 2-0 MEAC) to an 88-69 league Monday win over Coppin State.

The 6-foot-9, 240-pound Gaston is second in the MEAC with 15.5 points and 8.6 rebounds per game, and his 65-percent field-goal shooting leads the league.

Gaston, combined with junior shooting guard Jeff Short, whose 17.3 points per game top the league, provide NSU with a unique 1-2 punch.

"If the season was to end right now," Short said, "I think he's the (MEAC) Player of the Year."

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Late 3-point play gives XU Rush a 52-51 victory at Mobile

MOBILE, Alabama -- Sophomore Wesley Pluviose-Philip's 3-point play with 19 seconds remaining Saturday lifted NAIA No. 22 Xavier University of Louisiana to a 52-51 men's basketball victory against Mobile.

The Gold Rush (9-4) snapped a two-game losing streak and completed a two-game season sweep of the Rams (4-5).

Pluviose-Philip was fouled by Piers Carroll as he scored on a pass from Morris Wright. Pluviose-Philip then made the decisive free throw. Mobile missed a 2-pointer and committed a turnover in its two ensuing possessions.

Xavier, winning on the road for the third time in four games this season, outscored Mobile 6-1 in the final two minutes after Dominique Suggs' 3-pointer gave Mobile a 50-46 lead.

Sydney Coleman scored 14 points and Pluviose-Philip 10 for the Gold Rush. Pluviose-Philip reached double figures for the second time this season and the third time at Xavier. Jarvis Thibodeaux's eight rebounds and Wright's five assists were game highs.

Suggs scored 12 points, all in the second half, and Kenny Davison had 11 for the Rams, who have lost five of their last six games. Daouda Soumaoro, seeking his fourth consecutive double-double, had two points and six rebounds in 16 minutes.

Coleman did not start for the first time in nine games, but he scored 11 points to lead Xavier to a 28-20 halftime advantage. Then Mobile rallied by making six second-half 3-pointers, three by Suggs.

Mobile outshot Xavier 35.6 to 31.1 percent from the floor and outrebounded the Gold Rush 40-30. Xavier made 19-of-31 free throws, and Mobile made 12-of-24. The Gold Rush committed 15 turnovers but gained a season-best 22, 15 in the first half.

Xavier will play Faulkner at 7 p.m. Monday at XU's Convocation Center in the second game of a doubleheader. The women of Xavier and Faulkner will meet at 5 p.m.

NOTES: Xavier has won 11 straight against Mobile and 14 of the last 15 . . . It was the first time since Nov. 27, 2010, that the Gold Rush won with 24 or fewer second-half points . . . Xavier has won 21 of its last 30 games on opponents' courts dating to February 2012.

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director

Friday, December 12, 2014

Morand Named SAU Permanent Head Football Coach

RALEIGH, North Carolina -- The Saint Augustine's University Department of Athletics has elevated Interim Head Football Coach Michael Morand to Permanent Head Football Coach on Friday, December 12, 2014. Morand is the second football coach at the University since the football program restarted in 2002.
 
"We are very pleased to have Coach Michael Morand as the new football coach at Saint Augustine's University," SAU Athletic Director George Williams said. "He will bring a lot of stability to the program and University and continue to guide and lead our student-athletes in a very positive manner academically and athletically."
 
Morand took over the Falcons football team after the first game of the 2014 season. The Falcons finished third in the CIAA Southern Division after they were picked fifth in the preseason.  Their conference record tied for the sixth-best among 12 CIAA teams after they were predicted to be the ninth-best CIAA team in July 2014.
 
The Falcons produced three All-CIAA players under Morand's direction. Tailback Roderick Davenport was selected to the All-CIAA First Team while wide receiver/return specialist Claytin Lewis and offensive lineman Martize Smith were placed on the All-CIAA Second Team. In addition to the All-CIAA picks, seven Falcons were named to the All-CIAA Rookie Team including Lewis, who was selected CIAA Offensive Rookie of the Year.
Morand also earned two coaching accolades during the season. He was named CIAA Coach of the Week and USA College Football Division II National Coach of the Week.
 
"First of all, I would like to thank God for blessing me with this opportunity," Morand said. "I want to thank [Interim] President [Everett B.] Ward and Coach Williams for making my dream come true in naming me head football coach at this great university. I look forward to the football program building relationships with the administration, faculty, staff, students, alumni and community.

