Aggies end classic with win C HRONICLE STAFF RETORT in a place like Las Vegas, things don't always go as planned. Make the North Carolina A&T men's bas ketball team the exception. The Aggies defeated Coastal Carolina 72-60 last Saturday after noon to close out the Global Sports Classic at UNLV's Thomas & Mack Arena. Junior guard Dwane Joshua led the Aggies with 21 points on 6 for-9 shooting. Tavarus Alston added 13 points, while Robert Johnson fin ished with 12 points and seven rebounds. Going into the Global Sports Classic, head coach Jerry Eaves felt his Aggies could double down and go from two wins to four by the time N.C. A&T left Vegas. The Aggies are 4-3 on the season by beating the two mid-majors Eave>s thought they could beat. They also put a scare into UNLV, and the Aggies will go into their first conference game of the sea??n at home on Saturday against Norfolk State with a little momen tum. In all. the Aggies shined in the City of Lights. "This was a big win over a well-coached team," said Eaves. "I thought we could come away from this tournament with at least two wins and that is what we did. I enjoy coaching this team. This is an easy bunch of guys to coach. You can see us getting better and bet ter each and every game." As has been customary for the Aggies this season, they began to pull away from an opponent in the second half. After holding a 23-22 lead at the half, the Aggies gradually began to pull away six minutes into the second half. The Aggies led 29-27 when Nic Wilson popped open for a 3-pointer to put the Aggies up five. Seconds later, Wilson would hit another three to complete the Aggies short 6-0 run Photo by Charles Watkin* N.C. A&T's Ed Jones goes up for a shot. The Aggies will host Norfolk State on Saturday at 4 p.m. that gave them a 35-27 lead with 13:07 remaining in the game. N.C. A&T went back-and-forth with the Chanticleers over the next four minutes, keeping their lead between six and nine in the process. The Chanticleers' Mario Edwards finally broke through with a 3-point er that put the Chanticleers down four, 41-37, with 9:53 to go. Joshua quickly answered. His three from the corner put the Aggies up by seven 16 seconds later. oCoastal Carolina never got the lead under seven again after the Joshua three. Joshua put the closing touches on the Chanticleers with three minutes remaining when his layup gave the Aggies their biggest lead of the game at 60-49. The Aggies return to Greensboro after a nine-day West coast visit. The Aggies will take on the Norfolk State Spartans, who will visit Corbett Sports Center Saturday afternoon at 4. "They have great guards and they have kids who can light it up," said Eaves about the Spartans. "(Corey) Lyons and (Michael Deloach) are as good as it gets in our league. They will present a huge challenge to us." Curry is named j Lott Trophy finalist ! CHRONICLE STAFF REPORT ? ? Wake Forest senior linebacker Aaron Curry has been named one of four finalists for the fifth annual Lott Trophy. Curry, a 6-3, 247-pound strong side linebacker, leads Wake Forest with 101' tackles and 1 5 tackles for loss. He has 2.5 sacks, three pass breakups, three fum ble recoveries and an interception this season. Curry was highly recommended by his head coach, Jim Grobe, defensive coordinator. Brad Lambert, and Wake Forest academic counselor Hunter Willard "He is not only an outstanding foot ball player but more importantly a great person." said Grobe. "It has been an honor to be along for the ride this young man is leading our team on," said Lambert. Willard added: "I can say that he is one of the most passionate and deter mined student athletes at Wake forest." The other finalists are James Laurinaitis of Ohio State. Brian Orakpo of Texas and Myron Rolle of Florida State. Each finalist receives $5.(XK) for his school's general scholarship fund and the university of the winner receives $25, (XX). The winner will be announced at a black-tie banquet at The Pacific Club in Newport Beach. Calif, on Dec. 14. Named after Hall of Famer Ronnie Lott, The Lott Trophy is awarded to college football's Defensive IMPACT Wake's Aaron Curry celebrates. Player of the Year. Now in its fifth year, , The Lott Trophy is the first and only college football award to equally recognize athletic performance and the per sonal character attributes of the player. Sponsored by The Pacific Club IMPACT Foundation, the Lott award is given to a player who exhibits the same characteristics Lott embodied during his distinguished career: Integrity, Maturity, Performance, Academics, Community and Tenacity. Voters for the award include selected members of the national media, previ ous finalists, the Board of Directors of the Pacific Club IMPACT Foundation and Legends Coaches, a distinguished group of former head college coaches. This year 's banquet is sold out. The keynote speaker will be long-time col lege football announcer Keith Jackson. Photo by Brian Westerholt/ Sports on Film JV from page B1 'Yeah, I was getting a lit tle frustrated." Mitchell said. iWe were turning the ball over in clutch time. That's - when we need to tighten things up and secure the ball. We needed to make bet ter decisions and take good shots. We go over that everyday. That's why it was frustrating to me." North went almost three minutes without a bucket in the third, and couldn't seem to stop Scrivens and Fair from getting in the lane to draw fouls. Scrivens also hit two big buckets to conclude the third quarter. Prep had a 43-42 lead heading into the fourth quarter. But everything seemed to shift towards the Vikings after NHS center Tamario Brown (9 points) muscled through the Phoenix defense for a tough bucket to start the final quarter. That gave North a 44-43 lead. North didn't let that lead go either. The Vikings went up 47-45. 