December 1985
The Columns
4
Unsung Heros:
Moore, McRae, Watkins
Printed courtesy of ITie Franklin Ximes
Getting up at 6 a.m. to.lift
weights isn’t exactly what you
would call fun. For Steve
Watkins, Bruce Moore and
Tony McRae it’s a way of life.
That’s because they are
freshmen members of the
Lx)uisburg College basketball
team. But Watkins, Moore and
McRae say that, despite the
early morning wakeup, they
enjoy being Hurricanes.
Being at Louisburg, the trio
make their own decisions both
on and off the court. Their
decision-making, though, does
have a limit. Sure Steve
Watkins, Bruce Moore and
Tony McRae would love to be
in the Louisburg starting
lineup. But for the most part,
barring any injuries to
Hirricane starters, they will be
relegated to the bench. McRae
could be the exception.
Lxjoking into the back
ground of the tree freshmen one
sees that Steve Watkins played
at Friendship Christian while
both Moore and McRae went to
Hoke County High School.
Watkins attended Freindship
two years. Each year the
Raleigh-based Falcons
produced a winner. By the end
of the 1984-85 basketball year
Steve had led Friendship
Christian to an honor of being
one of the top eight Christian
schools in the state. He scored
around 17 points per game and
dished out an average of five
assist in ’84-’85.
Louisburg coach Enid Drake
classifies Watkins as a “hard-
nosed player.” “He’s a student
of the game,’* said Drake.
Watkins is being touted as a
point guard in the Hurricane
framework. At 5'11", 170, Steve
can rob an opponent blind with
his fast hands. He is the son of
Barbara and John Watkins of
Raleigh.
Bruce Moore, meanwhile,
should have versatility as his
middle name. After all he’s
capable of playing all five
positions. Moore, a 6'5", 160
pounder, lacks experience.
Coach Drake says that could be
a plus. “Bruce learns quickly
because he doesn’t have any bad
habits to get rid of,” Drake said.
While at Hoke Moore
pumped in 11 points per game
and collected an average of six
rebounds a game.
The Louisburg campus isn’t
new to Bruce, who is a ping-
pong and computer fanatic.
This summer he worked ad a
counselor at the Hurricanes
basketball camp. Coach Enid
Drake wants to groom Moore
for the point guard position.
“With his height and reach it
gives him a plus defensively,”
said Drake. Bruce is the son of
Miss Molly Moore of Raeford.
Tony McRae, on the other
hand, is a scoring threat
whenever he touches the
basketball. A 19.6 points per
game scorer at Hoke, McRae
also pulled down 12.2 rebounds
per contest as a Buck. The
6'4*/^", 188 pound McRae is a
power player. “He knows how
to score inside and he’s a
powerful lea per,” Drake said.
“If he can win the battle with
the books he’ll be a good
player,” said Drake. MeRae is
the son of Miss Carolyn McRae
of Raeford.
Riley: “Instant Offense”
Printed courtesy of The Franklin Times
Louisburg College men’s
basketball coach Enid Drake
calls him instant offense
because of the range he has with
his jump shot. Opposing
teams fear him because he’s
back for his sophomore season
bigger, quicker and stronger..
The person who is being
referred to is Dee Riley, who
played only ninteen games of a
twenty-nine game season for
the Hurricanes in’84-’85. Riley
was out of the final ten games
last year due to having broke
two bones in his wrist.
It’s not easy to sit on the
bench and watch your
teammates play without you.
You can lend them your vocal
support but that’s about the
limit. Dee Riley was
handcuffed in a way and no one
had the key. There was only so
much he was capable of doing
to help the Hurricanes. •
Dee, however, has now
completely recovered from his
injury of the past season. The
graduate of Northern Durham
has also put on over ten pounds
during the off-season. Now at a
trim 6'4". 187 pounds, Riley is
1
OEE RILEY
willing to help the team no
matter what personal sacrifices
it takes.
Call it what you will, but
Riley is dedicated to Louisburg
College. At Northern Durham,
where basketball is sometimes
overshadowed by bigtime
football. Dee was a recipient of
almost every post-season
basketball honor imaginable.
In the past he’s also played with
and against the likes of the
Chicago Bulls Michael Jordan,
Duke signee Danny Ferry and
present UNC player Steve Hale.
As of now, however, Riley is
focusing his sights on playing
at Louisburg College. One of
his main concerns this season is
putting the clamps on an
opponents number two guard.
In most cases the number two
guard is the other team’s best
scorer.
While defense lays heavy in
the mind of Dee Riley, offense
doesn’t. Last season before the
wrist injury Riley scored at an
11.7 points per game average.
From the free throw line he was
even more amazing by sinking
81.8% of his attempts. “Dee is a
knowledgable offensive
player,” said coach Drake. “If
he keeps working to improve
his defensive play I feel he can
become a division I prospect;”
Riley knows that it takes
work both on and off the court
to be a winner. His head coach
taught him that point. “Coach
Drake has helped me grow alot
since I came to Louisburg,”
said Riley.
Sport
Photo bv Buddy Hyde
BLUE^ SKIES
“BLUE” TAPPING
Ph)to by Buddy Hyd£