Grace excited about basketball season
I wanted to talk to my main
man Mike Grace this week sim
ply because basketball season
seems to be swinging into full
gear around here. In case you
didn't know, Grace is the
smooth, senior point guard at
Mt. Tabor that recently com
mitted to play ball for Yale.
He's also one of the best
bailers around the city. Grace is
also one of my favorite area
athletes to talk with. 1 usually
have a pretty good time talking
to Mike.
I always get the most can
did, honest and well-thought
out answers when 1 talk with
Grace. He's a very smart guy
that knows how to do inter
views. I called him up earlier
this week to discuss a number
of things. He and I talked about
Davidson's Stephon Curry,
North Forsyth, Yale, Chris
Paul, girls and UNC. We also
talked about his teamrilate Josh
Hicks and Wake's Jeff Teague.
I forgot to ask Grace to give
me a top five. I think he still
managed to give a shout out to
a number of bailers. Take a look
at some of the things "The
Graceful One" and 1 talked
about on Monday
mgni.
Anthony:
What's going on,
Mike Grace?
Mike: Nothing'
much. What's going
on?
Anthony: You
got it. I just thought
it would be a good
time to talk with
you, being that bas
Ketoail season is swinging into
gear.
Mike: Yes sir. We're back
at it. This is what I love.
Anthony: (Smiles.) I hear
that. What type of year can we
expect from Mike Grace?
Mike: You can expect a
solid year. I've been working as
a team player, trying to get
ready for states. I'm trying to
help my team win a state cham
. pionship.
Anthony: Guys say some
of the same things every year.
Everybody thinks they can win
a state championship early on.
How confident that you and
your teammates can really
bring home that hardware?
Mike: I have the upmost
confidence in my teammates.
We were one game away last
year. Everybody thought we
were going to win it. We
thought we were gonna win it.
We came up a little short,
though. This year is no differ
ent. We're working toward that
goal every day.
Anthony: One of your
teammates definitely looks like
he's stepped his game up this
year. We talked about it briefly
last week. I'm talking about
Josh Hicks. How good can Josh
be for this team?
Mike: (Giggles.) Josh
Hicks does it all for this team.
He's really the key to this team.
He's the one that gets us going.
He can rebound the ball. He can
D-up any position. He guards
the one through the four. He
can score the basketball. If he
doesn't play well then we're
not going to win the state cham
pionship. It's as simple as that.
Anthony: (Smiles.) Have
you told him any of that?
Mike: I tell him that all the
time. He's my best-friend.
We're always together. Josh has
to come out to play every night.
Anthony: (Smiles.) I know
you like Carolina. But do you
feel like Duke sometimes.
(Smiles.) I mean, I haven't met
a guy that doesn't want to beat
you and your teammates.
Everybody wants to beat Mt.
Tabor.
Mike: (Laughs.) All the
time. It seems like someone is
always talking to us, or hating
on us. They want to play Tabor.
They want to play Mike and
CJ. It's always been like that.
We love it. We thrive on it.
Anthony: Do you really? I
would hate it.
Mike: I mean, I love it. I
love coming out to a court,
knowing this guy has been
waiting on this game. They've
been waiting to show Mike and
CJ. up, or they want to show
Mike up. (Both laugh.) I love
that.
Anthony: I hear that. I
know the season is just starting.
But which teams have you been
hearing about already? Which
schools are going to give you
guys the most competition?
Mike: North is definitely
going to have a good team.
They have a point guard that
played AAU with us. He signed
with High Point. They've got
Grace
Chip. Allen Hauser and Gary.
And, Reynolds is going to
always b?good. They're going
to ahvays give us a game.
That's our big rival. They've
got Will Carpenter and Man.
They're going to always be
good But we're really looking
forward to the North game.
That's going to be our best
game.
Anthony: That North team
is supposed to be really good.
Mike: Yeah. (Giggles.)
They're going to have to come
get us, though. All that talking
isn't gonna do it.
Anthony: How much bet
ter are you going to be this
year?
Mike: A lot better I've got
ten stronger and quicker. I can
handle the ball a lot crisper. I'm
more of a team player. I'm try
ing to feed off my teammates.
Anthony: How much of a
relief is it for you to have your
college choice out of the way?
Mike: That's the biggest
weight I could 've taken off my
shoulders. I think I really came
out of my shell and played like
I was capable of playing at
some times last year ? com
pared to my fresh
man and sopho
more years.
I kind of turned
it on. At the same
time, that thought
still lingered,
"Where am I gonna
play ball? Am I
gonna play ball in
college?" Now I
can focus on my
team with that out
of the way.
Anthony: I thought you
made a great decision with your
college choice. But I've heard
some of the craziest things from
people opposed to your deci
sion. (Smiles.) I am sure you
have too.
Mike: (Laughs.) Yeah.
