Kids enjoy the
CIAA Tournament
experience hi Charlotte
Special to The Chronicle
Other than watching the 2014-2015 mens basketball
champion the Livingstone College Blue Bears and
2015 women's basketball champion from Virginia
State University, 40 youth had a chance to be exposed
to the rich history of the CIAA Basketball Tournament
through the eyes of ball boys and ball girls.
City of Winston-Salem rec center Captains Ben
Piggott and Robert Chadwick took the kids to the
Time Warner Cable Arena in Charlotte.
"We are very thankful to God to have a CIAA
commissioner like Jacque McWilliams, who continues
to allow us to attend the games with the kids in order
for them to learn about college life," said Piggott, who
is supervisor of the Carl H. Russell Sr. Community
Center in Winston-Salem.
The children have seen the following stars: Tom
Joyner, John P. Kee, Donnie Simpson, D. J. Skillz,
Sytonnia Moore, Ben Wallace (former NBA and CIAA
basketball player from Virginia Union University),
Sam Jones (former NBA and CIAA basketball player
from North Carolina Central University), D. J.
McLytle, Chante Moore and singer Tank.
"The children were blessed by being CIAA ball boys
and ball girls. God really blessed them in a mighty
way," Piggott said.
Ben Piggott is shown with cameraman CariH. Russell III, who
playedfootbaU at Carver Senior High School, and ball boys.
Ben Piggott and ball boys take a photo with Coach Isaac
Pitts of Quality Education Academy, who is a former Shaw
University basketball player.
City of Winston-Salem rec center ball Captains Ben Piggott
and Robert Chadwick are shown with CIAA Commissioner
Jacque Mc Williams and CIAA ball boys and girls during the
CIAA Tournament, which ended Feb. 28.
Ben Piggott and Sam femes, former NBA and CIAA basketball
player from NCCV, is shown with ball boys and girts
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Early injuries hamper Lady Rams'season
BY CRAIG T. GREENLEE
FOR THE CHRONICLE
The pre-season proved
to be a bad omen for
the Winston-Salem
State women's basketball
team. A rash of injuries
conspired to derail the
Lady Rams' chances to
finish among the CIAAs
upper echelon.
"We encountered a lot
of obstacles," said third
year coach A.G. Hall,
whose team finished the
season at 11 -17. "We had
a lot of injuries before the
season even started. It
was difficult to establish
any kind of continuity
and that carried over to
the entire season."
Hall admits that there
were times when he
believed his team was
on its way to turning
its season around. An
eye-opening 66-57
home-court victory
over eventual CLAA
tournament champ
Virginia State was
encouraging. The same
goes for the Lady Rams'
valiant effort in a 64-58
home loss to Livingstone,
ranked No. 8 in the
country at that time.
"Those games showed
what we're capable ofT
Hall said. "We proved
we could more than hold
our own against the top
teams."
Entering the CIAA
Tournament, not much
was expected of the Lady
Rams, who lost their last
two games of the regular
season. And then there
was the memory of last
year's early tournament
exit, which had not been
forgotten.
Even so, WSSU
came through with a
convincing 73-58 first
round win over Chowan.
The Lady Rams used
their depth to wear down
the Hawks in the second
half. In the meantime,
Kesheria McNeil scored
21 points to lead the
way. McNeil averaged
15 points in two games
at Charlotte and was a
CIAA All-Tournament
pick.
There was a flip side,
though. Against other
teams, Shaw in particular,
the WSSU women
never performed like
contenders. The Lady
Bears, who made the
CIAA Tournament final,
beat the Lady Rams three
times, which included
an 88-59 blowout in
the CIAA quarterfinals.
"We never found a way
to deal with their inside
presence," he said "They
made it so difficult for us
to score."
In large part, the
inability to put points
on the board prevented
WSSU from rising above
the .500 mark. Ironically,
the defense was fine.
The Lady Rams allowed
the fewest points in the
league (61.9 per game).
On the other hand they
were last in scoring in
the 12-team CIAA (59.6
points per game).
The absence of High
Point University transfer
Jatzmin Johnson didn't
help matters. Johnson,
a 6-feet-l sophomore
center, sat out the season
with a knee injury. With
Johnson coming back
at full strength, Hall
is looking to recruit
another center to provide
frontline depth.
"Our lack of scoring
hurt us badly' he said
"What we need is a player
at the 5 position (center)
to control the middle,
which will make the
game easier for everybody
around them. It's a matter
of adding the right pieces
and that's a good place
to start We'll replace our
seniors and build on what
we already have"
WSSU loses four
seniors, which includes
power forward Dionna
Scott (12.2 points, 5.6
rebounds) a two-time
All-CIAA pick. Starting
point guard Taylar Wells
is also gone, along with
post player Jovanah
Graham and forward
Briana Wilder.
The future looks
promising at the guard
spots with the return of
Awa Kalmstrom, Angela
Porter, Morgan Smiley
and Tiana Edwards. All
were newcomers who
gained valuable game
experience. Kalmstrom, a
gifted floor leader, joined
the team in early January
after transferring from
the University of Utah.
Edwards delivered as a
3-point shooting threat
until illness hampered her
effectiveness during the
late stages of the season.
The backcourt could be
very formidable, pending
the return of McNeil, a
junior who came off the
bench to average 11.7
points per game, second
highest on the team.
At presstime, the status
of McNeils availability
for next season was
unknown.
Among WSSUs
remaining post players
and forwards, Shaquira
Palmer, Jeri Craine,
Briana Arnold and
Jasmine Carter will be
counted on to provide
added depth.
Photo by Craig T. Greenlee
Lady Rams point guard Angela Porter (3) goes strong to the
basket.
Photo by Craig T. Greenkt
Jasmine Carter (33) is one of the top returning players on the
Lady Rams front line.
Photo by Craig T. Greenlee
A.G. Hall, WSSU women's
coach
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