December 1997 The News Argus - Page 10
SPORTS
Basketball Rams Are Ready To Play
BY RASHEED OLUWA
Spons Editor
The loss of an “all everything
pivolman” would cause many coaches to
have several sleepless night If you don’t
believe me, just ask Wake Forest’s Head
Basketball Coach Dave Odum.
However, Winston-Salem State
University’s Head Basketball Coach Sam
Hanger and the rest of his basketball
squad must embark on a season that could
be titled, “Life without Hardy.”
Darryl Hardy, WSSU’s All-
Conference performer at the center
position last season, left and took his 19
points and 11 rebounds with him. In the
process, the team also lost one of its
hardest workers and a player that Hanger
described as “a great kid on and off the
court.” There is no doubt that the team
lost a great player whose presence will be
irreplaceable this season.
As bleak as Hardy’s departure may
seem, there are still some positives. The
bulk of last year’s team returns this
season. The team is stocked with
perimeter players. To take advantage of
this, expect the team’s offense to be more
open this year.
“A lot of times when Darryl had the
ball last year, everybody else had a
tendency to be stagnate. This year look
for the offense to be more freelance,”
explained Hanger.
Leading this attack will be senior
point guard Otis Attucks. Attucks, who
started for the leam last year, was second
in the league with 5.8 assists.
“Otis Attucks gets no credit from
anyone and he does a tremendous job for
us. He takes care of the basketball and
gets it to people where they need it. He
runs the show for us,” explained Hanger.
Starting at the other guard spot will
be Baltimore transfer Tyrone Thomas.
Hanger describes Thomas as “a player
who can score without sacrificing defense
at the other end.”
Other guards who are expected to
contribute include sharpshooter, Larry
Patterson and combination guard Johnny
Watkins. The forward positions will be
manned by last year’s starting duo of
Windell Owens and Michael Broadnax.
Both of these players have impressed the
coaching staff with improved shooting
and physical strength. Other players
rounding out the rotation include: Mike
Dunn, Trevor Redfearn and Bradley
Taylor at guard; and Joe Henderson,
Mark Clark and Wesley Linzy at
forward.
The center position will consist of a
four man rotation. Senior Anthony
Peake will begin the season as the starter
with freshman Greg Lee, transfer Thad
Young, and senior David Howerton
getting minutes. Out of the foursome,
Hanger expects Young to get the most
minutes and freshman Greg Lee to get the
least minutes. Although none of these
four, are expected to duplicate Hardy’s
offensive output this season, Hanger does
expect them to provide interior defense
and rebounding.
If these four players give the Rams
quality inside play, it will not be out of
the realm of possibility for the Rams to
be a factor in the CIAA equation come
tournament time.
GoocC Luc^
!Basfe^t6cUX !R,ams
Lady Rams Picked To Finish 3rd In the Division
BY DANIELLE PROPHETE
Editor
As the fall semester comes to its end.
Ram basketball is gearing up for another
exciting, but competitive year.
Head Lady Ram Basketball Coach
Deborah Clark enters into her fourth
season of coaching Lady Ram Basketball.
After a 16,12 record last year, in a
preseason poll, her team has been selected
to come in 3rd place in the Western
Division of the Central Intercollegiate
Athletic Association (CIAA).
“Our team has the potential and
quality to be a major contender in the
CIAA,” said Clark.
With Norfolk State University
pulling out of the CIAA conference last
year, the Lady Rams will now be
competing in a new division, the Western
Division. Five teams were left in the
South and seven teams were left in
North. One of the northern teams came to
the south, thus creating the Western
Division.
“Collectively, we hope to win the
Western Division,” said Oark. “Since a
good part of our team are veterans,
hopefully experience will be a factor.”
The Lady Rams’ squad has eight
returning players: Renee Cameron, Erica
Leggett, Nikki Blackwell, Kesha
Broadnax, Sharonda Moore, Holley
Griffin, Christy Brooks and Rachel
Hicks. The seven new players include:
Christa West, Kesi Nobles, Lekeisha
Covington, Tamika Clark, Demetrius
Platter, Keisha Madkins and LaToya
Cobb.
Since the season began. The Lady
Rams have participated in two
tournaments. The Denise Holden
Invitational in Raleigh where they placed
2nd; and the Carol Eckman Tournament
in Lockhaven, Pa., where they also came
in 2nd place.
‘This year we have a lot of depth in
each position,” said Clark. “Depth in
players like Cameron and Moore who
made All Tournament in the Holden
Tournament and Nobles who made the
All Tournament Team in the Denise
Holden Invitational.
According to Adrian Ferguson,
WSSU’s Sports Information Director
(SID), “After one or two more games of
Head Lady Ram Basketball Coach Clark
File Photo
fine tuning, the Lady Rams will be a
definite contender for the CIAA
Championship as well as a spot in the
NCAA Division II Finals.”
doodi Luck.
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