"The goals that I set forth are to have a 100 percent graduation rate, mold young men and build a championship environment."
 
Morand was selected for the NCAA Expert Coaches Forum in Orlando, Fla., in 2009. The Forum teaches upcoming coaches how to become effective Head Football Coaches. Morand also participated in an internship in 2009 with the NFL's Houston Texans, where he worked closely with then Offensive Coordinator Kyle Shanahan. The Texans ranked fourth in total offense and first in passing offense in the NFL that season.
 
In 2008, Morand was selected to attend the NCAA Coaches Academy in Indianapolis, Ind. The Academy was developed to train minorities for head coaching positions. He is also a member of the American Football Coaches Association, where he served on the AFCA committee for Professional Development.
 
Before coming to Saint Augustine's University, Morand worked in the NFL's Philadelphia Eagles training camp as a scouting assistant during the summer of 2014. In 2013, he was the Defensive Back Coach for the Omaha Beef of the Championship Professional Indoor Football League (CPIFL), where he helped guide the team to the playoffs.
 
An Atlanta, Ga. native, Morand was the Defensive Quality Control Coach/Linebacker Coach in 2012 and the Offensive Quality Control/ Assistant Wide Receiver Coach in 2011 with the Omaha Nighthawks in the United Football League. He was the Co-Offensive Coordinator, Quarterbacks and Wide Receivers Coach at North Carolina A&T State University during the 2009-2010 season. He also served as the Director of Football Operations at A&T.

During his time at North Carolina A&T, Morand guided one of the top rushing attacks in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC). Before arriving at A&T, Morand served as the Offensive Coordinator, Quarterbacks and Wide Receivers Coach at Virginia State University in 2007 and 2008.
 
Under his direction in the 2007 season, Virginia State ranked second in scoring offense, total offense, red zone offense, and passing efficiency; and first in fourth down conversions in the CIAA. In the 2008 season, Morand coached the top-ranked running back and top-ranked wide receiver in the CIAA. Both players were ranked in the top 10 of their respective categories in NCAA Division II. During his two years as Offensive Coordinator, Morand produced six All-CIAA players, one third-team Don Hansen All-American and one CIAA Offensive Rookie of the Year.

Prior to his stint at Virginia State, Morand served as Running Backs Coach at Wingate University from 2004-2006. During his tenure at Wingate, Morand helped guide the team to a 21-11 record and several national Top 25 rankings.
 
In 2003, Morand helped start the Barber-Scotia College football program. He was the Assistant Head Football Coach, Offensive Coordinator and Recruiting Coordinator for the team. In 2002, Morand was the Quarterbacks and Wide Receivers Coach at Livingstone College in addition to serving as Recruiting Coordinator and Strength and Conditioning Coach. He coached two players to All-CIAA honors that season.

In 2001, Morand was at the University of West Georgia where he coached running back Nick Price, a Harlon Hill candidate. Morand also gained valuable experience coaching the complex West Coast Offense that season as the team compiled an 8-3 overall record.
 
Morand has coached four players who either played or are currently playing in the NFL and Canadian Football League (CFL). Offensive lineman Nathan Isles (North Carolina A&T) signed a free agent contract with the Seattle Seahawks and wide receiver Wallace Miles (North Carolina A&T) signed a free agent contract with Detroit Lions. Defensive lineman William Hayes (Barber-Scotia) signed a free agent contract with the Tennessee Titans and tight end Chris Conklin (Wingate) signed a free agent contract with Carolina Panthers.
 
During his collegiate playing days, Morand was the quarterback at Florida A&M University from 1996-1999. He was coached by the legendary Billy Joe, the fourth winningest NCAA Division I head football coach. With Morand at quarterback, Florida A&M won the MEAC Championship in 1996, the Co-MEAC Championship in 1998 and the Black College National Championship in 1998. The Rattlers participated in the NCAA Division I-AA playoffs each year during Morand's career. 
 
In high school, Morand helped Southwest DeKalb High School win the Georgia State Championship and earn a No. 11 national ranking in the USA Today poll.
 
Morand received a Bachelor of Science Degree at Florida A&M University and a Master of Science in Specialization Sports Management at Nova Southeastern University.

COURTESY SAINT AUGUSTINE'S UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION 

Thursday, December 11, 2014

Report: Joker Phillips a finalist for FAMU job

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- Former University of Kentucky head football coach Joker Phillips is among the eight finalists in Florida A&M's search to fill the same role at the FCS school, the Tallahassee Democrat reported Wednesday night.

