CIAA s Battle-Ready For An Exciting Basketball Year
By James Cuthbertson
Post Sports Writer
In these parts fans in the
Central Intercollegiate Athletic
Association really got excited
about their teams.
It’s right up there near God1
and Country when you get to
talking about who is going to win
the annual championship.
-In. the pre-season poll, the
Northern favorite was Virginia
Union, a team always fighting
for the championship.
They were followed in order by
Hampton, Norfolk State, St.
Paul’s, Virginia State, Elizabeth
City State and Bowie State.
The Southern favorite was St.
Augustine’s. They were followed
by North Carolina Central, John
son C. Smith, Winston-Salem
State, Shaw, Fayetteville State
and Livingstone.
Everyone makes the CIAA
tournament now, so making the
top four to avoid being left at
home is not as important as it
used to be.
i^ast year Fayetteville State
shocked Virginia Union in a first
round game by a 77-68 score to
prove that the lower finishers
could compete. The Broncos of
FSU had finished fifth in the
Southern Division.
Elizabeth City shocked the
Bulls of JCSU 102-90 to prove that
the sixth place team in the
Northern Division could
compete.
The cream still rose to the top
as Hampton, the Northern win
ner, beat Norfolk State, a 75-74
conqueror of the Southern cham
pion St. Augustine’s 73-68 to win
the tournament.
NORTHERN DIVISION
Virginia Union returns three
starters in a 6’9” center Charles
Oakley, 6’9” Anthony Singleton
and 6’5” Gary Dalton.
Oakley averaged 19.3 points
and 13 rebounds per game.
Singleton had an 11 points per
game and 7.8 rebounds per game
average. Dalton had a 9.5 points
per game and 5 rebounds per
game average.
That is a great nucleus to start
with. The Panthers could be as
good as the 1980 championship
squad.
The Pirates of Hampton have
won two consecutive CIAA
championships.
The eight returnees are 6’10”
center Cedric Miller, 6’3” junior
Center Phil Smith (44) is making his
move towards the basket for an easy
jump shot. Coach Bob Moore is depend
ing upon the veteran pi voter to contribute
more points and rebounds to the (iolden
Hulls' attack"this season.
guard Larry Garrick and 6’4”
swingman Ai Godwin.
Miller an All-Tournament
selection averaged 9.2 points and
8.2 rebounds per game.
Norfolk State has David Pope,
6’7” forward back. Pope aver
aged 20.9 points and 11.3 re
bounds last season. He is a three
time All-CIAA selection and was
tabbed as a college division
All-American by the prestigious
Street and Smith Basketball
Yearbook.
’ He is the man the team looks to
for an outstanding season.
The Tigers of St. Paul’s lost big
men Lawrence Carr, 6’6”, and
67” forward Walk Buckhanan,
but sharp shooting guards
Charles Bell and Michael Se
ward return. Bell had an 18
points per game and hit 50
percent of his shots.
Seward had a 13.8 points per
game.
The Tigers look to improve on
last year’s 11-17 record and
make a run for the divisional
title.
The Trojans have forward Cliff
Straughn, 10.4 points per game,
12.4 rebounds per game and sub
Walt Dixon back.
They are a very balanced team
losing two all-time leading
scorers and the sixth man on the
team.
The Vikings of Elizabeth City
lost four lettermen. They return
6’3” forward Rudy Burns, 17
points per game and 6.9
rebounds per game and 61”
junior guard Benjamin Brown 16
points per game and 6’5’ re
bounds per game.
Bowie State hopes to improve.
Last year they were outscored
by 24 points per contest.
Senior forward Charles Warn- 1
er is the top returnee. He aver
aged 15.4 points and 8.8 rebounds
per game last year. Senior for
ward Renard Banks had a 12.4
points per game and a 9.4 re
bounds per game. Look for
Bowie to improve.
SOUTHERN DIVISION
With seven returning letter
men, including two starters from
last year’s 22-6 team, the Mighty
Falcons who finished second in
the NCAA Division II South At
lantic Regional are expected to
be teps^===:
Heading the list of returnees
' are point guard Emanuel Chap
man, 9.3 points per game and p
Norman Roscoe.
With four starters back from
last year’s team, in 6’8” center
Charles Murphy. 6*5“ forward
Duane Griffin. 6’3” guard Dar
nell Evans and 5'1” guard Mike
Wright the Eagles expect to be.
tough.
Murphy had an 11.9 points per
game and 7.9 rebounds per
_ game._ Griffin--H.tlpoinLs per_
game. 5 rebounds per game;
and Evans 16.1 points per game
and 4.1 rebounds per game.
Six-eight center Rodney Davis
of Charlotte and 6 1” guard T.
Carl Reid of Charlotte are ex
pected to provide instant help
Tiie Bulls have Roosevelt Mc
Gruder back with his 21.4 points
per game and 9.1 rebounds per
game. Center Phil Smith had a
12.4 points per game and a 7.5
rebounds per game average.
The weak spot is the guards.
The Senior Texas pair of Tracey
Bookman and Mike Singleton are
back for the Bulls.
"Big House" may find the
going rough this season. Anthony
Nance is a 6’4” forward who will
provide instant help along with
Eric Hudson also of Charlotte.
Top scorer Troy Russell, a 6’3”
junior guard brings his 18.1
scoring average back to help the
team.
The Shaw Bears should be
improved over last season. Isaac
Pitts returns with his 15 points
per game and 10.5 rebounds per
game. Dave I^acy, 13 points per
game and Andre Sheppard, 9.3
points per game are returnees.
The Broncos of Fayetteville
State hope to improve with Will
iam Person, 6’8” freshman. A
newcomer to watch is Joseph
Cooper from Enfield, N.C.
f&SfiiJiZiM .
/
GOLDEN BULLS
Pages I5R & I2R
CIAA PREDICTIONS
Page 2R
BSC’S NEW COACH
Page 3B
UNCC PREDICTIONS
Page I3R
A&T OUTCLASSES ME AC
Pages I2B & HH
NORFOLK STATE SPARTAN'S
Page 9B
FAYETTEVILLE STATE