Grambling snatches one -- and it's a big one -- from Saban

Photo: Grambling State University head football coach Rod Broadway is loading up on blue chip players for '08.

Grambling State has picked off a massive offensive tackle commitment from under the nose of Nick Saban and the University of Alabama. Greg McGrue, a 6-8, 360-pound Huffman (Birmingham, Ala.) High prospect, also reported interest from Auburn, Georgia, Purdue and Southern Mississippi.

He is a two-star Scout.com prospect, and ranked No. 34 overall in Alabama by Rivals -- which called McGrue a “massive offensive lineman with superior strength. Could be more flexible and quicker but nobody pushes him back and he uses his hands well.”

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This guy runs a 5.4/40 and once he completes Coach Broadway program in the weight room, he will be bigger than a tractor trailer. That's out-recruiting the competition, Grambling State. He's a clear cut blue chip!

Jackson State Comegy off road, critiquing recruits

Photo: 2007 SWAC Football Championship Coach, Rick Comegy, Jackson State University.

Comegy has been racking up the frequent flyer miles with a trip two weeks ago to accept an award in Washington D.C. and spending last week in California coaching the Southeast team in the American Heritage Bowl.

The Tigers currently have 15 commitments on top of four mid-year signees. Mississippi Delta Community College 6-0/205 cornerback Recardo Hines gave his verbal to Jackson State last night. He is a one-star juco prospect by Scout.com and runs a 4.47 40.

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MEAC wants to hold tourneys at Old Dominion instead of Scope

NORFOLK, VA - The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference would like to hold its men's and women's basketball tournaments at Old Dominion University's Ted Constant Convocation Center next year rather than Scope. Mayor Paul Fraim said Tuesday that MEAC officials, including commissioner Dennis Thomas, made the request at a recent meeting, saying they prefer the modern amenities of the Constant Center.

Vice Mayor Anthony L. Burfoot's response was blunt, especially when MEAC officials asked the city to pay their rent at ODU: "If the tournament is coming to Norfolk, it needs to come to Scope," Burfoot said he told them. Thomas was unavailable for comment.

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Background

Old Dominion University opened the Ted Constant Convocation Center for the 2002-2003 basketball season. "The Ted" has 8,600 fully cushioned seats, 16 luxury suites, and a state-of-the-art scoreboard. In addition to being used for home basketball games, the Constant Center hosts family-oriented events as well as concerts and lectures. (See Seating Visuals of "The Ted" by clicking on this link and click the seat location you desire: http://constantcenter.com/seating/viewer/event_type/

View Constant Center photos: http://constantcenter.com/photos/?album=3

Opened in 1971, Norfolk Scope is the host to a wide variety of events, including Ringling Bros and Barnum and Bailey Circus, conventions, concerts and family shows. Scope is proud to be the home of the Norfolk Admirals of the AHL and Arena Racing USA. Scope has an exclusive in-house caterer, Aramark, who runs Showcase Restaurant and will help with any catered event. (See Seating Chart: http://mediacache.eventbooking.com//7074_Seating_Scope_Basketball.gif).

A few words of advice for Commissioner Thomas--hold your ground on this issue. MEAC fans and players have no interest in attending the MEAC Basketball Tournament at a second rate facility. You do not see the NCAA, or any other conference in America holding their tournaments at outdated facilities. If it (the Scope) wasn't good enough for Old Dominion University or the Harlem Globetrotters, it's not an appropriate venue for the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Tournament.

-beepbeep

Nickelberry has Hampton winning with defense

Photo: Hampton University Pirates men's head basketball coach Kevin Nickelberry (Virginia Wesleyan '86).

The Pirates excel defensively, whether in passive zone, half-court trap or overplaying man-to-man. Among the 328 Division I teams ranked in the NCAA's statistics, Hampton is 31st in scoring defense and 39th in field-goal percentage defense. But if basketball were all slides, steals and switches, no one would play or watch. Scoring is not only necessary but also cool. It's why we play pick-up at the Y and watch Sports Center morning, noon and night.

Here the Pirates are lacking. They rank 269th nationally in scoring, 288th in field-goal percentage, 295th in 3-point percentage and 314th in free-throw percentage. Wall Street's recent numbers aren't that bleak.

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Tennessee State shoot past Jacksonville State

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Yet another comeback attempt fell short for the Jacksonville State men’s basketball team on Tuesday night, when Tennessee State held off the Gamecocks for an 88-77 home win at the Gentry Center.

The Gamecocks (4-17, 2-11 Ohio Valley Conference) used a 55-point second half to cut a 24-point deficit with 6:27 to play to a nine-point game with just under three minutes to play, but the rally proved too little too late for JSU in its fifth-straight loss and the fifth straight to the Tigers (10-11, 7-5 OVC) in Nashville.

Tigers guard Reiley Ervin had another big night against the Gamecocks, scoring a season-high 19 points, just 17 days after he set his previous high of 16 points in a loss to JSU in Jacksonville. He set his career high last season with 29 points in a home win over the Gamecocks.

Reigning OVC Freshman of the Week Gerald Robinson added 18 for the Tigers, while Price was 10-for-10 from the charity stripe to account for the majority of his 14 points. Jerrell Houston grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds to lead a TSU attack that out rebounded the Gamecocks, 47-29. Murphy led the Gamecocks on the glass with six boards.

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All-American Football League holds draft

The All-American Football League, a for-profit, professional football league, held their inaugural draft on Saturday, January 26th. In that draft were 47 alumni of schools who played Football Championship Subdivision football. Tennessee State had the most FCS draftees with six selections, followed by Western Illinois with four.

Florida A&M University had former players drafted: Tyronn Johnson, Keith Williams and Freddie Moore.

League teams will employ only those players who have both completed their college football eligibility and earned a four-year degree. This policy is expected to have a very positive impact on universities’ NCAA Graduation Success Rate and their Academic Progress Rate. To the extent practical, graduates of host universities will play for the team hosted by their alma mater.

Currently there are six teams in the AAFL, consisting of: Arkansas, Alabama, Florida, Michigan, Tennessee, and Texas. A total of 300 players were drafted.

CLICK ON THE BLOCK TITLE TO VIEW THE COMPLETE DRAFT LIST OF PLAYERS.

READ MORE ABOUT AAFL: http://www.allamericanfootballleague.com/aboutus.php

Short-handed NSU women surge to stunning victory

Photo: Natasha Huntley, 5-6 freshman guard from Greensboro, N.C. was instrumental in win with 14 points, 3 rebounds and 1 assist.

NORFOLK, VA - It started with a 3-pointer. Then another. And another. All in the span of six seconds. A coast-to-coast layup tied it. A clutch free throw provided the lead. And, finally, one frenzied defensive stop later, Norfolk State experienced the joy of six.

"It's overwhelming," said a beaming Tashawna Higgins after her three-point play with 11.7 left propelled the Spartans - all six of them - to an improbable 62-61 victory against Winston-Salem State on Monday night at Echols Hall.

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