A committee narrowed down candidates at a meeting Wednesday and is expected to trim its list to three by Dec. 17, according to The Democrat's report.

Other finalists include Charlie Weatherbie (former Louisiana-Monroe coach), Willie Simmons (Alcorn State's offensive coordinator), Corey Fuller (FAMU's interim head coach), Latrell Scott (Virginia State head coach), Ester Junior III (former NFL player), Mark Orlando (Prairie View A&M offensive coordinator) and Tony Samuel (former Southeast Missouri State coach).

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Wrapping up the HBCU season in the MEAC and SWAC

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- It’s been an interesting season for HBCU football in the MEAC and SWAC. Both conferences have seen some new teams win championships for the first time in years.

Morgan State wasn’t supposed to grab a share of the MEAC title and land a spot in the FCS playoffs, but that’s exactly what happened this season. The Bears were predicted to finish 10th in the league, but they put together a magnificent season.

In the SWAC, Alcorn State won its first league championship since 1993. The Braves defeated Southern University to win the league crown. Now that the season is over, it’s time to recognize the top players and coaches in each conference.

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Wednesday, December 10, 2014

Gold Nuggets drop one place to 19th in NAIA rankings

NEW ORLEANS -- Xavier University of Louisiana moved down one place to 19th Tuesday in the NAIA Division I Women's Basketball Coaches' Top 25.

The Gold Nuggets (6-4), winner of four straight and five of their last six games, are in the top 25 for the 11th consecutive time and the 56th time in the last 59 polls.

Xavier opened the season with four consecutive games against preseason top-25 opponents. The Gold Nuggets won one of those, against then-No. 22 Mobile, then earned another victory at Mobile nearly three weeks later.

Xavier lost 68-66 at Bethel (Tenn.), which remained ninth, and 77-76 at a neutral site against Our Lady of the Lake, which dropped from 11th to 12th.

Xavier is one of eight schools with both basketball teams in the NAIA Division I top 25. The Gold Rush are 22nd. The other schools with both teams ranked are Campbellsville, Concordia (Calif.), Freed-Hardeman, Georgetown (Ky.), Lewis-Clark State, Oklahoma Baptist and Our Lady of the Lake.

Freed-Hardeman received 8-of-9 first-place votes to replace defending champion Oklahoma City at No. 1. Oklahoma City is second.

Next for Xavier will be a 5 p.m. Monday game at the Convocation Center against Faulkner, one of 13 teams in the "others receiving votes" category. Visiting Xavier at 7 p.m. Jan. 7 will be unbeaten city rival Loyola, which climbed from 11th to eighth.

The next poll will be announced Jan. 6.

The top 25:

1. Freed-Hardeman
2. Oklahoma City
3. Vanguard
4. Westminster (Utah)
5. Campbellsville
6. Wiley
7. Oklahoma Baptist
8. Loyola
9. Bethel (Tenn.)
10. Langston
11. Westmont
12. Our Lady of the Lake
13. Lewis-Clark State
14. Concordia (Calif.)
15. MidAmerica Nazarene
16. Cumberland
17. Montana State Northern
18. Shawnee State
19. Xavier
20. The Master's
21. Baker
22. Cumberlands
23. Lyon
24. Lindsey Wilson
25. Georgetown (Ky.)

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director

Tuesday, December 9, 2014

Virginia State coach talks with NSU about vacancy

NORFOLK, Virginia -- Virginia State coach Latrell Scott has been contacted by Norfolk State officials regarding the Spartans’ football coaching vacancy, VSU AD Peggy Davis confirmed Tuesday.

Scott informed VSU of the conversation as a matter of courtesy, Davis said, adding that Scott did not have to ask for permission to talk to NSU.

An NSU spokesman said the school couldn’t “confirm or deny anything” regarding Scott’s candidacy.

Scott, 39, is 19-4 overall and 15-0 in the CIAA in two seasons at VSU. He is a former head coach at Richmond and a former assistant at James Madison, Virginia, Tennessee, VMI and Western Carolina.

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Norfolk State considering Virginia State's Scott

RICHMOND, Virginia -- Virginia State football coach Latrell Scott is being considered for the Norfolk State job.

Scott, the University of Richmond’s former coach and a Lee-Davis High graduate, has led the Trojans to a two-year record of 19-4. This year, VSU advanced to the Division II playoffs and defeated LIU-Post in its first-ever home playoff game before being eliminated at Bloomsburg State in the second round.

