PAGE 6 The News Argus K^rch 1989
Sports
BASKETBALL
ROUNDUP
By Joyce McMillan
SPORTS EDITOR
Rams Nip Bears
"It ain’t over 'til the fat lady sings."
This appeared to be how the Rams felt in
their last home game when they nipped
the Livingstone Bears 79-78.
Tied 75-75 midway through over
time, WSSU's Mike Phillips stole the ball
and fed Mike Lesane for a fast-break
layup and a 77-75 lead with 2:18 remain
ing. It took the Bears 1:69 before they got
off another shot. Livingstone's Abe
Williams hit the front end of a one-and-
one, making the score 77-76.
WSSU ran the clock down to eight
seconds before calling a time out. On the
inbounds Jamaal Pierce, an 82.8 free
throw shooter, was fouled before any time
ran off the clock. Pierce sank both shots to
put the Rams up 79-76. Before time
expired, the Bears' Lucinni Kaba scored
on a miss by a teammate.
If an Oscar for "Best Supporting
Player" had been awarded, WSSU’s Mike
Lesane would have been the recipient. He
scored 37 points, 23 of which came in the
second half. Phillips had 11, and Toby
Barber pulled down 17 rebounds, while
Lance Jones had 11.
Paine Beats WSSU
The Rams were on the road to Augus
ta, Ga., to meet Paine College, hoping for
what has come hard for them — a win.
However, this trip, like many others, did
not produce a win. The Rams lost 60-57.
With 2:33 to go, the Rams trailed 56-
47, then hit six straight to cut the lead to
three with a minute remaining. Paine’s
Michael Jones scored to give them a 58-
53 lead with 47 seconds remaining.
WSSU's Mike Phillips hit two free
throws with 24 seconds left to cut the lead
to three, but Paine's Scott Johnson sealed
the victory from the foul line.
Both Toby Barber and Battle finished
in double figures at 23 and 13, respective
ly-
Eagles Crush Rams
In their last game to be played in the
Memorial Coliseum, Winston-Salem Stale
lost to North Carolina Central 60-45.
The Rams were down by 11 but made
a comeback that resulted in a 43-43 tie.
Despite the comeback, the Rams made
several turnovers that the Eagles turned
into fast break points. With four minutes
to play, the score was 49-43 Central.
WSSU missed six straight shots
before center Toby Barber broke the spell.
Central was able to score eight points dur
ing the last minute of the game. The Rams
fell to 6-17 overall and 4-7 in the confer
ence.
Lesane was the leading scorer, with
23 points, and Central's Miles Clark led
his team with 14 points.
WSSU Spanks UDC
Is vengeance really sweet? It was for
Coach Clarence "Bighouse" Gaines and
the Rams, when Winston-Salem State
University beat the University of Disu-ict
of Columbia 89-67, ending a five-game
losing streak. That win gave Coach
Gaines his 790th victory.
At the half the Rams led 42-33 and
ran a 21-4 spurt at the beginning of the
third period.
Rams guard Mike Phillips finished
with 20 points, 11 rebounds and four
assists. Center Toby Barber had 19 points
and 23 rebounds, 13 of which were offen
sive, and Lesane added 19 points.
Aggies Crush Rams
The Winston-Salem State University
Rams met their rivals the Aggies of A&T
State University in a game that was to be
a revenge match for the loss the Rams suf
fered earlier in the season to the Aggies.
Unfortunately the Rams were not able
to hang onto the lead before time expired
and suffered a 59-54 defeat. With 1:13
left, WSSU trailed just 55-54 after a pair
of free throws by Mike Lesane. The Rams
planned to hold the ball for a final shot
with seven seconds remaining when the
Rams' Jamaal Pierce lost the ball out of
bounds as he drove to the baseline. As a
result, A&Ts Glenn Taggart was able to
connect with two free throws.
Throughout the game the lead
changed hands 11 times and neither team
led by more than five points. Lesane fin
ished the game with 17 points and Mike
Phillips added 10.
»
WSSU wrestling teams CIAA champs
By Marcus Myers
STAFF WRITER
Repeating as champions seems to be the "in" thing nowadays. The Los Angeles Lakers, the World Bas
ketball Champions, became the first team to repeat as champions since the Boston Celtics in 1969. The Win-
ston-Salem Slate University Ram Football Team also repeated as CIAA champions in 1987. The wrestling
team recently mimicked the feat of the football team and won back-to-back titles.
In Febmaiy, the wrestling team won the CIAA championship tournament The three teams that partici
pated in the tournament were Virginia State, Norfolk State and Winston-Salem State. Livingstone, who was
last year's runner-up in the tournament, did not participate because of a measles quarantine in Salisbury. The
same quarantine also caused the site of the tournament to be changed from its original site at Livingstone to
Wmston-Salem.
Individual champions from WSSU were Bennie Carver (118 lbs), James McLinnaham (126 lbs),
Andrew Flagler (142 lbs) and Danny Boden (150 lbs). Runners-up were senior Jimmy Hester (134 lbs), last
year's CIAA champion and fredunan all-American Willie Mouzon (158 lbs), Shawn Williams (177 lbs), Ter
rence McNeil (190 lbs) and Daron PeeWes (Hwt) who was also an all-American in Sheridan’s Black College
FootbaU Poll.
James McLinnaham, a junior, is a three-time CIAA champion. Carver and Boden are two-time CIAA
champions and were ninners-up last year. They arc reluming next year along with QAA champion and team
cqjtain Andrew Flagler. All four wrestlers traveled to Pennsylvania March 2 through March 4 for the Divi
sion n National Wrestling Toumament
According to the University’s statistics, the wrestling team is the winningest team at WSSU. Also in
the last decade, the program has won seven OAA titles. In the other three years, they were runners-up in
one loumament and placed third in the other two.
Coach 'Big House' Gaines closes
out another basketball season
By Bryon M. Tinnin
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Coach Clarence "Bighouse" Gaines and his Winston-Salem State Rams Basketball
Team are at the end of another season. This season was, however, a not so great one for the
Rams' team. They finished 3-7 in the Southern Division and 6-18 overall.
The team lost in the first round of the CLAA tournament to Elizabeth City State Univer
sity. They also had no one placed on the All-CIAA Team for the furst time in quite a while.
The reasoning behind the Rams' less productive season? Well, youth and inexperience
killed them down the stretch. They also blew some very close games in the last couple of
minutes.
Team leader Michael Lesane carried most of the scoring burden this season. He was
auled by league leading rebounder Toby Barber and newcomer Mike Phillips, who began to
progress as the season neared its end.
Coach Gaines acknowledged that the entire team progressed as a whole and that it was
a uiie learning experience for the guys. "By us being inexperienced in the toumament that
certainly hurt us," said Gaines. "We certainly have to do some heavy recruiting for next sea
son," he added.
Even though the Rams basketball team had a mediocre season, the student body and
everyone associated with the team were very supportive. "I don't believe a student body
could be more supportive of a team than the students here at Winston-Salem State," said
Gaines. "The pep band and Scarlet Lace (WSSU's dancing girls) were also tremendous
assets to our program," he added.