Big East Conference Basketball Scoreboard - Jan. 18

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 18

  

BOYS

 

Wilson Hunt 60, Wilson Fike 58, OT

Tarboro 57, Northern Nash 42

GIRLS

Wilson Fike 39, Wilson Fike 36

Northern Nash 73, Tarboro 34

WEDNESDAYS TOP SCORERS 

Jermaine Crowder, Wilson Fike - 17 pts.

Shatera Black, Wilson Fike - 15 pts.

Sam Ellis, WIlson Fike - 14 pts.

Parker Lamm, Wilson Hunt - 13 pts.

 

STANDINGS

BOYS

School Conf.    Overall Rocky Mount  3-0 12-3 Wilson Hunt  3-1 10-5 Nash Central  2-1 9-4 Southern Nash 1-2 3-8 Wilson Fike 1-2 2-10 Northern Nash 0-3 1-12

GIRLS

School Conf.   Overall Northern Nash 3-0 12-0 Rocky Mount 3-0 13-2 Wilson Fike 2-2 7-6 Nash Central 1-2 8-5 Wilson Hunt 1-3 8-7 Southern Nash 1-2 2-9

THIS WEEK'S SCHEDULE

FRIDAY

Rocky Mount @ Southern Nash

Wilson Hunt @ Nash Central

Northern Nash @ Wilson Fike

Northern Nash girls, Rocky Mount girls and boys state-ranked

The Northern Nash Lady Knights maintained their ranking in the latest NCPreps.com/HS Media Basketball polls released Monday evening.

Northern stayed in its No. 4 spot in the 3-A ranks from a week ago after beating Wilson Fike 61-38 last Friday night in its only contest of the week. Nash County teams were all in exams until Friday afternoon. Coach Grover Battle's girls are 11-0 entering this week of play (won 73-34 over Tarboro Wednesday night) and are one of only two 3-A girls teams still sporting no losses. The other team is West Craven. Hickory (16-1) stayed in the No. 1 spot for the third straight week.

The Rocky Mount girls, ranked No. 9 last week, moved up two spots to No. 7 after its 66-40 victory over Wilson Hunt last Friday. The 12-3 Lady Gryphons got 29 points from junior J'Kyra Brown in the win. Both Northern Nash and Rocky Mount are 3-0 in Big East Conference play and seem to be on a collision course for first place at RMHS on Tuesday, Jan. 24.

Rocky Mount's boys also made a two-position move this week. After beating Wilson Hunt Friday (61-57) for the first time since the 2010 season, the Gryphons (12-3) improved from No. 9 to No. 7 in the 3-A boys poll. Three squads are still unbeaten in the 3-A ranks (Chapel Hill, Concord, West Craven) with Chapel Hill sitting at No. 1.

NCPreps.com/HS Media Basketball Polls - Week 3

3A Girls
 
1. Hickory (6) (16-1) - 69 (1)
2. West Craven (1) (14-0) - 62 (2)
3. Carson (14-1) 54 - (3)
4. Northern Nash (11-0) - 53 (4)
5. RS Central (15-1) - 43 (5)
6. Berry (14-1) - 32 (6)
7. Rocky Mount (13-2) - 23 (9)
8. Forestview (14-2) - 18 (NR)
9. South Central (8-2) - 17 (8)
10. Chapel Hill (13-2) - 9 (7)

Honorable Mention: Harding (12-2) - 5.

3A Boys
 
1. Chapel Hill (5)(16-0) - 68 (1)
2. Concord (2)(14-0) - 65 (2)
3. West Craven (15-0) - 55 (3)
4. Freedom (16-1) 48 - (4)
5. North Forsyth (13-2) - 45 (5)
6. Hickory (15-2) - 31 (8)
7. Rocky Mount (12-3) - 17 (9)
8. Asheboro (16-1)15 - (10)
9. Charlotte Catholic (12-3) - 14 (6)
10. Harding (13-3) - 10 (NR)

Honorable Mention: Statesville (11-3) - 7; Southern Wayne (13-3) - 5; Triton (15-3) - 5; South Point (11-2) - 4; Berry (12-4) - 1; JM Robinson (10-3) - 1.

