To the hoops />??? ?
Swingman Ernie Griffin is the top guy for the Vikes, averaging 23.7 points a night
Norfolk State doesn't possess the size inside that they have become accustomed to
in past seasons. But that's not ample enough reason to count them out of the conference
title chase. The Spartans (7-1) have a seasoned mentor in coach Charles Christian, who
is noted for getting every last ounce of productivity from his teams.
NSU isn't shooting that well from the field (44 percent), but neither are their oppo
nents. The Spartans have clamped down on the opposition, holding them to 40 percent
field goal shooting.
One strange things about Christian's team on offense, is that they're better the far
ther away they get from the basket. As a team, they've hit 49 percent of their three-point
goals (43 of 88) and they have a pair of shooters who can put any team in misery from
long distance.
James Walker has been hot from the outside, making 56 percent of his threes (18 of
32), while Ouy Fauntleroy
has been almost as deadly,
shooting 48 percent from
long distance (1 1 of 23).
The Hampton Pirates
(6-1) are a well coached
and very polished group.
Zeke Avery has
been able to instill a level
of confidence in his play
ers that's very evident each
time they play.
Thev excel in the
grabbing a team average
Staff.Phota of 46.3 a game, while lim
Jackson State Coach John Prince is hoping that iting opponents 34^3^
his Tigers are ready to challenge In the SWAC. contest. Freshman post
player Keith Hunter has
enjoyed a very good start as a force coming off the bench. He leads the league in field w
goal percentage (.66), hitting 27 of 41 shots in seven games.
* Defending conference champ Virginia State is playing well. But you get the feeling
w that they haven't hit full stride yet. Over the course of seven games the Trojans (5-2) are
being outscored by the opposition, 79-77. <
But that's somewhat deceiving, for it's highly likely that they will be in top form in
the coming weeks. Leonard Harris leads the offense with 22.8 ppg and he rebounds at a
10.6 per game rate. Everett Watiins lends a considerable amount of offensive support
with 16.5 ppg.
St. Paul's and Bowie State are at the bottom of the division ladder. They're going to
have some hard times in '89. AfteT the first half of the season, the Tigers were 1-6 (their
only win coming against Winston-Salem State) and the Bulldogs posted a 1-7 mark.
? In the Southern Division, North Carolina Central is imposing their style on the
opposition. They won't run the floor with abandon, but they will take the break if it's
there.
Some may call coach Mike Bernard's team the Sominex crew, because of their
_ _ deliberate, controlled approach to the game. But the method works. The Eagles score
^ _only 64 points a game on the average, but opponents find it difficult to get points
against NCCU's defense. Going into January, Central's foes have averaged just 51.4
PPg
The*Eagles will have to keep that up in order to mask one of their major deficien
cies ? free throw shooting. NCCU is off in that area, shooting 58 percent as a group.
The top guns for Central's offense are Derrick Leake and Antoine Sifford. Both are
shooting better than 55 percent from the field and Adrian McKinnon is bullish on the
glass with 10.2 rebounds a game.
St Augustine's has played better than their 6-5 record shows. They were involved
in several games that they lost by five points or less. It seems that things haven't come
full circle for the Falcons yet If they are to improve, they'll need to show some consis
tency as the remainder of the season progresses. The good thing is that they have the
time to put everything together.
Lashan McDaniel is the Falcons' leader, averaging 19.5 points per game.
Based on November and December, it appears that Winston-Salem State coach
Clarence "Bighouse" Gaines will have a true fight to earn his 800th career win as a col
lege head coach. Gaines is the college game's winningest active coach with 787 wins.
The Rams (2-4) have been victimized by inconsistent play in the paint Their post
- players have tended to get into early foul trouble, leaving the team with no adequate
defense to stop the opposition's inside players.
Black College Basketball Standings
9IAC
As of Jan. 3
Eaittrn Region
Paine College* -
Savannah State'
Clark/ AUanta University
Albany State
Morris Brown
Ft. Valley State
Mfeefem Region
Alabama A & M
Morehouse College
LeMoyne-Owen
Cine College'
TusKegee University
Knoxville College
Miles College*
Conferenoe
30
OO
00
2*1 '
0-1 -
0-1
Conferenoe
SO
30
2-1
1-3
1-4 .
0-2
0-2
CXeraU
8-2
3-7
2-8
6-5
2-4
2-7
CXerall
8-1
8-1
5-2
2-11 ?
1-8
2-8
0-9
* Indicates that teams are not eligible for the SIAC conference championship or SIAC/NCAA post
season competition.
8WAC
As of Jan. 4
Southern University
Alabama State
Jackson State
Mississippi Valley State
Prairie View A & M
G rambling-State ? -
Texas Southern
Aicorn State ?
Conference
00
0-0
00
0-0
00
OO
0-0
0-0
Overall
5-5
5-5
4-5
4-7
3-6
2-8 "
3-7
1-tO ?
MEAC
As of Jan. 4
Coppin State
South Carolina State
Morgan State
Howard University
Florida A & M
Delaware State
Bethune-Cookman
Maryland/Eastern Shore
North Carolina A & T
CIAA
As of Dec. 18
Conference
10
0-0
0-0
00
0-0
0-0
0-0
oo
0-1
Overall
8-4?
6-5
4-6
4-6
3-5
2-6
2-7
0-9 .
2-7
Northern DMeion
Virginia Union
Norfolk State
Hampton
Elizabeth City State
St. Paul's
Virginia State
Bowie State
Southern Division
Winston- Sal em State
Livingstone College
-St Augustine's
North Carolina Central
Fayetteville State
Shaw University
Johnson C. Smith
&
Division
10
10
OO
oo
oo
0-1
0-1
Division
10
10
oo
oo
00
0-1
0-1
CXerall
80
7-1
6-1 "
5-2
1-6
5-2
1-7
Oerall
2-4
3-7
6-5
6-1
4-6
5-5
1-8
Michael Lesane (17.7 ppg) is the fella the Rams go to when they need points and
Jamal Pierce <12 points and 10.2 assists per game) has shown signs that he can handle
the offense. Charles Swaringer gives the Rams another scoring threat on the perimeter.
Swaringer averages 12.7 ppg and has hit 48.5 percent of this three-pointers (16 of 33).
Livingstone College has played well enough to be better than 3-7. The problem has
been that they haven't been able to play cohesively for 40 minutes.
The Bears are stocked with experience, but it hasn't produced as well as expected.
Three of the losses they suffered could just have easily been victories.
Point guard Cassius Coleman is the heart of the squad. The Liberian connection
which consists of Abo Williams, Peter Kpan, and Lucinee Kaba have all given the
Bears a needed lift at both ends of the floor.
The Broncos from Fayette ville State have two major problems. They give up too
many points (89.9 a game) and they are being dusted off in the rebounding phase of the
game (opponents are winning the battle on the glass by 45.2 to 33.2).
FSU has the ability to put up the points (81. 5 ppg as a team). Guard Darrell Harris
the offensive mainstay with 20 points a game.
But until they tighten up on their "d", they will stay below .500.
Johnson C. Smith (1-8) might as well be lodged at the bottom of an ocean some
where. Their performance has been that low. They are restructuring and rebuilding. In
the meantime, however, guard-forward Walter Hurd does what he can for the Bulls as
the CIAA's No. 3 scorer at 23.3 ppg.
Cyrus Monroe