Porter determined to win CIAA championship ring
BY CRAIG T. GREENLEE
FOR THE CHRONICLE
When Ashley Porter
left home three years ago to
play basketball for
Winthrop University (in
South Carolina), the future
looked promising. Poller, a
two-time all-conference
pick at Carver High
School, was expected to
flourish at the next level.
Instead, the 6-foot-3
center suffered from bum
out. Convinced that it was
time tor ner to
leave the game
for good. Porter
left Winthrop
after her fresh
man year. The
summer of 2013,
however, proved
to be a pivotal
point.
Porter
attended summer
school at Johnson
C. Smith University and
decided to give basketball?
one more try. Since then,
she has evolved as a formi
dable presence in the paint
for the Golden Bulls, who
are expected to make a
strong run at the CIAA title
next season. Because
Winthrop is a Division I
school, Porter didn't have
to sit out a season as a
transfer because J.C. Smith
competes in Division II.
In her sophomore sea
son. Porter averaged 6.2
points and 5.2 rebounds
and was voted All-CIAA as
a key figure coming off the
bench. This past season.
Porter moved into the start
ing lineup and further
solidified her reputation as
a low-post threat at both
ends of the floor (9.4
points, 6.9 rebounds and
1.3 blocks per game).
"As a team, all of us
feel like we can go a long
way next season,", said
Porter, a rising
senior and sports
management
major. "We're
deep at every
position. It's just
a matter of every
body getting on
the same page.
The No. 1 goal is
to get that (con
ference champi
onship) ring."
?rter's arrival at J.C.
"Smith was somewhat iron
ic. Stephen Joyner Jr., the
Golden Bulls women's
coach, knew all about
Porter during her high
school days. At that time,
Joyner was the women's
coach at Winston-Salem
State University.
"Having watched
Ashley for two years, I was
already very familiar," said
Joyner, whose team posted
a 20-8 finish this past sea
son. "There was never a
Porter
PC
doubt that she would go
Division 1. But we still
reached out to her to let her
know that she could always
join us if things didn't work
out at Winthrop."
As things turned out,
the timing couldn't have
worked out better for the
Golden Bulls and Porter,
Photos by Johnson C. Smith University Athletics
Ashley Porter (14) has blossomed as a bonafide low
post force at both ends of the floor for Johnson C.
Smith.
who was also recruited by
Clemson, South Carolina,
East Carolina and Norfolk
State. At the time of
Porter's departure from
Winthrop, Joyner had just
completed his first season
at J.C. Smith. Once the
coach and former recruit
reconnected, it was hardly
surprising that Porter
would resume her basket
ball career at JCSU.
"With me being a
familiar face, I believe that
had a lot to do with her
joining us," said Joyner.
"Ashley has grown and
matured so much. If she
controls the paint, Johnson
C. Smith will be success
ful. She's so effective that
she commands double
teams every time she
touches the basketball."
"I've told Ashley that
the paint is her home.
Nothing should happen in
her home unless she allows
it to happen. We have a lot
of pieces on our team for
next season, but she's clear
ly one of the key pieces that
have helped to turn our pro
gram around."
Aside from Porter's
low-post skills, she's
evolved as a leader who
sets the emotional tempo
with her energy, dedication
to the game, and words of
encouragement to team
mates. Entering her final
college season. Porter has
fully embraced her role.
"Ashley has never
been the type of athlete
who looks for the lime
light," said Joyner. "She
could produce a double
double and not want to talk
about it. She would rather
talk about the point guard
who fed her the ball that
enabled her to get that dou
ble-double. Now she's
more at ease in talking
about her game and what
she's able to contribute."
Porter never envi
sioned having a basketball
career after high school.
During her early years at
Carver, she never thought
about college hoops. It
wasn't until after her soph
omore year at J.C. Smith
that she warmed up to the
idea that she is more than
capable to hold her own at
the college level and
beyond. Porter has already
attracted interest from
women's pro teams over
seas.
"When I was in high
school, I didn't have any
desire to play in college,"
she said. "Looking back on
where I was then and where
I am now, I'm way beyond
where I thought I would be
as far as playing basketball.
I've come to realize that my
basketball career doesn't
have to stop when my sen
ior season of college is
over."
Jerrod Hardy, coach of the WSFD team draws up a
play during a timeout
Charity Game
from page BI
that seemed to give the
WSFD trouble. By forcing
turnovers and getting easy
lay-ups they were able to
cut the lead to five before
WSFD coach Jerrod Hardy
made adjustments during a
timeout.
"That press gave us a
few problems but after that
first timeout we were ready
to go," said Hardy.
Hardy who said he was
aware of the teams strug
gles against the Warcats in
the past was pleased with
the way his team played
and was happy they got the
win.
"It feels good to get our
redemption after losing last
years game, they say
revenge is a meal best
served cold and we got it
today," laughed Hardy.
A number of members
from the WSFD were in
attendance to watch their
co-workers play, including
assistant fire chief Frank
Stowe, who said he was
their to see a good fcompet
itive game.
"I'm not playing this
year but I am here to repre
sent the fire department,"
Stowe said. "Anytime you
can support a positive com
munity organization like
this everybody wins."
Admission to the game
was $7, during half time a
raffle was drawn for a 32
inch flat screen television.
It is unclear how much
money was raised during
the game but the Warcats
hope to have a grand total
by the end of this week.
For more information
on the Lady Warcats or the
WBCBL visit www.lady
warcats.com
Roots
from page B1
point).