Peggy Davis, Virginia state's director of athletics, said on Tuesday afternoon that Scott has informed her that Norfolk State representatives expressed interest in him discussing the job with them.

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No. 22 Gold Rush preserve NAIA's longest poll streak

NEW ORLEANS -- Xavier University of Louisiana dropped nine spots to 22nd Tuesday in the NAIA Division I Men's Basketball Coaches' Top 25 but maintained its distinction as the school with the longest current streak of appearances.

The Gold Rush (8-4) are in the top 25 for the 39th consecutive time and the 52nd time in the last 53 polls. Xavier started its streak on Dec. 12, 2011.

Xavier is one of three Gulf Coast Athletic Conference teams in the top 25. Talladega is tied for sixth, and Philander Smith is 17th.

The Gold Rush will visit Mobile at 3 p.m. Saturday, then play Faulkner at 7 p.m. Monday at the Convocation Center in the second game of a doubleheader. Xavier will then play three in a row against top-10 teams: 7 p.m. Dec. 18 at No. 5 William Carey, 7 p.m. Dec. 30 at home against No. 9 Concordia (Calif.) and 7:30 p.m. Jan. 5 at Talladega.

Cal State San Marcos received 5-of-10 first-place votes and replaced defending champion Vanguard at No. 1. Hope International, which defeated Xavier in the first round of last season's national tournament, climbed from 10th to third.

The next poll will be announced Jan. 6.

The top 25:

1. Cal State San Marcos
2. Campbellsville
3. Hope International
4. Pikeville
5. William Carey
6. (tie) Talladega
6. (tie) Benedictine (Kan.)
8. Martin Methodist
9. Concordia (Calif.)
10. Freed-Hardeman
11. Oklahoma Baptist
12. LSU-Shreveport
13. (tie) Dalton State
13. (tie) Rocky Mountain
15. Georgetown (Ky.)
16. Wayland Baptist
17. Philander Smith
18. Texas Wesleyan
19. Arizona Christian
20. Our Lady of the Lake
21. Lewis-Clark State
22. Xavier
23. Southwestern Assemblies of God
24. Evangel
25. Culver-Stockton


Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director

Monday, December 8, 2014

TSU's Green Outruns His Biggest Opponent

NASHVILLE, Tennessee -- Tennessee State Flying Tiger Jordan Green is entering his third season as a member of the track and field team, looking to build off of his solid sophomore campaign.

Green had four top-10 finishes in 2013-14 and even ran a career-best time of 7.03 in the 60-meter dash in the Music City Challenge this time last year.

On paper, Green is another one of legendary track coach Chandra Cheeseborough’s rising juniors, but there was a time when Green was running from something much more than competitors on the track.

At the age of 14, Green was on the way to class during his first year in high school when his mother noticing something else off about her son, besides his pubescent body. Green had a lump on his neck that was not only noticeable to the touch, but also to the naked eye. The knot concerned his mother, but Green chalked it up to carrying around a heavy book bag and life went on.

The abscess did not recess over the course of the next week and Green’s mother thought it was high time to take him to the family’s pediatrician. It turned out to be a story that’s heard far too often: doctor prescribes antibiotics, they don’t work and it is back to square one.

“Back then I really wasn’t concerned because I had never had any type of disease,” Green remembers. “I could see that my parents were anxious because both of my grandmothers had been diagnosed with lung cancer. My parents started worrying about my well-being, but at the time, I was just concerned with making good grades and staying on the track team.”

After a follow-up with the pediatrician, it was determined that any further prognosis would need to have use of a biopsy.

On Halloween night, while Green’s friends were out trick-or-treating, he was sitting in another doctor’s office getting skin cut off of his neck. In addition to the pain of surgery and the pain of missing one of his last Halloweens as a kid, Green now had to suffer the hardest part – waiting for his results.

“I didn’t want to tell anyone, friends or family, until me and my parents knew what it was. At that point I was pretty nervous because the doctor said it could be malignant. I didn’t even know what that word meant back then,” Green said with a smile.

There were no smiles when the news came on Nov. 8. Green and his mother were crammed in yet another tiny doctor’s office when a practitioner entered to relay the message.

Green was diagnosed with Hodgkin Lymphoma Stage 2, a type of cancer that affects white blood cells around the lymph nodes.