50-45. 56-51 and 64-55 before slipping away with a 5-point win. Coles put the Vikings up 65-55 after he hit a free "throw with 1:50 left in the game. But Brinson and Fair wasn't ready to surrender to North. Richard "R.J." Clement also hit Some big shots for the Phoenix late in the game. Prep was able to cut the Viking lead to only 6 points with 39 seconds left. Prep played strong defense to close the game, but could n't find a way to connect with clutch free throws to end the game. o "This was a tough game tonight," said W-S Prep head JV coach Mario Price. "It was only our third game. We've had a few tough lay offs this season. We're just starting to get to the bulk of our season. I was a little dis appointed that we weren't able to do some of the things we usually do. Turnovers happen. But we didn't exe cute like I know we can. Our first goal is to win the Lash (Chronicle Holiday JV tour nament). I think we'll be fine by then. This was only a bump in the road. We're going to be a lot better." Mitchell added: "I think this was a good game. I feel like Prep will be one of the better teams we play this year. I feeMike we'll be fine if we execute what we prac tice everyday." - jjgpcy Carver from page B I pretty good too." ? The first annual Carver Basketball Classic will take place Dec. 12 and 13. which is next Friday and Saturday. Four teams will battle in the two-day event. On that Friday, Greensboro Smith will take on Winston-Salem Prep, while Carver bumps heads with West Forsyth. The opening game is scheduled for 6 p.m. On that Saturday. West will go against Smith at 6 p.m. Carver, led by the exciting Richard Daniels Jr., will battle a talented Winston-Salem Prep at 7:30 p.m. "We really didn't know if we wanted Prep and Carver to play each other during the classic," Bailey said. "Those two schools already play each other two times this season. But some peo ple on the committee felt like that would be a game people would want to watch. Overall, the event should be very enter taining. It's for a good cause too. That's the most important thing. That's the reason for this event." Bailey said that a small committee of city leaders. Carver alum and others will select the group to go on the Wall of Fame each year. Some of the candidates for the first enshrinement are J.D. Williams, David Lash and Jim Bovender ? to name a few. "I actually think that coach Poe should be in the first class as well," Bailey said. 'He's a little reluctant about that because he respects so many people that came before him. But you can't take away how important he's been for Carver athletics through the years. The first class will be small. We simply want to get it started, and give people an idea of what we're working toward. I think it's going to be a really good thing." Classic could be named after Poe The CHS Wall of Fame will be located in the hall way leading to the weight room and coaches offices in the Carver Gym. Bailey said the committee is thinking about renaming the classic after Alfred Poe ? calling it the Alfred Poe Basketball Classic. But that's something to discuss at a later time. "When I first asked coach Poe what he thought about the idea of having a classic 1 told him that I'd like to name it after him. He tries to keep the attention off of him. Like I said, there's no denying what he's meant to Carver athletics." Poe added: "Anytime people think enough of you to name something after you it's an honor. I don't know if I deserve that. But if people feel like you deserve something named after you it's a great honor. Everyone would love that. I don't have any control over that. We're really just looking forward to a good weekend of basketball. Crown Trophy will donate plaques to all the par ticipating teams. Bailty Photo by Tim Wilson The basketball action is expected to be intense during the classic next week. Broncos from page B I McA^enville team, the coach es, and fans were even watch ing Glenn to see where he would run next. On the Broncos third play, while everyone in the stadium was watching and pointing at Glenn, they missed Davis run ning untouched down the mid dle of the field for anothert long touchdown to bring theij score to 12-0. On tbe jJejSB series. Glenn, Davis aijaP Brinkley led the way Ibr the. speedster. Brown to chalk upj his own 25 yard score. Mitch; Price caught the extra point* pass from Jake Easter to make! the score 19-0. Although the entire team; was at the top of their gamey veterans Devin Klasic and! William Hayes had career out-' ings and were at the bottom o? the pile on virtually every; tackle in the first half. Some* of the other first half standouts! were Brinkley, Jackson* Southern, Jarred Scott, Zach; Barefoot, Aaron Stamper, Michael Hinesj* Price, Spencer McNeeley* Matthew Joyce, Nick; LeCompte, Austin Purvianc#,; Glenn and Squire. The Broncos stuffed the! Dolphins on four consecutive! plays to go into halftime lead-; ing 19-0. Another highlight for the big D was the perform-* ance of Austin Raines. Rained stepped up during the playoff and made several impr?Mjn|f^ tackles during the gam?? including a knee-buckler earljC in the fourth to keefC McAdenville out of the en