Since his arrival in Winston
Salem, Williams has had his ups and
downs in getting adjusted to Carolina
League pitching. As the Dash's desig
nated hitter, Williams' batting average
was .200 with 6 RBIs in his first 20
games. Williams understands that it's
crucial for him to continue working
on pitch recognition and swing
mechanics.
One of Williams' better moments
came in Winston-Salem's 9-8 come
back win over the Salem Red Sox on
June 1. Williams delivered a run-scor
ing single, which contributed to the
late-game resurgence.
"In that comeback game, there
were times when I felt like I tried to
do a little too much in my first two at
bats," he said. "I was hard on myself
after I missed two fastballs that I
should've hammered. When 1 step
into that box, I just want to live in the
present and focus on what's happen
ing right then at that moment as
opposed to what I succeeded at or
failed at earlier in the game."
Strategy is a huge part of base
ball. Players, coaches and managers
employ a variety of strategies to pro
duce the desired results. On the other
hand, Williams focuses solely on the
basics.
"Baseball is a mental game," he
explained. "At the plate, sometimes
you can overanalyze. At the end of
the day, it's a game where you have to
put the barrel of the bat on the ball.
So, it comes down to being consistent
each day."
"Even though you have to know
what to do based on the situation, you
can't think too much. If you do, it will
slow your reactions down. This game
really is about reactions."
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Photos by Craig T. Greenlee
TJ. Williams was promoted to the Winston-Salem Dash in mid-May.
Coach
from page Bl
experience as a golf coach
at R.J. Reynolds High
School. Initially, he
coached football, but in the
late '90s, he stepped in as
an assistant golf coach to
help former head coach
Howard West, who also
coached boys' basketball.
During that time, the
Demons won three straight
state championships in bas
ketball and as a result, the
extended post-season for
basketball created conflicts
with the start of pre-season
practice for golf. Green
conducted try-outs and ran
team practices until West
became available once bas
ketball season was over.
Green has been in
charge of the golf program
since 2005 when West
resigned and went to
Reagan High School.
During Green's. head
coaching tenure, RJR has
won six Central Piedmont
Conference titles, which
I
includes three straight from
2013 through this year.
The Demons got off
to a slow start this spring.
But midway through the
season, they began to play
up to their potential. Aside
from bagging another con
ference tournament cham
pionship, Reynolds won its
regional and qualified for a
spot in the Class 4-A state
tournament. RJR finished
ninth in the team standings.
It was the third year in a
row in which the Demons
placed inside the top 10 at
the state.
The golfers that Green
coaches at RJR are not
novices. Most started play
ing the game as elemen
tary-school-aged young-"
sters at private clubs.
Green's points of emphasis
have more to do with han
dling the mental aspects of
the game as opposed to
teaching shot technique
and swing mechanics.
"Golf is a tough sport,
so having ups and downs
can be expected." he said.
"I talk about that a lot. In
/?
this game, it's inevitable
that you'll hit bad shots. If
you dwell on what hap
pened on an earlier hole, it
could carry over to the next
hole, or maybe the rest of
the round."
"These kids know
how to play. I'm just there
to help keep them calm and
focused. Every now and
then, I'll give them a pat on
the back. At other times,
when needed, I might have
to give them a kick in the
butt."
Green, who retired
from teaching three years
ago. points to several fac
tors which have paved the
way for Reynolds' success
on the golf course.
Factor 1: Five years
ago, he made the decision
to change practice sites
from the Reynolda Park
Golf Course to Winston
Lake, which features its
share of challenging slopes
and narrow fairways.
Making that switch, he
explained, has produced,
satisfying dividends for
Reynolds golfers.
"I knew that if my
kids could play well at that
course, they could play
anywhere," he said.
"Winston Lake is one of
the toughest courses in this
county. It's tight. You just
can't pick up your driver
and bomb it. You have to
know where to put the ball
and if you put it in the right
place, you have a very good
chance of posting good
scores. If you don't do that,
you're in trouble. Other
high schools hate playing
at Winston Lake because
it's such a difficult course
to play."
Factor 2: Reynolds
golfers tend to be highly
self-motivated, so there's
seldom an issue as it relates
to work ethic and willing
ness to put in the necessary
time to improve one's
game. "These kids want to
play and they want to be
good," Green said. "And
they have a great support
base from their. parents.
Most of the players have
parents who play the game,
and they continue to give
me their undying support."
"That makes things a
lot easier for me. If I have
to discipline a kid, the par
ent agrees with me whole
heartedly. I don't have to
argue with a parent about
why I did this or why I did
that."
Factor 3: Reynolds
plays six players in confer
ence matches. But there's
no set rotation for which
six players will play in any
given event. The top four
scores among team mem
bers automatically leads to
thier advance to play in the
next competition. The play
ers who finish fifth and
sixth have to battle other
team members in practice
to determine who earns the
last two spots to play in the
next match.
"This keeps every
body hungry," said Green.
"If they're not in the top
four, they have to go back
to the drawing board and
work on improving. They
have to earn the opportuni
ty to play."
The measure of satis
v
faction for Green, a six
time conference Coach of
the Year, transcends win
ning tournament titles.
What he enjoys most is the
coach-player dialogue,
which can help them per
form to the best of their
ability.
"Accolades are fine,
but interacting with young
people is the most impor
tant thing," he saidA "Our
last group of seniors all
started out together as
freshmen.
I watched them learn,
grow and mature.. That
gives me a good feeling to
see how much they devel
oped during that length of
time."
"Maturity plays an
important role in golf. Yes,
it takes physical ability to
play this game, but it also
takes a lot of mental ability.
You have to be mentally
focused, but not to the
point where you're tight all
the time. You have to be
loose, but focused."
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