Big East Conference Basketball Scoreboard

FRIDAY, JANUARY 13

  

BOYS

Rocky Mount 61, Wilson Hunt 57

Nash Central 59, Wilson Fike 49

Southern Nash 50, Northern Nash 38

GIRLS

Rocky Mount 66, Wilson Hunt 40

Wilson Fike 49, Nash Central 42

Northern Nash 61, Southern Nash 38

FRIDAY'S TOP SCORERS 

J'Kyra Brown, Rocky Mount - 29 pts.

Timyra Staton, Nash Central - 25 pts. 

Khadijah Manning, Southern Nash - 21 pts.

Lavon Brutus, Rocky Mount - 19 pts.

Alexus Hill, Northern Nash - 19 pts.

Justin Jefferson, Wilson Hunt - 16 pts. 

Terrill Hilliard, Rocky Mount - 15 pts.

Jaquan Wilkins, Nash Central - 15 pts.

Alexus Cooper, Rocky Mount - 14 pts. 

Jameka Ruffin, Wilson Fike - 13 pts.

Jasmine Griffin, Northern Nash - 13 pts.

Phillip Jones, Nash Central - 13 pts.

Jalen Hendricks, Nash Central - 13 pts.

 

STANDINGS

BOYS

School Conf.    Overall Rocky Mount  3-0 12-3 Nash Central  2-1 9-4 Wilson Hunt  2-1 9-5 Southern Nash 1-2 3-8 Wilson Fike 1-2 2-10 Northern Nash 0-3 1-11

GIRLS

School Conf.   Overall Northern Nash 3-0 12-0 Rocky Mount 3-0 13-2 Nash Central 1-2 8-5 Wilson Hunt 1-2 8-6 Wilson Fike 1-2 6-6 Southern Nash 1-2 2-9

NEXT WEEK'S SCHEDULE

WEDNESDAY

Wilson Hunt @ Wilson Fike

Northern Nash @ Tarboro

FRIDAY

Rocky Mount @ Southern Nash

Wilson Hunt @ Nash Central

Northern Nash @ Wilson Fike

Fly to be inducted into Whitfield Hall of Fame tonight

Longtime basketball and baseball official and former Rocky Mount resident Ron Fly will be inducted into the George Whitfield Hall of Fame during ceremonies Friday at 7 p.m. at Goldsboro High School's auditorium. 

Ron, who now lives in Goldsboro, and his twin brother Don have called hundreds of games in the Twin Counties - including in the gym at Rocky Mount High School where I first saw then both call a basketball game. 

I had trouble telling them apart back in the winter of 1973, and I still do now! The duo has been in stripes or in shirts and chest protectors for the past 40 years.

As usual, a great cross-section of sports dignitaries from across the state will be inducted with Ron this evening. Also being inducted from this area are N.C. Wesleyan head trainer Carol Carson and Edgecombe County native and Northern Nash assistant football coach Richie Pridgen. Pridgen was head coach at Wilson Fike for many seasons.

This is the complete list of honorees for the 40th annual event: 

