A profile on
Geoffrey Williams,
who helped the
Winston Lake
1 5-unders team
reach the nationals
page 20
The U.S. Tennis
Association began
its all-out effort
to recruit
Winston's youths
into the sport
page 19
Pmmumi
Alcorn State's
John Theirry was
one of the first
players picked in
this weekend's
NFL draft
page 22
17
THURSDAY, APRIL 28, 1994
Winston Lake 15-Unders Going to Tennessee
it
A Patterson scores 24 as Lakers rout Durham 82-52 in AAU state finals, will play in nationals July
' ? . . i ? . ?" ? " * ?' ? " * < * ? ?
By MICHAEL JOHNSON
Chronicle Sports Wrilcr
The Winston Lake 15-unders knew if
they kept it up, something good was going
to happen.
That reward was a trip to Kingsport,
Tenn., where this year's AAU boys' nation
al championships are being held. The Lak
ers are going to the Volunteer State riding
the top seed, posting an 82-52 win over the
Durham Eagles in the state championship
game held Sunday at Carver High School.
? ^ One day after beating the Charlotte
Royals 90-75, the Lakers knew they would
be one of three teams from their age brack
et ? and the first from Winston-Salem this
year ? to earn a nationals spot in
Kingsport July 9-16. But Sunday's game
was one for a higher seeding in the nation
als and, more importantly to the Lakers, a
title.
"We already knew we were going to
the nationals yesterday, but we *till had ~
some work to do here." said guard Tyson
Patterson, who scored a game-high 24
points in the title game. "We knew we
A COMpllETE look AT
whERE tNe AAU Nat'ionaI
Ch/vMpioNships will
bE hsld
-Pa^-20
The Winston-Lake 15-under AAL team will be the top seed from the state-in the national championship in July
weren't going to play flat, and we did what
we had to to win." 1
What the Lakers did was neutralize
the taller Eagles' lineup of Idn Arrington.
Curtis Beatty and John Stinson. Using a 2-3
stack defense, the Lakers guards scratched
and clawed at any passes and harassed the
Durham guards into making hasty i\ec\
sions. Whenever the hall did go inside.
Laker forwards Brandon Cain Vincent
McConnell. and Geoffrey W illiams were
lurking inside.
Williams recorded three blocks in the
first five minmes ,ind Cain and MrConnHl
grabbed seven rebounds each in the first
half to frustrate the emotional Eagles.
See \Yl\STOX UKKE Page 22
1 5-Under Has
??? ? - ? ; r Tf**' '?* "V; ? ; . ; < ,
'Special Love'
By MICHAEL JOHNSON
Chronicle SporU Writer - y
The Winston Lake 15 -under AAU bas
ketball team has a love thing going on 1
among its players.
And that's, why head coach Daryl Nap
per feels that g?t his team into the nationals
this year.
~ "These players have a special thing for
each other, not the type of thing that you see
with other players on other teams," Napper
said of the team that will be in Kingsport,
Tenn. July 9-16 as North Carolina's top steed
during the AAU nationals.
"When you have a special kind qf love
these slavers have for each other, it Will take
you a long way. The only team that cap beat
a team like that is a team with the same
thing and it will have to be an off-day for
our team to lose." \ , '
The Lakers must have had that bond
wdrfcing this weekend, beating its four oppo
nents for an average of 22 points. The Lak
ers defeated Salisbury 86-67, the Greens
boro Gaters 91-56, the Charlotte Royals 90
75 before beating the Durham Eagles 82-S2?
in the championship game.
"They're aren't any superstars* on this
S#? SPECIAL LOVE Page 20
Players Relive Basketball Glory Days in Winston Lake Adult
League
By MICHAEL JOHNSON
Chronicle Sports Writer
Weekend basketbalLwarrior Guy Morgan grabs
the pass from his teammate with two players surround
ing him. Instead of pump faking~~or~ passing the baTT
back out to the open man, Morgan does something he's
known by his, teammates for.
Dunking the ball. .
With an emphatic slam. Morgan races down the
court pumped up. Not only does he excites the modest
sized crowd and his teammates, but his opponents join
in on the celebration. According to Morgan, it's all part
of the fun at the Winston bake YMCA Adult League, a
league for older players who only want to play on Satur
day afternoons.
"We all play hard to win. but the most important
thing for us is to stay in shape and get some good exer
cise," said Morgan, a former Wake Forest basketball
standout from 1979-82. "We still want to show others
? and ourselves ? that we still like to play the game.
"But." Morgan says with a laugh, "Ire know we're
not any spring chickens anymore."
This is the second year of the men's league, which
has existed off and on during the Winston Lake Family
YMCA's existence. After many of its male members
asked about starting a league for themselves, the
YMCA decided to field a eight-team division for those
men 21 and older.
Most of the players ? who admitted to being in
their thirties ? have played in adult leagues around
town at other recreational centers and YMCAs^The
major difference ? and advantage. the plavers sav ? is
the schedule, which makes coming to the games easier.
"It's just better for everyone because we all work
during the week and there are some things we need to
take care of on Saturday mornings." Michael Griffin
said. "So we can do what we have to do and get together
and play some ball with our fflends."
The only requirements for the teams is each squad
must have five to 12 members. The eight squads ?
Boyz II Men. Too Much, teams sponsored by Discount
Records. Sara Lee and Lee Jean and two named after its
head coaches ? started playing in late March. Registra
tion for each team is $300 and the teams play on a
round-robin. si\-game schedule. In late May. the teams
will play a playoff-stvle tournament tor the senior
league championship.
Most players agree the best aspect is playing
against friends they haven't seen since high school.
After each game, the players joke and reminisce about
shots they could make 15 years ago and now can't. But
despite the camaraderie and fnefvdjhip exhibited by
, opposing teams, it is clear what each person's objective
is.
"Vv'e all want a shot at that championship." Denor
Guy Morgan slams home two points.
ris Nichols said. "Don't let anyone fool you out here,
because it wouldn't be fun if we didn't have something
to play for."
Said Michael Mclntyre. who with Curtis Canty has
a team named after him."We~atl play in a competitive
spirit, but we all want to win. It wouldn't be anything
but a pickup game if we didn't. But we don't get out of
hand with it. We all just want to h;we a little fun."
Griffin, who played in the Hanes Hosiery men's
league last fall, said the Winston Lake league is more
fitting to players who fit his age group. He said the time
and day makes it easier for the 'older players to join,
whereas other leagues are more accessible to younger
players.
"Most of the people in other leagues are younger
and they play all the time. 1 can't run with the gym rats,
the young kids anymore," he said. "So one day a week
is enough to satisfy my basketball fever."
While Nichols said some of the players have a
slight loss their Skills; the effort and intensity more
than makes up for it. And the most important thing is
for everyone {o come out and haye a good time.
"It's great to get together with old friends, no mat
ter who wins or loses," Bill Tibbs said. "Instead of sit
ting around the house on Saturday, we're out getting
some exercise and competing in a well-run, well-spon
sored league."
ENTERTAINMENT
ArtsReach column pub
lished poems written by
participants in the Young
Black Writers Program.
Page 28
RELIGION
Goler Memorial A.M.E.
Zion Church will hold the
5th Annual Gospel Music
Concert on May 1 .
Page 25
BUSINESS
Ray Robinson has been
elected AT&T vice presi
dent of corporate
relations.
Page 27