Local AAU squads capture titles BY ANTHONY HILL THE CHRONICLE It was a good weekend for two local girl AAU basketball organizations, as the Winston Salem Stealers (lis) and Team B.O.N.D (10s) outplayed the competition to capture regional crowns over the weekend. The regional titles gave both squads number one seeds heading into the state tourna ment, which will be held in Greensboro during the first weekend of of May (May 2-4). The Winston-Salem Stealers hosted the 10-11-12 13 North Carolina AAU Girls Regional Tournament this past weekend at the Gateway YWCa and Salem College. The Stealers went 2-1 in pool play, before ripping off a series of wins to collect the regional title. The Stealer lost to the Carolina Comets in the opener, then defeated the Lady Phoenix. The Stealers then defeated the Greensboro Gaters in the quarterfinals before win ning the rematch over the Carolina Comets in the semifi nals. The Stealers then defeated the Lady Phoenix, a second time, in the finals. Some of the outstanding players for the Stealers were Celeste Burgess, Ebone' Stevens, Cameron Nieters, Kaila Craven, Kaitlyn Doub, Elizabeth Smith, Barbara Robinson, McKenzie Rochford, Lauren Ramsey and Hannah Green. The squad was coached by Madison Dulaney, Tyrone Stevens and Barbara Nieters. Team B.O.N .D swept their way through their first regional tournament. The first-year pro gram, which was started by for mer Wake Forest star Porsche Jones (and NBA star Josh Howard), took down every squad in their way en route to ? the title. Team B.O.N D defeat ed Mt. Holly Stars 38-22; Carolina Tigers 55-9; Salisbury Sting 44-7; Phoenix Sun 51-15 and Greensboro Galaxy 34-30 (championship game). Some of the standouts of Team B.O.N .D were Tatayana Perez, Cece Byrom, Tyler Mercer, Dominque Adams, Dominque Claytor, Haven Hairston, Kay la ~ Searcy, Team B.OJVD 10-and-under squad. Winston-Salem Stealers 11-and-under squad. Ariahanna Cosby, Victoria Howie and Cgndace Hodge. Team B.O.N .D coaching staff consisted of Porsche Jones (Head coach and President of organization); . Belinda Howard, Assistant Coach, head recruiter; Demario Mercer (Team dad) and Donna Claytor (Team mom). "We will be playing in Greensboro May 2-4 in the state tournament for North Carolina for 10-under girls," Jones said. "If anyone wants to know how to contact us, please contact us at 336-995-8718 or email us at bondsskills@hotmail.com. We are fundraising^ and selling t shirts in attempts for a possible trip to the national tournament in July. We need all the local support that is possible. Thank you in advance for all that wish to assist us in any way." Trahan is at the top of Ail American team CHRONICLE STAFF REPORT Celeste Trahan of Elizabeth City State has been named the 2008 Daktronics NCAA Division II Women's Basketball Player of the Year. Trahan leads a list of IS student-athletes honored by Division II sports information directors for their efforts on the hardwood this season. Daktronics is a world leader in programmable electronic signs, electronic and digital displays and scoreboards. The team is voted on by the Division mem bers o(> College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). The 2008 women's basket ball All-America team is com prised of two seniors, two jun iors and a sophomore on the first team while upperclassmen dominate the second and third teams released Tuesday. Trahan was joined by Lauren Beckley of Shippensburg, Emily Brister of West Texas A&M. Katie Cezat of Hillsdale and Ashley Langen of North Dakota on the Daktronics Ail-American First Team. The second team is led by Vanessa Wilt of Cal State-San Bernardio. followed by Kate Lynch of Southern Connecticut, Sheena Walton of Tampa, Michelle Stueve of Emporia State and Jennifer Rushing of Delta State. - ?? * ? i - _ r ine miru team consists 01 Johannah Leedham of Franklin-Pierce, Jeana Hoffman of South Dakota, Anna Atkinson of Wingate, Sarah Van Horn of West Virginia Wesleyan and Syretha Marble of North Georgia College & State. Trahan was the 2008 Daktronics South Atlantic Regional Player of the Year and was also give the Player of the Year Award by the Central Intercollegiate Athletics Association. The senior center from Stockton, Calif, was also Celeste Trahan named the conference's Defensive Player of the Year. Trahan averaged 23.7 poitns and 15.9 rebounds per game this season while shooting .522 from the floor. She