— Former NFL and UNC star and Goldsboro native David Thornton

— Former voice of the Tar Heels Woody Durham 

— Air Force Maj. Gen. Alfred K. Flowers

— Former ACC champion tennis player Alexander “Andy" Andrews

— A five-time N.C. Sports Writer-of-the-Year recipient Wilt Browning

— Richard Bell, Arkansas tight end in late 1950s
— Carol Carson, head athletic trainer at N.C. Wesleyan College
— Wes Chesson, played in NFL with Atlanta and Philadelphia
— Bill Davis, served in World War II and played football at Duke
— Ron Fly, well-renowned basketball official
— Wells Gulledge, Mount Olive graduate who coaches at Kinston High
— Mark Johnson, retired head baseball coach at Sam Houston State
— Robert P. Kennel, former football player at N.C. State
— Ray Korn, prep and collegiate standout athlete from New Jersey
— Mac Morris, compiled 400-plus victories as basketball coach
— Wendell H. Murphy, Duplin County native and agricultural genius
— Richard Pridgen, former head football coach at Wilson Fike
— William Rowe, started 8-man football program at Parrott Academy
— Don Shea, former sports director at WTVD-TV in Durham
— Carl R. Tacy, former men’s basketball coach at Wake Forest
— Timothy Taft M.D., played soccer and ran track at Princeton University
— David Thompson, played on N.C. State's 1974 National Championship basketball team
— Jerry R. Tolley, lettered in four sports at Holmes HS in Edenton
— Robert Vaughan, started men’s basketball at Elizabeth City State
— Lindsay Warren, Washington native has served several positions
— Tony Womack, played in Majors with Pittsburgh and Arizona
— Larry Worsley, played for legendary Everett Case at N.C. State

Big East Hoop Roundup - Week 1

Here is a roundup of the results of Week 1 of Big East 3-A Conference basketball:

FRIDAY

BOYS

Rocky Mount 66, Nash Central 61, OT
Wilson Fike 59, Southern Nash 55
Wilson Hunt 61, Northern Nash 45

GIRLS

Rocky Mount 59, Nash Central 43
Southern Nash 45, Wilson Fike 37
Northern Nash 50, Wilson Hunt 35

WEDNESDAY

BOYS

Rocky Mount 98, Hertford County 53
Bunn 60, Nash Central 56
SW Edgecombe 80, Northern Nash 65

GIRLS 

Rocky Mount 78, Hertford County 41
Bunn 54, Nash Central 37
Northern Nash 60, SW Edgecombe 35

TUESDAY

BOYS

Rocky Mount 72, Wilson Fike 44
Nash Central 64, Northern Nash 40
Wilson Hunt 74, Southern Nash 61

GIRLS 

Rocky Mount 84, Wilson Fike 47
Northern Nash 57, Nash Central 40
Wilson Hunt 46, Southern Nash 33

The Barnes Report - from Nashville, Tn. - Epilogue

Whit Barnes

  
(Editor's note: Wake Forest played Mississippi State in the Franklin American Mortgage Company Music City Bowl Friday evening at Nashville's LP Field. Wake Forest fell to the Bulldogs 23-17 to fall to 6-7 for the season. 

Here is the final blog entry by Deacon offensive lineman and former RMHS Gryphon Whit Barnes.)

The weather in Nashville was awesome all week, but the loss to Mississippi State wasn't.

My overall experience this week was great. Having my family there to cheer on the Deacs meant a lot and I think my family, led by mom and dad Russ and Martha, had a wonderful experience in Nashville.

I stayed behind with my folks after the game and we got back to Rocky Mount Sunday evening. We woke up at 8:30 a.m. and started driving.

But we spent New Years' Eve in downtown Nashville. We went to the Grand Ole Opry (Ryman Auditorium). It was definitely a great experience and there is so much history in that building.

Bristol, Va./Bristol, Tn.; pop., 43,000

Then we got to listen to Lynyrd Skynyrd play live at a free outdoor concert. It was a great night. The streets were so packed that you could barely walk around. (Editor's note - I know that they had to have played the Gryphons' baseball victory song - "Sweet Home Alabama." But those might have been fighting words in the heart of Tennessee.)

On the way home, we stopped to have lunch in Bristol, Tn. with Coach B.W. Holt (my head coach at RMHS) and his wife Dr. Barbara. They showed us around Bristol (Interesting note - the city is split down its main street downtown into two states -  Virginia and Tennessee). 

The whole family then went to see my grandma's college where she hasn't visited since 1957. She was able to stand in front of the college and get some pictures and I know it must have brought back a lot of memories for her.

Got some down time now. Classes don't resume until the18th.

Gryphon Hilliard makes HSOT.com Holiday Invitational All-Tourney team

RALEIGH - Rocky Mount senior Terrill Hilliard was named to the Shavlik Randolph bracket All-Tournament team at the HighSchoolOT.com Holiday Invitational Friday evening at Broughton High's Holliday Gym. 