“Words were being said around me about treatment plans, costs and timetables, but I was zoned out to all of it. I kept thinking that this wasn’t happening to me and I couldn’t have cancer at 14 years old. I eventually woke up and thought ‘ok let’s do it. Let’s beat this thing,’” Green said.

Even with his determination, a bit of Green’s happiness waned and he became a shut-in. There were no more smiles, no more laughs, he went from his room to school, and then from school to his room.

Treatment was also hard for him. Green had to stay overnight in a hospital Friday-Sunday to take countless pills, shots and scans. While all of those remedies were making him healthier, they all came with side-effects.

Green, who used to be known for his braids, began losing his hair including one memorable moment in his algebra class:

“My head was itching, and usually I just patted it lightly, but this time I must have scratched too hard. I itched at my hairline and when I looked at my hand, some of my hair had come out and left a bald spot. I will never forget that a girl in my class made a big scene about it. I broke down and ran out of the room. Later that night, I got my uncle to cut all my hair off.

“I looked in the mirror, but it wasn’t me anymore… I thought to myself ‘I am only in the ninth grade, will I even make it to the 10th?”

Finally, after six months of treatment, chemotherapy and radiation eradicated most of the cancer. It looked like Green would in fact make it to 10th grade and well beyond.

“It was a huge sigh of relief for me and my parents,” Green said. “My mom had to give me shots every night, no one in my family was sleeping well and it was just hard on everybody. It was a painful time for my family, so we were all very relieved when the good news came.”

A few years later, Green was training with a family friend Derrick Spease in a gym when Tennessee State University was brought up. Spease had also helped train former Big Blue footballer and current Baltimore Raven Anthony Levine, and he thought TSU would be the perfect fit for Green.

It turned out he was right.

Green has been running with the track team for two years and helped the Flying Tigers take third-place in the Ohio Valley Conference Indoor Championship a season ago. Even with his athletic success, Green has cherished his friendships and teammates even more.

“I would not trade this crazy bunch of teammates for anyone else in the world. We are a family; I have opened up to them about my past and they have been so supportive.

“I am grateful for Tennessee State and I thank God each and every day because it all could have been taken. There is not a day that goes by that I don’t think about the time I had cancer. I appreciate every day that I am given because I wouldn’t even be here if my mom wouldn’t have pointed out that lump six years ago.”

COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Sunday, December 7, 2014

Alcorn State wins first SWAC title in 20 years

HOUSTON, Texas  -- In a regular-season meeting this season, Alcorn State demolished Southern by 40 points. On Saturday, the Braves became the undisputed champions of the Southwestern Athletic Conference with another victory over the Jaguars.

It wasn't another shellacking, but it was convincing at 38-24. And it was a win for the Braves, who claimed their first conference championship since 1994.



"It's a special day to be an Alcorn Brave," third-year Alcorn State coach Jay Hopson said. "We're moving all our home games to Houston."

Hopson was referencing that his star quarterback John Gibbs Jr., who accounted for 245 passing yards and 132 rushing yards, is from Houston, playing at Houston Washington High School.

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FAMU Lady Rattlers edge SCSU, 55-50; Gibson Get 100th Win

LEDAWN GIBSON
HEAD WOMEN'S BASKETBALL COACH
FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY
CAREER RECORD: 100-88 (58-39 MEAC)
ORANGEBURG, South Carolina  -- Freshman guard Dawn King (Waxahachie, Tex.) scored a season high 26 points Saturday evening to spark the FAMU Lady Rattler Basketball team past South Carolina State, 55-50 in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference opener for both teams at the Smith-Hammond Center on the SCSU campus.

Saturday’s win was also a milestone victory for FAMU head coach Ledawn Gibson, who reached the 100-career win plateau Saturday.

But the evening belonged to King, who scored 15 of her 26 points in the opening half, as FAMU (3-4, 1-1 in MEAC) built a six-point lead midway through the first half, 18-12 on Teneka Rubin’s (Orlando, Fla.) jumper with 9:01 left in the half.

King got the Lady Rattlers going, giving them their first lead of the game at 4-3, on a three-pointer with 17:42 left. She would later score back-to-back buckets to break a 10-10 tie and put FAMU ahead, 14-10 with 13:46 left.

Olivia Antilla (Minneapolis, Minn.) and Khaderja Young (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.) scored back-to-back baskets to push FAMU to a 25-21 edge with 24 seconds to go, but SCSU (4-2, 0-1 MEAC), rallied to the score 25-25 at the break, on two foul shots by Kourtney Williams with 15 seconds left, and a Jazzmine Johnson jumper with 11 seconds to play.