added 2.1 blocks, -2.4 steals and 1.4 assists per game to her teams efforts. She leads the nation in scoring and rebounding is No. 22 in blocked shots and No. 43 in field goal percentage. She is the first woman in Division II history and the fourth overall to record 2.000 points and 1,500 rebounds in a career. She is the first woman in ECSU history and the fourth overall to have her jersey retired. She was named the CIAA Player of the Week on eight occasions and scored in double figures in every game this season, registering a dou ble-double in all but two con tests. Trahan set a career high 36 points against Mount Olive on Jan. 2 and matched the total against Shaw on Feb. 2. She is a CoSIDA/ESPN The Magazine Academic All District Third Team selection. She is her school's all-time leader in scoring, rebounding and blocked shots. Trahan has amassed 84 career double-dou bles in 109 career games and averaged a double-double for her career with 19.7 points and 14.1 rebounds per outing. Hill from page BI tures. All information can be supplemented by former coaches and people who knew an athlete, and can attest to what he's done." Then, that information is given to a group of people known as the screening com mittee. That group of people are independent of the Sportsmen Club. They are not members. They usually con sist of former hall of famers or civic leaders who are familiar with athletics around the city, according to Wynn. They go through the folders and make sure the documenta tion is in order for considera tion. They then let the Sportsmen Club members know whether the portfolios meet the criteria. "What if only 10 of 15 meet the criteria?" Wynn asked. "The five that don't will be considered for the next year. It kind of rolls over. Then, the sportsmen club will look at the ones that did meet criteria and take a vote of each applicant. Each applicant must receive a 50 percent approval rating before being inducted." What about the older candidates? I thought I would let coach Wynn tell us straight out. I mean, he can say most of this stuff better than me. Like I said earlier, I talk with a num ber of people that probably should be in the hall of fame. My good friend. Will Rice, definitely should be in there. But he refuses to submit him self. Some athletes simply feel like their work speaks for itself. In some cases, that is true. I can't deny that. And, some athletes played during a time when they got very little press. So, there's no scrap book. Others simply lost a lot of important information through the years. "That's OK," Wynn said. "Those persons are not forgot ten. There weren't a lot of writing about guys from ; y File photo W-S Prep Marcus Wright earned all-state honors. Atkins and Carver from a long time ago. There may be com munity leaders and coaches, players that can supply docu mentation or proof that those were excellent ball players." , But the important thing is filling out that application people. It can be printed out online at www.wssportsmenclub.org. That's an important site. You can also see the names of all the present hall of famers on the site, and read all of the cri teria ? for athletes, med^i. administration and other spe cial categories. I want to say something real quick. Don't talk bad Aout some of the people that have made it to the special group simply because you're not included. Those people that have been inducted deserve to be hall of famers. That's hating. Don't be a hater. Just get on the ball, and submit your material, or get someone to do it for you. Congrats to our all-state bailers ) The 2008 NC Prcp.com recently released the name of the All State Basketball Team, and Mt. Tabor's C.J. Harris, along with Winston-Salem Prep's Marcus Wright and Big Reggie Johnson were among the players listed. Harris received 4-A All State honors. Wright and Johnson took home 1-A hon ors. Johnson was named the 1 A Player of the Year. That's what it is Big Bugaloo. Keep doing your thing. And, let's get it in Charlotte on Saturday. Johnson will be playing in the Carolina Classic All-Star Game at Bobcats Arena. Other area players to grace the all-state team were Thomasville's E.J, Abrams, Mt. Airy's Robbie Reid. Hanover's Ty. Walker was name^j the 4-A Player of the Year. Anthony Hill is the sports editor for The Chronicle. He can he reached at 722-8624 (ext. Ill ) or ahill@wschronicle .com. I '/?//* /rr :rsttr c/ 1/ service