Though Rocky Mount played its games on Tuesday and Wednesday, the All-Tournament team was announced following the bracket 's championship game. Chapel Hill remained undefeated (13-0) after beating homestanding Broughton 75-71 in overtime.

Hilliard, the Gryphons' leading scorer and rebounder, had 25 points in each of its two losses in the tournament (68-56 to Broughton, 62-60 in overtime to Clayton).

Chapel Hill's Denzel Ingram, who had 43 points - 33 in the second half against the Caps in the title contest, was named MVP of the tournament. 

Joining Hilliard and Ingram on the honorary squad were Clayton's Gary Clark, Broughton's James Hemphill and Chapel Hill's Anthony Vanhook.


HighSchoolOT.com Holiday Invitational Tournament
Shavlik Randolph Bracket
All-Tournament Team

Denzel Ingram, Chapel Hill - MVP 

Terrill Hilliard, Rocky Mount

James Hemphill, Broughton
Anthony Vanhook, Chapel Hill
Gary Clark, Clayton

Tournament Notes

On Tuesday evening, former Rocky Mount greats Phil Ford and Buck Williams were named as two of 11 Legends of the Tournament for the 40-year-old event.

Ford and Williams joined players Cedric Maxwell (Kinston), Nate McMillan (Enloe), Rodney Monroe (St. Maria Goretti, Md.), Rodney Rogers (Durham Hillside), Jerry Stackhouse (Kinston), Billy Williams (Broughton), Donald Williams (Garner), Danny Young (Enloe) and prep journalist Tim Stevens (Raleigh News and Observer).

Each legend was given a special plaque recognizing their achievements. The plaque was made from sections of the Holliday Gym floor was that was saved after the gym was totally remodeled a few years ago. The first ever-tournament in 1971 was played on that floor.

A teammate of Ford's was on the floor at the Shavlik Randolph title game. RMSH Class of 1975 member and reserve guard Don Johnson was a member of the three-man officiating crew Friday evening.

The Barnes Report - from Nashville, Tn.

Whit Barnes, WFU's backup long snapper, warms up before the game.

(Editor's note: Wake Forest played Mississippi State in the Franklin American Mortgage Company Music City Bowl Friday evening at Nashville's LP Field. And the result did not go the Deacons' way!

Wake Forest fell to the Bulldogs 23-17 to fall to 6-7 for the season. We hope to have some final comments from Deacon offensive lineman and former RMHS Gryphon Whit Barnes sometime this weekend on the defeat and his  whole Bowl experience.)

The Barnes Report - from Nashville, Tn.

(Editor's note: Wake Forest played Mississippi State in the Franklin American Mortgage Company Music City Bowl Friday evening. Wake Forest offensive lineman and former RMHS Gryphon Whit Barnes is blogging from Nashville, Tn. each day on his exploits. Here is entry No. 3)

We went to the head coaches' luncheon at the Wild Horse Saloon to see Coach (Jim) Grobe and Mississippi State head coach Dan Mullen on stage answering questions from fans on Facebook and Twitter.

On the menu was barbecue, fried chicken and lots of banana pudding. 

Then we had practice this afternoon (Thursday). 

My family got into town tonight and I spent some time with my brother and cousins after all the activities were over. It's not the first time in Nashville for some of them. My parents and brother came to the Vanderbilt game last year and my grandparents have been to Nashville a few times. I think it's the second time for the rest of the family.

The Bowl committee gives all the players a goodie bag (up to $500 in value.). I gave the bowl watch (Reactor) to my dad for Christmas I also got a Sony surround sound system and a fender guitar with the bowl logo on it. 

- Whit Barnes, Wake Forest offensive lineman, RMHS '09

The Barnes Report - from Nashville, Tn.

Nashville Predators mascot GNASH shares hot dogs with Wake Forest players Whit Barnes and Matt Muncy.