In the second half, SCSU opened with a 12-7 run, keyed by six points from Williams and three-pointers from Amber Howard and Toni Grier to build a 37-32 lead, before FAMU rallied behind King and Young to take the lead for good.

Young’s jumper sliced the SCSU lead to 37-34 with 13:37 left, then King scored the next seven FAMU points on a layup to make it 37-36 at 11:06, before her three-pointer tied the game at 39-39 with 10:32 to play.

King’s second layup in a one-minute span at 10:11 put FAMU ahead to stay at 41-39, then sophomore Kenya Dixon’s (Baton Rouge, La.) three-pointer pushed the FAMU edge to five points at 44-39.

A pair of free throws by Antilla with 4:19 left extended FAMU to an eight-point cushion at 49-41, then a jumper by King made it a 10-point game at 51-41 with 3:46 left.

SCSU would not go away though, as they staged a 9-4 scoring surge to end the game, with a King jumper and two charity tosses by Young holding off the home team for the FAMU win.

Young and Dixon each finished with eight points behind King’s 26, while Young and Jamie Foreman (Beech Island, S.C.), each pulled down eight rebounds for the Lady Rattlers.

Kourtney Williams led SCSU with 18 points, while Toni Grier had 10 points and a team-high six rebounds.

Turnovers kept the scoring low by both squads as the two teams combined for 44 miscues (FAMU 23, SCSU 21), but FAMU had the much better shooting night, shooting 46.9 percent from the floor, led by King’s superb 11-of-15 shooting night, to 27.9 percent for the Lady Bulldogs.

RATTLER NOTE: Coach Gibson became just the third FAMU Women's coach to reach 100 career wins.... She joined Mickey Clayton (199/1979-90) and Claudette Farmer (177/1991-01) in the exclusive FAMU Women's Basketball Century Club.

WHAT’S NEXT: The Lady Rattlers will break for Fall finals this week, but continue a 10-game road tour next Sunday with three pre-Christmas games in Louisiana at Nicholls State (Sunday, Dec. 14 / 2 p.m. CST), Southern-Baton Rouge (Wednesday, Dec. 17 / 7 p.m. CST) and Southeastern Louisiana (Saturday, Dec. 20 / 2 p.m. CST).

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Hampton Lady Pirates Beat Richmond for Second Straight Win

RICHMOND, Virginia -- Behind four double-digit scorers, the Hampton University women's basketball team picked up its second straight win on Saturday evening, upending Richmond 64-53 at the Robins Center.

The win closed out a 2-1 road trip for the Lady Pirates (2-5).

Sophomore guard Malia Tate-DeFreitas (Harrisburg, Pa.) led Hampton with 16 points and four assists, while senior guard Kenia Cole (Silver Spring, Md.) and junior guard Ryan Jordan (Manassas, Va.) each added 14 points.

Jordan also grabbed a team-high nine rebounds.

Senior guard Kyani White (Manassas, Va.) chipped in 12 points, going 5-for-7 from the floor and 2-for-4 from 3-point range. She also had six rebounds and four assists.

The Lady Pirates shot 44.6 percent (25-for-56) from the floor and hit nine of 21 3-pointers (42.9 percent). Hampton turned the ball over just nine times and turned 19 Richmond turnovers into 24 points.

The Spiders held an early 10-4 lead, before the Lady Pirates went on a 15-4 run to take a 19-14 lead at the 7:07 mark after a layup from junior guard Areana Davis (Virginia Beach, Va.). Richmond answered with six straight points to take a 20-19 lead with 4:53 left in the half.

A 5-0 spurt gave the Lady Pirates a 25-20 lead with 2:23 left in the half following a layup from freshman forward Kaylah Lupoe (Phoenix, Ariz.), but Richmond closed the half with an 8-2 run to take a 28-27 lead into the locker room.

A 3-pointer from Tate-DeFreitas 25 seconds into the second half gave the Lady Pirates a 30-28 lead and kicked off a 7-0 run – which gave Hampton a 34-28 lead at the 18:05 mark after a fastbreak jumper from Tate-DeFreitas.

Richmond cut the lead to 34-31 before the Lady Pirates went on a 7-2 run to take a 41-33 lead at the 13:23 mark after a Tate-DeFreitas layup. A 3-pointer from Cole with 12:39 remaining put the Lady Pirates up 44-36.

