File Photo
Calvin "J-Nlan" Gantt gets harassed during an earlier game this season. Gantt realizes his
weaknesses as a player.
Gantt
from pa Re B I
even sacrificed playing his best
position (small forward) to
help the team with his leader
ship, passing ability and
knowledge of the game from
the point guard position.
"I d rather play
the three," Gantt
said, "...but I'll
play where I can.
I'm trying to do
what I need to do to
help this team.
Sometimes it
works, and some
times it doesn't."
Gantt's ability
to play basketball
isn't really some
kind of rumor or
potential. He has some things
he needs to work on. He knows
that. One of the things is his
right hand. He's got to develop
a right hand."
Gantt added: "Yeah. I do
need to work on my dribbling,
especially with my right hand.
I try to always get better. And I
may come across as cocky or
McCoy
whatever, but I'm
always trying to get
better and listening to
advice from older
people like my aunt,
my dad (Calvin Jr.)
and Aaron (Bailey)."
"I also need to
work on my attitude
sometime," Gantt
continued. "My dad,
my aunt and my mom
tell me about my atti
product ot the media. Accord
ing to several people familiar
with Gantt. he has been good
for a very long time.
"I knew he was going to be
special when he used to play at
Carl Russell," said local coach
Angela Lambson. who is also
Gantt's aunt. "He's a great
young athlete with a lot of
lude most ot the time. I m just
an emotional person some
times. I let situations get the
best of me sometimes. But I'm
working on that being my
number one things seriously."
Gantt's best skill seems to
be his defense. His wing span
is a lot longer than the average
ninth-grader, and he never
seems to cease with his attack
One-on-One
from i>a%e B2
(keeping) our teams here and
inviting teams from around the
nation to be showcased. Guys
are getting the opportunity to
play guys from all over, in front
of all kinds of college coaches
simply by playing in the Frank
now.
Anthony: I can't help but
believe you're happy with the
exposure you might be getting
with the Frank Spencer being so
big now.
.Jeff: Yeah (smiles), but
you've got to showcase yourself
every year, in all kinds of game*.
So I'm happy to showcase my
talent in front of more coaches.
You never know who might be
watching.
Anthony: Everyone has
been talking about Eric Wallace,
but who would you say is the
most important part of this team?
Jeff: Everybody has their
role. You can't really single one
person out. There are so many
people that are important to this
team. This is a team thing.
Anthony: Do you like play
ing for coach (Lee) Reavis?
Jeff: Yeah, coach Reavis
keeps us in line. He makes sure
we dress up for games. He
makes sure we look alike. He
makes sure we stay ahead of the
game with books and things like
that.
Anthony: He kind of seems
like a player's coach. Do you-all
got along with him better than
most athletes do their coach?
Jeff: Oh yeah (smiles), he
interacts with us a lot. He's a real
cool coach.
Anthony: Now Glenn had a
pretty good football season. You
all also finished well in baseball
last year. If things go right, bas
ketball season will be a success
too. Now. does that make Glenn
the top school in the city in your
eyes?
Jeff: We've been that for a
while. Glenn has a tradition of
being the best school, athletic
wise. I mean. Josh Howard went
to Glenn and so many other
players. We just don't get any
on opponents.
"He's got great hands-on
defense," McCoy said. "He
gets his hands on a lot of halls,
and that leads to a number of
steals. That really helps us in
the long run."
One would think that
Gantt's best attribute would be
his jump shot, with a nickname
like "J-Man."
"No, that's not why that's
my name," Gantt said with a
smile. "My grandma gave me
that name when I was little.
She called me that when I was
born. I pretty much knew my
name was J-Man before I knew
h was Calvin."
Now Gantt has his mind on
helping the Demons have a
good season. He is also con
centrating on accomplishing
some of his long-term goals.
"There's a lot that I want to
do with my life." Gantt con
cluded. "I want to go to col
lege. hopefully Division I. and
play basketball. I'd like to go
to the NBA. If 1 don't make it
to the NBA. I'd like to start my
own business. If everything
works out like I hope, then I'll
make those things happen."
Photo by Anthony Hill
Jeff "J -Rich" Adams also plays in recreational leagues at
Reynolds Park after the high school season concludes.
credit. After this season, we
should be considered the best.
Anthony: Who's the top ath
lete at Glenn?
JefT: Probably Chris Jacobs.
I mean, he plays all three sports,
so I'd probably go with Chris.
Anthony: Who do you have
the best relationship with on the
team?
Jeff: Best relationship?
Hmmm.It's probably T.J. Leak.
We grew up together .at
Reynolds Park. Me and Jay Sin
gletary are close too. We went to
middle school together.