(Editor's note: Wake Forest plays Mississippi State in the Franklin American Mortgage Company Music City Bowl Friday evening. Wake Forest offensive lineman and former RMHS Gryphon Whit Barnes is blogging from Nashville, Tn. each day on his exploits. Here is entry No. 2)

Today we had an early practice. I think we are looking pretty good for the bowl game. 

We had the afternoon off to relax and then we went to a Nashville Predators NHL game with the Minnesota Wild at the Bridgestone Arena tonight (Site of the recent CMA Awards).

The Predators won in a shootout 2-1, so it was another exciting night in Nashville!

- Whit Barnes, Wake Forest offensive lineman, RMHS '09

Barnes to make reports from the Music City Bowl

Whit Barnes

I decided to make Whit Barnes into a reporter ... well, sort of!

The former Gryphon All-State standout football player graciously agreed to blog on my blog. 

Yes, the redshirt-sophomore offensive lineman for the Wake Forest Demon Deacons will be sharing his thoughts and observations with the world as Wake prepares for the Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl at Nashville, Tennessee's LP Field on Friday. WFU will be facing Mississippi State on ESPN at 6:40 p.m. 

Whit and his teammates left N.C. Tuesday afternoon and about 15 members of his family will be making the trip down I-40 to watch the Deacs play. 

So with his first entry, hereeeee's Whit!

The Barnes Report

 
Tuesday morning was rough with a cold and rainy morning practice. 

But after we got some Chick-Fil-A into us, we jumped on the bus to go to Greensboro. Once we arrived at the Piedmont Triad International Airport, we loaded up a 250-passenger charter plane with players, coaches and boosters to head to Nashville. 

We arrived at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel with a great greeting from the WFU fans who were already there. Then we had a team meeting shortly after. 

When that was over, we went to dinner on a riverboat based on the Cumberland River and had a rib-eating contest and a rock band contest with Mississippi State. It was very entertaining. Plus, we ended up winning, so that made it much better. 

After that we had some free time to go check out downtown Nashville and listened to some good live country music.

Fox, Godwin, Lancaster, Simmons to head up Wilson Hot Stove Banquet

The Wilson Hot Stove Banquet will hold its 37th annual event on Monday, Jan. 23.

The banquet, which will be held at Recreation Park Community Center, will feature four college baseball head coaches as speakers. Set to speak will be North Carolina’s Mike Fox, East Carolina’s Billy Godwin, Mount Olive’s Carl Lancaster and Barton’s Joshua Simmons. 

Tickets for the banquet are $25 each and proceeds will benefit the N.C. Baseball Museum.

Fox, who will begin his 13th season as Tar Heels' head coach, will speak about a typical day at the College World Series, where he has had plenty of experience. Fox has either played or coached in all 14 of UNC’s CWS wins. Fox also spent 15 years as head baseball coach at N.C. Wesleyan where he led the Battling Bishops to the 1989 NCAA Division III national championship.

Godwin, an Atlantic Christian (now Barton) College and Northern Nash graduate entering his seventh season at the Pirates' helm, will discuss the gamut of NCAA regulations, “the good, the bad and the ugly,” Ferrell described.

Lancaster, who led the Trojans to the NCAA Division II national championship in 2008, will talk about recruiting, especially in-state players, and the affects of the MLB Draft on it.

Simmons was named as the replacement for longtime Bulldogs head coach Todd Wilkinson in May. The former Barton assistant will describe the transition he’s making from six years beside Wilkinson to running the program.

Second Annual Coleman-Pitt Post 58 Baseball Camp set for next week

ROCKY MOUNT - The Second Annual Coleman-Pitt Post 58 American Legion Baseball Camp will be held Wednesday and Thursday, Dec. 28 and 29 at Rocky Mount Academy. The camp is open to kids grades 6-12. 

The purpose of this camp is to provide quality instruction from a highly experienced staff in the areas of hitting, pitching, catching, infield play, outfield play and strength and conditioning. 

This camp is also a fundraiser to support the Coleman-Pitt Post 58 American Legion baseball program. 