Lauren Tolson hit a trey with 11:34 left cut the lead to 46-42, but the Lady Pirates answered with a 13-0 run, taking a 59-42 lead following a 3-pointer from Jordan with 5:03 left to play. A Cole trey at the 4:28 matched that lead, putting Hampton up 62-45.

Hampton's largest lead came at the 3:26 mark, when Tate-DeFreitas sank a layup to put the Lady Pirates up 64-45.

Richmond (3-4) shot 38.0 percent (19-for-50) from the floor and held a 39-32 rebounding edge.

Tolson led three Spiders in double figures with 20 points.

The Lady Pirates will return home on Monday to open MEAC play against Morgan State at 6 p.m. For more information on Hampton University basketball, please call the Office of Sports Information at (757) 727-5811, or visit the official Pirates website at www.hamptonpirates.com.

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Alcorn State beats Southern, claims SWAC championship title

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 Highlights  » 
HOUSTON, Texas -- In what was deemed judgment day at the 2014 SWAC Football Championship, the Southern Jaguars wanted to make the outcome different than the one that took place in late September vs. the Braves, while Alcorn State wanted more of the same result in Lorman. In the end, the Braves were able to finish what they started with a balanced attack led by quarterback John Gibbs Jr.'s three touchdown passes in piling up 480 yards of total offense leading Alcorn State to a 38-24 victory over the Southern Jaguars to claim the SWAC football championship at NRG Stadium.

"Great season, we came up short today, our seniors are leaving this program better than when they came in," Southern head coach Dawson Odums said. After winning 56-16 back in late September, Alcorn State started the game the same way leading the Braves on a seven play, 71 yards on their first possession of the game when Gibbs Jr. connected with Jordan Payne for 13 yards and the score to give the Braves a 7-0 lead.

"We were really good on offense, winning two of the three phases of the game, teammates really picked me up when we slumped a little bit in the second half," Gibbs Jr. said.

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Saturday, December 6, 2014

FAMU Board Discusses Future of Football Program at Meeting

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- The Board of Trustees at FAMU met yesterday and discussed the future of the school's football program.

According to the meeting's minutes, a search committee will gather today to review selection criteria and interview questions for those they're considering for the school's open head coaching position. They'll also reduce the pool of applicants for the head football coach position from 44 to five.

The five candidates will be interviewed by the committee via Skype and three finalists will be selected. The board members also said, President Elmira Mangum would be making the final decision on who to hire.

Also at the meeting, Kellen Winslow told the board he has raised $34,000 for the school's golf and tennis teams to compete in the spring.

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NSU/Detroit Lions' Don Carey working on Master's in theology

DETROIT, Michigan -- It's a rainy Monday evening in early October and Don Carey is running a little later than usual because of an accident on the Southfield Freeway. Carey just finished a day of meetings, walkthroughs and film review after the Lions' 17-14 loss to the Buffalo Bills, and he'll spend the next few hours like he does every Monday, immersed in study of the Old Testament at the Moody Theological Seminary in Plymouth Township.

He pulls his GMC Sierra into a spot in the back parking lot, grabs a leather satchel loaded with books, and hustles down the hall to Room 116, where he sits down at the end of a long table next to a 59-year-old accountant who's going back to school to teach and a young nurse who wants to become a minister one day.

Carey, dressed in a black Dri-fit shirt and matching athletic pants with his No. 26 emblazoned on the right front hip, isn't entirely sure what he'll do when he finishes his Master of Theological Studies degree a few years from now, other than expand his own ministry.

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To move forward, NSU Spartans go back

NORFOLK, Virginia -- Norfolk State coach Robert Jones turned to his team's recent past to help with its immediate future.

Former Spartans swingman Rodney McCauley, an integral but unheralded part of NSU's 2011-12 MEAC championship and NCAA tournament run, addressed the team after Friday's practice. Now an accountant in Dallas, McCauley helped drive home some of Jones' favorite tenets.

"He was just telling guys the importance of playing defense, sticking together and how much the NCAA tournament means and how much it's fun to be a part of," Jones said of the year NSU pulled its landmark upset of second-seeded Missouri. "He thinks we can do it if we just stick together."

The Spartans (4-4) can take a step in that direction at 6 tonight, when they host Morgan State to open MEAC play.