Anthony: Jeff, you seem
like a guy that's elevated your
game, not just physically, but
emotionally too. It's not rare to
see you barking out orders and
running the team. You seem to
be more vocal this year. Have
you turned into a floor general?
Jeff: (Smiles.) Yes. I mean. I
have a big role. I need to make
sure everybody is in line. I might
not be barking out orders. You
may catch me just telling some
one where to go. I just have to
play my part. Everyone else has
lo play their part too.
Anthony: Jeff, you're so
emotional. Even after the game
last night, you showed your
emotions by celebrating after the
game. Are you always like that,
or were you just real happy last
night?
Jeff: I mean. I could hold
back. There was a reason for that
last night. I mean, we knew we
were gonna win. but that showed
everybody that we were gonna
win. I was happy. Everybody
was pulling against us. and we
showed them.
Anthony: How much has
the Frank Spencer been on your
mind before it actually started
this week?
Jeff: It's been on my mind a
lot. They announced that it was
going national over the summer,
right?
Anthony: Right.
Jeff: I've been thinking
about it ever since then, and we
were in the national bracket. And
everyone was talking about
"Baby Shaq" and "Baby Vince
Carter.'" (Both giggle.) I mean.
Lady Aggies fall to Gardner- Webb
CHRONICLE STAFF Kt II IK I
The Lady Aggies of N.C.
A&T got a tremendous game
from freshman LaKeisha
Williams, but it wasn't enough to
get by Gardner-Webb last week.
back on top by 2, Smith hit a pair
of free throws to tie the game for
the sixth time. Redshirt freshman
Candyse Kelly nailed a jumper
on Gardner- Webb's next posses
sion to give the Bulldogs their
first lead of the second
Oardner-Webb s
Brittany Harmon
scored a career-high
17 points and Shame
ka Smith recorded
her second double
double of the season
as the Lady Bulldogs
rallied from a 13
point halftime deficit
to defeat N.C. A&T
69-65. With the Bull
dogs trailing 43-30 at
Williams
half.
A 3-pointer by
Yanumbe Sherman put
N.C. A&T back up by
1, but Harmon was
again there for GWU,
scoring a layup off a
Smith steal and a
Kelly pass. A pair of
free throws from
Williams put the
Aggies back on top
briefly, but a Sequenta
intermission, Harmon scored 9
points, including 7 in a row for
GWU, in a 17-4 Gardner- Webb
run to open the half and tie the
score at 47-all.
After a jumper by N.C.
A&T's Williams put the Aggies
Blackman jumper with 7:26 to
play gave Gardner- Webb the lead
for good.
After both teams traded bas
kets, GWU sophomore Novia
Sturdivant nailed a 3 - the Bull
dogs' only one of the game - and
then made good on a breakaway
layup lo pul Gardner- Webb up by
6. A Smith layup pushed the lead
to 8 points, but another Sherman
3 and Malea Gibson free throw
brought N.C. A&T to within 4 at
64-60 with just under two min
utes to play.
Gardner-Webb was able to
put the game away from the free
throw line, as Sturdivant. Katie
Gravel and Blackman combined
to go S-for-6 in the final minute
of play.
Williams finished with a
game-high 22 points for N.C.
A&T, while Sherman scored 20,
including going 6-for-13 from
beyond the arc. Harmon pulled
down seven rebounds to go with
her 17 points and matched her
career high in steals with four.
Despite tjie defeat. Williams was
named Rookie of the Week earli
er this week by the league.
The Aggies fell to 1-8 with
the loss.
Wright c
from page B I
coached some of the best players
to come out of this area. I think I
can be with that group one day."
And so do Gould and many
other fans that have seen the
super star play.
Wright has plenty of people
saying he could be the next great
bailer to come out of the city.
Even Gould is impressed with the
talent of his latest pupil.
"He's special," Gould said.
"He's a very special kid. He's a
key to us winning. When he goes,
we go. If he doesn't go. then we
don't go. He controls everything.
Marcus has the potential to be
one of the best guards I've
coached."
That's a big statement, con
sidering Gould has coached play
ers such as former N.C. State and
Parkland star Clifford Crawford,
UNC sophomore Reyshawn
Terry. Wake Forest freshman
Cameron Stanley, Winthrop
freshman Chris Gaynor and Chris
Paul, to name a few.
"You'll see." Gould said with
a smile. "He can really do some
amazing things. He's such a
smart player that you really don't
have to tell Marcus much. He
kind of reminds me of Chris
(Paul). I mean, there will proba
bly never be another Chris, but he
reminds me of him."
"I still remember the first
time that I saw Chris (Paul) play,"
Gould continued. "I begged his
dad to let me coach. I immediate
ly saw something special in him.
I knew he was a very special
player. I felt very similar to that
the first time I saw Marcus play.