Anthony: What are some
of the craiest things you've
heard from people?
Mike: Crazy? People ask
ing me if I wanted to play in the
Atlantic 10 or Big South.
People were asking me why I
didn't go to Wake or here or
there? Some people were ask
ing me if Yale had a basketball
team.
Anthony: Do people real
ize what type of institution Yale
is?
Mike: Nope. (Both laugh.)
Not most people. Some people
thought I should've gone to
other places that are better
known for basketball. I was
being recruited by Davidson,
St. Joseph's and Penn State.
That really wasn't my main
focus. And, I began to realize
there was life after basketball.
What better place to get an edu
cation than the number rated
college? How could I go
wrong?
Anthony: With that said,
have you set your mind on
becoming an attorney?
Mike: Definitely. I hope to
go to Yale for four years. Then,
either go to Wake or
Georgetown. I want to go to
New York to do some intern
ships for a couple summers.
Then, hopefully come back and
practice with my dad.
Anthony: Whoa. That
would be something else.
Mike: I hope so, man. He's
looking forward to having me
on board. He's been getting
excited about it.
Anthony: Me too. Give
me a job when you get on.
Mike: I got you. Just give
me a call.
Anthony: Let's move on.
College basketball is in full
swing. Um, Stephon Curry
looked crazy the other night.
Did you see him?
Mike: Man. He's no joke.
He was at the Chris Paul camp,
where the top guards in the East
coast were invited. Me and CJ.
were there. You know that.
Anthony: Right.
Mike: We were watching
him. You think he only shoots
3-pointers. But he handles the
rock, takes it to the hole and
dishes it off. He's a complete
player. I think he's the most
dangerous player in the nation
right now. It would be a shame
i
Photo by Tun Wilson
Mt. Tabor senior point guard Mike Grace draws contact
during a game earlier this season.
if he didn't get player of the
year. I love watching him play.
Me and C J. call each other and
talk the whole time when he's
playing.
Anthony: Speaking of that
CP camp. How nice was it for
you to get to play with top
guards from high school and
college squads?
Mike: That was great. It
was nice being recognized as
One-on-One
with Anthony Hill
one of the top guards. Then, to
get in there and actually be a
part of the camp with some of
the guys you read about all the
time It was an honor and learn
ing experience'
Anthony: How have you
been able to deal with all of the
pressure that has come your
way? (Smiles.) A number of
people have unfairly compared
you to Chris Paul ever since
you were a freshman.
Mike: Right. There was
definitely a lot of pressure. But
1 grew up in a household of
pressure. My dad has always
put pressure on me My parents
pressure me to do well. I've
always had pressure to perform
If I can take the pressure
from my family and people that
love me then pressure from
other people is nothing. I've
worked hard in the gym and
weight room. It's tough to say
anything bad about me now.
Anthony: What's one tal
ent that you have that most peo
ple may not know?
Mike: I' ve played the alto
saxophone since I was in the
fourth grade. I'm pretty decent.
But I haven't pulled it out in
about a year. But I'm pretty
good at it.
Anthony: (Laughs.)
How's the atmosphere around
school, with the foothall season
being over?
Mike: Oh, it's tough. But
people have been so ready for
basketball season. People love
basketball around here almost
as much as football. I've been
talking to the football players
and they always tell us how
much they love to come watch
us play.
Anthony: OK. Who's
going to win it all this in college
basketball?
Mike: Carolina. I love
those boys at Wake. You'll
never hear me say anything bad
about them I love Jeff Teague
But those boys ai Carolina go
hard.
Anthony: Ay, Jeff Teague
is going to dunk on Ty Lawson.
Mike: That's all right. Bui
we'll get the W. (Both laugh.)
Exactly.
Anthony: OK. What are
you bumping nowadays?
Mike: That "808 &
Heartbreak," by Kanye is hot
"Dedication 3," came out
People say Lil" Wayne is falling
off. 1 don't think he's going
anywhefe.
Anthony : How's your love
life?
Mike: Love life? I'm sin
gle. Testing the waters. But I
really don't need a girlfriend at
this point in my life. Basketball
season just started and school is
tough. So, I'm just chilling
right now.
Anthony: Let's close with
free association.
Mike: OK
Anthony: Winston-Salem
Prep.
Mike: Good guards. Solid.
Good defense. Plays hard. And,
good coach.
Anthony: Nickname.
Mike: (Laughs.) Lil CP. 1
don't like it, but people gave it
to me.
Anthony: Pops. (Michael
Grace Sr.)
Mike: Taught me every
thing that I know.
Anthony: Grandfather.
Mike: My role model. Who
I try to be like everyday.
Anthony: Dream car.
Mike: Lamborghini mar
cialogo.
Anthony: Favorite spot to
eat.
Mike: That's tough
Probably Milner's. I get the fish
and grits when I go.
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