The cost of the two-day camp is $100. The fee will cover instruction, beverages and a T-shirt. Participants need to bring a glove, bat and protective equipment. Catchers need to bring full catcher’s gear. 

Participants should also bring sneakers in case of inclement weather. The camp will take place, rain or shine. 

The camp instructors will be: Billy Godwin – Hitting: Head Coach, East Carolina University; Pat Smith – Defense/Pitching: Head Coach, Rocky Mount Academy; Josh Simmons – Pitching: Head Coach, Barton College; Ben Fish – Catching: Collegiate player, Campbell University; Neil Avent – Infield Play: Scout, Oakland Athletics; Billy Best – Outfield Play: Scout, Atlanta Braves; Buck Edmundson – Strength and Conditioning: Asst. Coach, Nash Central HS; Greg Clifton - Head Coach, Faith Christian School; Hank Jones - Head Coach, Coleman-Pitt Post 58 American Legion Baseball. 

Contact Hank Jones at 252-904-4995 or hankjones@suddenlink.net for more details. 

Here is each day's schedule: 

Wednesday, Dec. 28 

11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Walk-up registration
12:00 p.m. – 12:45 p.m.
Check-in for pre-registered
participants
12:45 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Warm Up
1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Hitting Camp
4:00 p.m.
Pickup and departure 

Thursday, Dec. 29 

12:30 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Warm Up
1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Defensive Instruction
4:00 p.m.
Pickup and departure

Gurley joins list of AP Players of the Year

Tarboro's Todd Gurley II was named as the Associated Press' Player of the Year in football this week. You have to admit, he put on a show this past season - especially toward the end

But he is not the first area player to win the award. 

North Edgecombe's Milton Shaw received the honor in 1991 - a rare feat for a player from a 1-A school.

I had the honor of presenting Shaw with a plaque, in the shape of the state of North Carolina, from AP that was sent to the sports desk during my days with the then-called Rocky Mount Evening Telegram. As I was scheduled to cover a home North Edgecombe basketball game days later, I took the plaque to the game and presented it to him at midcourt during a halftime ceremony.

Now my friend, Tarboro Daily Southerner sports editor Calvin Adkins, will have the honor of doing the same for Gurley sometime in January.

As I glanced at the list of former winners of the award (started in 1983), I can't believe that I got to see 15 of them play at least once - and one of them at Rocky Mount's home field. Wonder if you can guess who "that player" was?

