Knights Win Two, Lose On
e
DON ROOKARD makes his move toward the basket. (Photo
courtesy of The Laurinburg Exchange).
What Happened?
A Commentary
By Knight Gramberlain, Sports Editor
Watching the Homecoming basketball game between the Knights
and the Patriots of Francis Marion, I felt a helpless sense of
frustration as we were defeated 68-65. Earlier in the second half
we had been up by as many as 9 points and seemed to be con
trolling the tempo of the game. Susddenly we were only up by 5,
the Patriots had the ball and we fell apart at the seams. What
happened, in those few minutes, when we lost our lead and even
tually the ball game..
It wasn’t for lack of skill. During the second half I saw out
standing moments of individual effort which led to turnovers
and blocked shots, opportunities for the Knights to increase
their lead. There were also moments of unselfish team play
when the ball was worked into the “pit” for close, sure lay-ups
and three point plays.
It wasn’t for lack of experience. We have experience in the
line-up as well as on the bench. Summers. Bowman, Rookard,
Horne - the list is extensive. These players know the ropes
well, the ins and outs of a sport where rules are always bent. In
fact all but a very few of last years players are on this years
team and I remember several games where the last shot made
the decision in favor of the Knights. Experience? Pressure? The
Knights wrote the book in it.
So what was the problem? Correct mejf I’m wrong but
somehow the Knights came to some internal conclusion that
they couldn’t play ball, the way they had been playing for the
last five minutes of the game. Somehow it was decided that what
worked for 35 mnutes would work no more.
Our lead was cut to 3 and we had the ball. We took the ball
down and set up a play but noone would run it. Suddenly
everything slowed down. This happens to teams everywhere,
regardless of skill, and it happened to us. As a former high
school player I know. When you’re used to playing at a certain
temo and things slow down you get shook. You pass the ball
around waiting for a great shot when a good shot would go.
You’re shook, you make mistakes, the other team gains momen
tum and POW they run aU over you.
If you’re good, you have to know it and play like you know it all
the way through. Only once have I seen it fail. When N. C.
State beat U. C. L. A. (1974) in double overtime for the cham
pionship, Wooden played his game to the very end. He was up by *
three and his team had the ball but he ran his game and State ^
won in true championship form. In 12 years. Wooden gambled 12
times and lost twice. His message is clear. It’s been rough this
year, Knights. You record does not speak for your skill. But I
predicted last November that you could win any game you
pleased IF you played team ball 100 PERCENT OF THE
TIME.
The Knights ended their
home basketball season last
night with an impressing 92-74
over Averett College. Showing
skill on all parts of the court
the Knights controlled the
game from start to finish.
In a well rounded attack,
which saw four players shoot
their way into double figures.
The Knights showed their
home fans that they can play
basketball, and play it well.
At the outset, 11 players put
points on the scoreboard for
the St. Andrews team.
Leading the way were Mike
Cestrone with 30, Dave Horn
and Art Bowman, both with
16. And Greg Smith with 10.
Tlie Knights travel next to
N.C. Wesleyan in their last
match of the regular season.
Last Thursday night, the
Knights traveled to Har-
tsville, S.C., and came back
as winners when they
defeated Coker College, 65-62.
Laurinburs’s Ron Cherry
started for the first time this
season and dominated the
boards with 17 rebounds. The
rebounding Cherry provided
has been missing for the
Knights’ attack and was a
major factor in several of the
Knights’ losses this year.
Cherry also scored 10 points
on five shots from the field.
Mike Cestrone lead the
Knights with 19 points and Ar
thur Bowman also hit double
figures with 13 points.
The Cobras and the Knights
played nip and tuck
throughout the entire contest
and neither team could gain
more than a four point ad
vantage. Coker had a 35-32
halftime lead.
Ihe Knights charged back
halfway through the period
and passed the Cobras, 4948,
on a Greg Smith shot. The
score remained close until the
final two minutes of play. An
dy Jones provided the win
ning margin with just 50
seconds remaining. Arthur
Bowman and Mike Cestrone
scored the final points from
the free line and just one
second remained to be
played. Coach Thom Whitely
called his team off the floor
and the Coker five missed two
uncontested shots in the final
second.
On Monday the Knights
dropped another close game
as the Patriots of Francis
Marion College won by three
points, 68-65, as the Patriots
came back late in the game.
Francis Marion jumped out
to an early lead, but the
Knights took charge and lead
at the half, 35-29. Lead by Ar
thur Bowman and Don
Rookard, St. Andrews stret
ched the lead to nine points
early in the second half. But
the Patriots were not yet out of
the contest as Blume hit a
field goal to give Pranci.
Marion their first lead, 57-56
since the opening minutes,, ’
The Knights bouunced back
on a three-point play by Cliff
Summers. But, Patriot
Williamson tied the score at
59 the very next trip down-
court. Blume then put the
Patriots out in front to stav
61-59.
Bowman and Rookard lead
the Knights’ scoring with 14
apiece. Laurinburg’s
Cherry was the only other
Knight to hit double figures
with 12 points. Patriot Tom
Bamhardt lead all scorers
with 21 points.
Spring Soccer
Takes First Match
Spring Soccer is alive and
well this semester. This past
Sunday the Knights travelled
to Fayetteville to answer the
challenge of the Fort Bragg
United 76ers. The first 45
minutes of regulation play
saw deadlocked action with
the score tied 3-3.
In the second half, St. An
drews tightened their zone
defense, and utilized their 4-2-
4 system very well. Our at
tackers received excellent
support from Mike Herculson,
Randy Dinkins, and Jeff
Walker. Wing Fullback, fresh
man Njefi Michael, was elec
ted the games’ MVP. Njefi
quietly makes his
whereabouts known. Another
standout was Sheppard Har
den. “She did a super job for
us,” Coach Dean Betts saki.
“Sheppard may very well see
some
year.’
varsity action next
A highlight of the second
half came when freshman
Mike Herculson, an All-Dixie
midfielder, scored directly
from a comer kick. Other
scoring throughout the con
test came from up-
perclassmai Mike Dunn (2)
and Sheikh Jagne (2). The
final score was 5-3. “We made
a good impression agaist an
experienced soccer dub,”
Betts said of the first match.
“It was a good win for us.”
Hie Knights next match is
at home against the
prominent Fayetteville Soc
cer Club on February 27th at
2:00 p.m. A nine game
schedule is slated for the 21-
person squad this Spring.
(Coitinued from Page 1)
Honosexuals are still the
most oppressed minority in
the country, including Blacks,
he said. Homosexuals and
Blacks are similarly op
pressed both socially and per
sonally. Honosexuals are op
pressed by church, state,
medical, civil service, and the
army.
He ended the talk with his
view that the citizen is gover
ned by law but that sexual ac
tivity is not a matter for the
state. The state should con
tinue to protect society from
sexual abuse and exploitation.
Also, the church may find
ways to
sexuality.
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