March 1989 The News Argus PAGE 7
Sports
Lady Rams experience growing pains
By Bryon Tinnin
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
CIAA Wrap-Up
By Joyce McMillan
SPORTS EDITOR
"It's not over 'til it's over," and it's over
for the Winston-Salem State Rams, who
lost in the first round of the CIAA tourna
ment to Elizabeth City 91-75.
The Rams, who were the underdogs,
fought for 25 minutes and built a 49-46
lead in the second half. The Vikings, real
izing WSSU was not there to play volley
ball, stopped taking the Rams for granted
and went on a 17-3 spurt. ECSU was then
leading 63-52 and from then on, it was all
over. The Rams were plagued with
turnovers, fouls and fatigue.
Forward Lance Jones had four fouls
before halftime, and his absence on the
inside after halftime cost the Rams the
rebound advantage.
At the half, guards Michael Lesane
and Boris Battle were nearly exhausted
from the hard play. The rebounding of Bar
ber and reserve forward Maurice Edmunds
and the scoring of Lesane kept the Rams
alive.
WSSU was leading 47-46 when
ECSU's forward Tyson Ransom was called
for an intentional foul on Barber. Barber
sank both free throws and sent the Rams
ahead 49-46.
The Rams had 20 turnovers in the sec
ond half, including one from reserve guard
Howard Byrd. Down the stretch ECSU
capitalized on a Lesane miss by turning it
into a three-point play. Lesane led WSSU
with 18 points and Battle and Barber added
14 each. Edmunds grabbed 11 rebounds.
In the end NCCU and Va. Union met
in a rematch of the first CIAA tourna
ment. At halftime the score was 39-29
Virginia. Virginia Union came out on top
78-58. This championship victory was
Virginia Union's third championship win
in five years. Va. Union's Coach is Dave
Robbins.
BET/Toyota sponsored the Second
Annual Slam Dunk Contest during the
championship game's halftime.
Coaches chose players from their
teams they felt would do well in this com
petition. The participants were Sheldon
Owens, Shaw; Charles Jefferson, VSU;
Darrell Armstrong, FSU; Gerald Garrin,
JCSU; Curtis Reed, Shaw, and A.J.
English, Virginia Union. The three finalists
were Gerald Garrin, with 136 points; Cur
tis Reed, 123 points, and AJ. English, who
came out victorious, just as he did last
year.
For the first time in quite a while, no
WSSU player was chosen to be on the All-
CIAA Team. The team consisted of
Leonard Harris, VSU; Anthony King,
Shaw; Antoine Sifford, NCCU; Stacy
Clark, Hampton U.; Terry Davis, Va.
Union; Walter Hurd, Johnson C. Smith;
Mike Sinclair, Bowie; Ernie Griffin, LaM-
ont Walker, VSU; LaShun McDaniel, St.
Aug.; Jerome Coles, NSU, and Miles Lark,
NCCU.
Norfolk State's Coach Charles Chris
tian was chosen "Coach of the Year."
The Winston-Salem Stale Lady Rams basketr
ball team has had a very fiustiating season. It has
n't been a season of ups and downs, but simply
downs. Their season has been a youthful learning
experience.
The Lady Rams finished fifth in the Southern
Division with a 3-8 record, 6-18 overall. They, like
their male counterparts, also lost some imponant
key games due to youth and inexperience.
"We played some talented and far more expe
rienced teams,” said Lady Rams Coach Stinson
Conley.
The team missed the balanced scoring and
leadership of former players Angela Henderson,
Sharon Holloway and Dawn Hand. The presence
of guards Brenda Maxwell, Andrea Pellon and
Denise Conley helped some, but the presence of
young and less experienced freshmen was obvious.
"Our freshman girls did a good job this year,
and I think it would be so unfair to single one
player out as the most outstanding on the team,"
said Conley. "Everyone did an outstanding job," he
added.
Even though the girls* basketball team
received little publicity this season, they deserve
credit for playing hard and as a team. As time pro
gresses, and as players begin to mature, the L.ady
Rams should begin having more productive sea
sons.
"We have some very bright players that are
growing, and that will help us next season," said
Conley.
Coach Conley also said that he has had some
commitments from some good recruits, so that
may also add to the overall productiveness of the
team.
441 wasn’t rubbing
it in-I just wanted
Eddie to know
the score of
last night’s game.”
m
Alex Sum • University of Washington • Class of 1990
G() ahead and gloat. You can
rub it in all the way to Chicago
with AT&T Long Distance Service.
Besides, your best friend Eddie
was the one who said your team
could never win three straight.
So give him a call. It costs a
lot less than you think to let him
know who’s headed for the Playoffs.
Reach out and touch someone?
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The right choice.