Former S.C. State men’s player signs Greek professional contract

ORANGEBURG, South Carolina  --  Former South Carolina State forward Matthew Hezekiah has signed a professional contract to play for the Panionios Basketball Club in Greece.

“I am excited and anxious to start this new chapter in my life,” said Hezekiah. “I’ve always loved the game of basketball and it’s a blessing to be able to continue this journey and play professionally in Greece.”

“We are so proud and happy for the opportunity that Matt has earned to extend his basketball career on the professional level in Greece,” said head coach Murray Garvin. “He is the first player to sign a professional basketball contract while I’ve been the coach and hopefully not the last to reach his dream of playing professionally.”

Hezekiah, a 6-11, 235-pound forward from Jacksonville, Fla., was a two-time All-MEAC Second Team pick and led the Bulldogs in scoring the past two seasons. He averaged with 12.9 points and 6.3 rebounds per game last season.

The Panionios Basketball Club is one of 14 teams in the EuroBasket A-1 Division, and is ranked the ninth-best team in Europe by Eurobasket.com.

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Monmouth overcomes slow start to rout Delaware State

WEST LONG BRANCH – A 98-yard kickoff return to open the season and a 77-yard touchdown pass from Delaware State belied the fact that Monmouth University's football team outplayed the Hornets in the first half on Saturday afternoon.

At the half, the Hawks held a 2-to-1 advantage in total yards and were out-rushing the Hornets, 127-1, but seven penalties for 79 yards and the two aforementioned big plays threatened to make a game of what really had no business being one.

Instead of sweating, Monmouth's retooled, veteran offense came out for the second half and looked every bit like the balanced, nightmarish matchup it has been touted as.

Three touchdown drives on three third-quarter possessions broke the game open and helped turn a 28-21 halftime lead into a 52-21 season-opening win in front 2,150 at Kessler Field.

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Former Bearcat McMinn set for NC A&T opener

ORLANDO, Florida  --  When North Carolina A&T running backs coach Shawn Gibbs first saw then-freshman A.J. McMinn back in 2012, he said the young man was just like any other 18-year-old first starting college.

Facts

Sunday's Game

N.C. A&T vs. Alabama A&M, 11:45 a.m.
TV: ESPN

"He was a little on the immature side. I've seen A.J. grow from a maturity standpoint," Gibbs said. "I think he is starting to grow, and he relishes the opportunity to mentor some of our younger players."

McMinn, now a redshirt sophomore for the Aggies, is a 2012 Hendersonville High graduate and now the starting fullback for N.C. A&T. The Aggies open their season on Sunday in the MEAC/SWAC Challenge as they take on Alabama A&M in Orlando, Fla. The game will kick off at 11:45 a.m. and will be televised by ESPN.

Since that redshirt season two years ago, McMinn, who ...

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Put Up Or Shut Up: Texas State Hosts Confident Arkansas Pine-Bluff Golden Lions

PHOTO COURTESY UAPB GOLDEN LIONS ATHLETICS

The Golden Lions' coaches and players weren't afraid to talk smack to Texas State this week. Can they strut out of San Marcos with a shocking upset?

LOCATION: Bobcat Stadium, San Marcos, TX

TV: ESPN3

Radio: 105.3 FM (Austin)/89.9 FM (San Marcos)/930 AM (San Antonio)

When: 6:00 PM CT

Weather: 94°F, 50% chance of rain

Know Your Enemy
After winning the SWAC in 2012, UAPB completely cratered in 2013 en route to a 2-9 record. Things were so bad that their only wins were against a Mississippi Valley State team with the same record and Grambling State, who straight up refused to play a football game at one point.

Despite last year's woes and being picked to finish 6th in one of the worst conferences in FCS, Coach Monte Coleman and his players apparently decided that giving Texas State a truckload of locker room material was a good idea. So much for the element of surprise.

The Golden Lions gave up almost 280 yards on the ground per game, which is enough to make Texas State's solid running back corps salivate. On the other side of the ball, UAPB was able to average around 28 points and 255 passing yards per game, but against non-SWAC opponents Arkansas State and McNeese State they were held to 11 and 14 points, respectively.

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Head coaches, quarterbacks mirror each other

JACKSON, Mississippi  --  In a lot of ways, Earl Holmes and Harold Jackson's coaching careers mirror each other's.

The two newcomers to college football head-coaching go head-to-head today when in the W.C Gorden Classic. Holmes is in his second season at FAMU, while Jackson is in his first season as the Tigers' head coach.

The two teams are meeting for the first since FAMU defeated JSU 11 years ago in the Circle City Classic. Their reunion takes place at Veteran Stadium in Jackson, Miss.

Like Holmes, Jackson will put his offense in the hands of a quarterback who is coming off a season-ending injury as his starter today.

Quarterback La Montiez Ivy will be making his second career start after a season-ending legs injury in the Tigers' first game last year. FAMU's starter Damien Fleming also is coming off a foot injury that ended his 2013 season with two games left.

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Alabama State Tackle Terren Jone Cut as Falcons Makes Final Cuts to Get Roster to 53

The Falcons made the final round of their roster cuts Saturday, parting ways with veterans DT Travian Robertson and G Harland Gunn as part of the process

ATLANTA, Georgia  --  The Atlanta Falcons today announced that they have waived cornerback Ricardo Allen, safety Sean Baker, wide receiver Jeremy Ebert, guard Harland Gunn, tackle Terren Jones, wide receiver Bernard Reedy, defensive tackle Travian Robertson, tight end Mickey Shuler, and linebacker Jacques Smith. The club has also reached an injury settlement with wide receiver Geraldo Boldewijn

Jones, 6-7, 341 pounds, was signed by the Falcons as a college free agent on April 29, 2013. He was a three-time All-SWAC performer and an AFCA All-American following his senior season at Alabama State University.

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Game preview: Alabama State at Sam Houston State

FOUR-DOWN TERRITORY

1. Game film to watch: Sam Houston State has put it's season opener behind it, which may help the Bearkats erase first-game jitters. But it was beneficial to Alabama State as well, whose players and coaches gathered Saturday to watch the Bearkats' televised matchup against Eastern Washington. "It's better that they've played a game and we were able to see them," Alabama State head coach Reggie Barlow said. "Last year, we played Jacksonville State, and they had a whole new coaching staff. It would have been the same way this year. That first game gave us a chance to see them, but I imagine it's a plus for them as well because they're able to see what kinks they need to work out." 

2. Freshman impact players: There are 10 freshmen on the ASU two-deep roster, but the biggest impact other than kicker may be at receiver, where Jamir Hannah is listed as a starting receiver and Josh Davis as a top reserve. "I think Jamir Hannah has just embraced that role," Barlow said. "His work ethic is unmatched. Everything he does is explosive and with a lot of energy. He's just a little more mature than his years, and he catches the ball well." Davis has been hampered by a heel injury, but before that, Barlow said "he was right there" with starters.

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