Associated Press Football Player of the Year 

2011—Todd Gurley II, RB, Tarboro

2010—Vad Lee, QB, Durham Hillside

2009—K.P. Parks, RB, West Rowan

2008—Xavier Nixon, OT, Fayetteville Britt

2007—Darius Thomas, QB, West Charlotte

2006—Quan Warley, RB, Thomasville

2005—Quan Warley, RB, Thomasville

2004—Joe Cox, QB, Charlotte Independence

2003—Andre Brown, RB, Greenville Rose

2002—Chris Leak, QB, Charlotte Independence

2001—T.A. McLendon, RB, Albemarle

2000—Chris Leak, QB, Charlotte Independence

1999—Manny Deshauteurs, RB, Brevard

1998—Nick Maddox, RB, Kannapolis Brown

1997—Nick Maddox, RB, Kannapolis Brown

1996—Montrell Coley, RB, Goldsboro

1995—Marcus Reaves, RB, Fayetteville Byrd

1994—Terence Stokes, RB, Bunn

1993—Ernest Tinnin, QB, Burlington Cummings

1992—(tie) Antoine Ikard, RB, Maiden; Maurice Mebane, WR, Burlington Cummings

1991—Milton Shaw, RB, North Edgecombe

1990—Donnie Davis, QB, Burlington Cummings

1989—Mike Thomas, QB-P, Richmond County

1988—Chuckie Burnette, QB, Burlington Cummings

1987—Anthony Barbour, RB, Garner

1986—Robert Siler, RB, Siler City Jordan-Matthews

1985—Alvin Baker, RB, Claremont Bunker Hill

1984—Todd Ellis, QB, Greensboro Page

1983—Darryl McGill, RB, Southern Durham

2011 Nash County Christmas Basketball Tournament - All-Tournament Team

BOYS

Lavon Brutus, Rocky Mount - MVP

Dante Battle, Rocky Mount

Terrill Hilliard, Rocky Mount

Nathaniel Pittman, Nash Central

Josh Sessoms, Southern Nash

Darryl Prunty, Northern Nash

GIRLS

Alexus Hill, Northern Nash - MVP

Khadijrah Richardson, Northern Nash

Ni'ya Styles, Nash Central

Timyra Staton, Nash Central

J'Kyra Brown, Rocky Mount

Khadijah Manning, Southern Nash

Nash County Christmas Basketball Tournament final results - 2011 edition

Monday, Dec. 19

• Girls semis - Northern Nash 53, Rocky Mount 40
• Girls semis - Nash Central 72, Southern Nash 63, OT
• Boys semis - Nash Central 53, Southern Nash 52

Tuesday, Dec. 20

• Girls Consolation - Rocky Mount 70, Southern Nash 41
• Boys semis - Rocky Mount 71, Northern Nash 47

Wednesday, Dec. 21

• Boys Consolation Game - Southern Nash 61, Northern Nash 32
• Girls Championship Game - Northern Nash 56, Nash Central 34
• Boys Championship Game - Rocky Mount 73, Nash Central 67

Nash County Christmas Basketball Tournament gets underway Monday

Southern Nash will serve as the host for the annual Nash County Christmas Basketball Tournament, which will be held Monday through Wednesday, Dec. 19-21 at the SNHS Gymnasium. 

Rocky Mount is the defending girls champion, while Northern Nash took the boys' title last year.

Tickets are $6 for the first two days and $8 for the final day.

Pairings for the event are as follows:

Monday, Dec. 19

• Rocky Mount Girls vs. Northern Nash Girls, 5 p.m.
• Nash Central Girls vs. Southern Nash Girls, 6:30 p.m.
• Nash Central Boys vs. Southern Nash Boys, 8 p.m.

Tuesday, Dec. 20

• Girls Consolation Game, 6 p.m.
• Rocky Mount Boys vs. Northern Nash Boys, 7:30 p.m.

Wednesday, Dec. 21

• Boys Consolation Game, 5 p.m.
• Girls Championship Game, 6:30 p.m.
• Boys Championship Game, 8 p.m.

Brush with greatness from the sidelines

Robert Griffin III

When Baylor's Robert Griffin III was announced as the Heisman Trophy winner last Saturday evening, my thoughts went to another college player - former Rocky Mount offensive lineman Whit Barnes.

Back in 2009, his redshirt year at Wake Forest, Barnes watched from the sidelines when the Bears came to WInston-Salem to open that season. Thanks to Griffin III's abilities, the Bears were able to leave Forsyth County with a victory.

The next week, Stanford and then-redshirt freshman and two-time Heisman runner-up Andrew Luck came to town and the Demon Deacons were able to get the victory.

Andrew Luck

The following season, Barnes and his Wake teammates went west to Palo Alto and Luck did a number on this bunch of Baptist boys.

I asked Whit recently of his thoughts of these two great quarterbacks, who ironically, both call Houston, Tx home.

"When I saw RG III play, I didn't know just how outstanding of a player he was," said Barnes, whose team will be playing in the Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl in Nashville later this month, "but I did know that he was dangerous and that it was going to be tough containing his dynamic style of play.

"As for Luck, there was one play that really stood out in my mind," he said.

"I think it was early in the second quarter, before Stanford began to pull away from us. Luck was standing in the pocket going through all of his progressions and he decided to tuck the ball and take it down field himself. I remember thinking to myself that he looked way too big to be running that fast and juking our defensive backs. 

"But needless to say, Stanford gave us some payback the year after Luck and the Cardinal lost to us in Winston."

I know Barnes is very glad he plays on the same side of the ball as these guys!