He would be playing varsity if he
File photo
Marcus Wright watches an opponent prepare to shoot a free
throw during a game earlier this season.
were at any other school. It would
be a crime not to. He has a lot of
potential. I really think he could
be one of the best players to play
in the city in the future."
Gould is happy as ever to
have a player such as Wright on
his team. He thinks Wright can
do a lot for his program with his
success on and off the court.
"All the players are real good
kids," Gould said. "One of the
best parts about coaching here is
the kids on the team. Marcus is an
example of that. He does his
schoolwork. He works hard on
the court, and he does what we
tell him to do. He shows you that
it's all right to come to Winston
Salem Preparatory."
Wright added: "I do whatever
I need to do to help us. win. I'm
real confident that we will have a
good season. We've got the play
ers with the skills. We just need to
play together and we'll be fine."
Wright has helped the team to
a 3-4 record (as of Dec. 28). He
has excelled with his scoring.
rebounding, assists and steals.
Wright averages 29 points, six
rebounds, nine,' assists and four
steals per game. He has destroyed
teams with his great ball han
dling. shooting and passing this
season. Gould said Wright and
the rest of his guys have played
well so far this year. He simply
wants them to learn how to close
out teams.
"Marcus has helped us really
get off to a good start," Gould
said, "but we've still got to
improve on some things. We
need to leam how to close out
teams. We've lost four games by
a total of 9 points, and we were
leading in every one of those
games."
Wright added: "Sometimes
you just can't pull out games. I'm
confident in this team, and 1 think
we can do some good things for
our school this year. We'd like to
win the Lash tournament and
then close out the season with
some wins. 1 think we'll do pret
ty (well) the rest of the season."
the Vince dude was pretty good.
I don't know about Baby Shaq.
(Smiles.) Maybe he'll develop
later.
Anthony: Did you have but
terflies before the first game?
Jeff: (Smiles.) Yeah, a little
bit. That was a big game for me.
Anthony: Now, the team
had a good season last year and
seemingly fell apart in the play
offs.
Jeff: (Smiles.)
Anthony: Are you worried
about having any kind of let
down this year?
Jeff: No, we're more togeth
er this year. Last year, we were
together, but people started try
ing to do their own thing. I think
everyone wants to be a team this
year.
Anthony: I'm a former ath
lete. You know that. But when I
played, and even nowadays,
many athletes did things that
weren't necessarily good for
their health like drinking, fight
ing, smoking or something stu
pid. How have you been able to
steer away from bad peer pres
sure and do the right things?
Jeff: I just walk away. I
mean. I go out and I see what
goes on. But it's not for me. It's
thai easy for me. No pressure at
all. I can't tell other people how
to live their lives, though.
Anthony: OK. who influ
enced you more than anyone in
your life?
Jeff: That would probably be
my parents and coach Reavis.
Anthony: Let's move on.
Where can people catch J-Rich
during your free time?
.left: At home. (Giggles.)
You can catch me at Reynolds
Park. Everybody knows that.
I'm always playtng basketball -
shooting or something. If you
fall off for one second, it's a
wrap.
Anthony: What's your per
sonal life like?
JefT: P ve got a girlfriend. I
go out on Saturdays. I'll proba
bly go out this Saturday. My life
is just like anybody else.
Anthony: Have you been
watching the college bowl
games?
Jeff: I ve been watching a
few of them. I'm waiting on the
national championship game.
Anthony: Who's gonna
win?
Jeff: Oklahoma.
Anthony: A'ight. Which
NBA team is your favorite?
Jeff: I used to be a Lakers
fan. My new favorite team is the
Rockets.
Anthony: How far do you
think Wake Forest will make it
this year?
Jeff: They have a chance to
win it all. I've watched a few of
their practices. With the chem
istry they have, they could do it.
* Anthony: Give me your top
three bailers of all time.
Jeff: Michael Jordan. Larry
Bird and Dwayne Wade.
Anthony: Cool. Let's close
out with free association. You
know the drill.
Jeff: Yep.
Anthony: Favorite food.
Jeff: Chicken.
Anthony: Favorite song.
Jeff: "Let's Get It On."
Anthony: Justin Gray.
Jeff: Shooter and hard work
er.
Anthony: "J-Rich."
Jeff: Too cool.
Anthony: Kobe Bryant.
Jeff: What were you
thinkin'?
Anthony: State champs.
Jeff: Big accomplishment.
Anthony: That's it, man.
Good luck with the season.
Jeff: Thanks, man.
In Celebration
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In
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Saturday, January 15th . Charlotte Coliseum
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I Ivlnyntonii rollrirjn v?.
North Carolina Central Uni'
7pm
Johnann C Smith University v*
Wlnwtnn Snlpm Stntc tJnl verwlt ?i
9pm
IJf>n??dlrt I nllf*qn v?.
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