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Penn Women's Basketball Outpaced by Hampton, 58-43

PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania  --  An impressive nine-game home winning streak -- the second-longest in school history -- came to an end on Friday night when four-time defending MEAC champion Hampton used an early second-half run to surge past the University of Pennsylvania women's basketball team, 58-43, at The Palestra.

How it Happened
It was a game of runs. A series of small ones in the first half, and then a game-changing stretch to start the second half.

Penn (3-3) got out to an early lead with seven of the game's first nine points behind buckets from Sydney Stipanovich and Anna Ross, and a three from senior captain Kathleen Roche. But Hampton answered with eight of the next 10 and held a 10-9 lead after the first seven minutes.

The Pirates, who have not lost a conference game in three years, led 13-12 at the 12:21 mark. But freshman forward Michelle Nwokedi started a 9-0 run with a three and sophomore Melanie Lockett added the last four points for a 21-13 lead with 8:49 left in the half.

Penn maintained a 23-15 edge before the Pirates scored six of the next seven to get within a possession. However, freshman Anna Ross tacked on four straight points to halt Hampton's momentum and send the Quakers into the break with a 31-26 lead.

The largest run of the day came at the start of the second half and was ultimately the deciding factor. The Quakers missed their first 10 shots of the half and Hampton (1-5) capitalized with an 18-2 run over the first eight minutes.

Sophomore Sydney Stipanovich stopped the Penn drought with a drive and lay-in to get within 44-35, but the Quakers were never closer than that the rest of the way.

Hampton held its largest lead, 58-39, with just over four minutes to play.

Inside the Numbers
Rebounding was the difference as the Pirates pulled in 30 offensive boards and totaled 58 for the game compared to Penn's 35.

The Quakers scored just 12 points in the second half -- the fewest in head coach Mike McLaughlin's tenure. Penn was just 3-of-22 (13.6%) from the field over the final 20 minutes, including 1-of-10 (10%) from three. Overall, the Red and Blue were 13-of-47 (27.7%) from the floor and 5-of-19 (26.3%) from three. Hampton was 25-for-78 (32.1%) on the night and 4-of-18 (22.2%) from beyond the arc.

One game after moving into third-place on Penn's all-time career blocks list, Stipanovich had six rejections -- five in the second half. Lockett had a team-high seven points and contributed four rebounds. Ross led the Quakers with five assists, and added six points, while Nwokedi scored six, pulled in a team-best seven rebounds and had two blocks in 14 minutes off the bench.

Up Next
A Big 5 matchup awaits as the Quakers host Saint Joseph's at The Palestra on Tuesday, Dec. 9 at 5:30 p.m. in the first game of a doubleheader with the men, who are set to tip off at 8 p.m. against Marist. Tickets for the doubleheader start at $14.


 
Courtesy: Eric Dolan, associate director of athletic communications
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North Carolina Central 68, Maryland-Eastern Shore 63

PRINCESS ANNE, Maryland -- Jordan Parks scored a game-high 20 points as the visiting North Carolina Central Eagles held off the Maryland-Eastern Shore Hawks 68-63 on Friday in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference opener for both teams at Hytche Arena in Princess Anne, Md.

North Carolina Central (5-3) is the defending MEAC champion, but the Hawks stayed close throughout. The lead swung back and forth throughout the second half, and UMES (3-7) went up 49-48 on guard Devon Walker's three-pointer with 7:38 left.

But North Carolina Central scored the next six points, four of which came on dunks from Parks, and the Eagles never trailed again. Parks, a forward, scored 10 points in each half.

UMES cut the lead back to 58-56 on two free throws from center Mike Myers with 2:02 left, but the Eagles held off the Hawks after that.

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Lynch’s 24 points carry SU to 68-55 win

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana -- After spending the first few weeks of the season watching from the bench, Southern senior guard Trey Lynch made sure his return to the F.G. Clark Activity Center was one to remember.

Lynch — who missed almost a month after suffering a sprained ankle before the start of the season — dropped 24 points on 8-of-16 shooting from the field, including five scores from beyond the arc in the Jaguars’ 68-55 win over Dillard on Friday night.

“Any time you come in and do your job, your points are going to add up,” Lynch said. “(I just wanted to) get back in the rhythm. I spent three and a half weeks on a sprained ankle and I just wanted to get into the flow of the game.”

Lynch played a limited role in Southern’s last few games, but coach Roman Banks considered Friday as his official return to the court as he played a team-leading 31 minutes.

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