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http://www.thecharlottepost.com c Section Cliarlotte SPORTS THURSDAY JUNE 30, 2005 Black College Sports 4C Business 8C C. Jemal Horton SmaU town makes good, too We won’t even get into whether the Charlotte Bobcats made a good decision when they used theii’ first pick Tuesday night to di’aft Raymond Felton, who is gen erally considered the third-best point guard available this year. And we definitely won’t discuss the fact that the Bobcats’ atten dance will be boost ed because Felton played his col lege ball at North Carolina, which he led to a national championship back in April. Not to mention the fact that the Bobcats also selected Felton’s Tar Heel teammate, Sean May, duiing Tuesday’s NBA Draft. The thing is: All that stuff really is insignificant. This is a story about dreams and how they can come true and how they can lift an entire conmiunity “It’s a di’eam come tine,” Felton ‘said Tuesday night of being di*aft- ed. Then he added: “This is what I wanted. It means a lot because (Tm) still close to home. I love that. People back home ai'e still close. I definitely wanted to be in Charlotte.” See, folks can talk aU they want about Noith Caiolina and Chapel HiU and even Chaiiotte. But the only place that really niattere in this stoiy is Latta. Latta, S.C., is a town of just over a thousand people that for years was known more for being “not that far fiom South of the Boixier” and Myitie Beach. But over the past few years, it’s been known for being Raymond Fdton’s hometown. I was foiiunate enough to first visit Latta back in 2001, when I went there to wiite a story about a skinny, high-school junior who had stalled aeating a name for himself The kid fixjm the I-A school had sin^e-handedly dis posed of Maiyland’s famed DeMatha High School in a nation al tournament, prompting that school’s legendary coach, Moi’gan Wootten, to declai’e the kid one of the best he’d seen in a whQe, The kid, of course, was Felton. And Felton, of course, went on to fulfill all the expectations that had ' been put before him. But what struck me the most was the way that Raymond loved his town - and how the town loved him back. And I’m talking about BEFORE he became a miUion- aii’e. Back then, they used to fill up the Latta Hi^ gynmasium at 4 o’clock - just to see Raymond play around 8 p.m. Back then, you could go into a local convenience store and ask for “Raymond” —no last name needed - and they sim ply would point you towaiti the gymnasium without missing a beat. Those 1,000 or so people didn’t necessarily EXPECT Raymond to make it all the way to the NBA. Heck, making it to Chapel HiU was a monumental feat. But those folks certainly HOPED Raymond would show the whole world that great things come fiom Latta, i.e., making it to the NBA. And, after skipping his last sea son at Noiih Carolina, he did. Whether it’s the NBA or law school or HoUywood, there’s just something tinly special about see ing dreams come true. It’s even more magical when there are thousands of people shaiing in the dream. You just know they’re stiU going crazy in Latta, now that Felton’s a pro. But Felton and the fine people of Latta aren’t the only people who cheered Tliesday night. You should have seen the look on the face of Beinie Bickeretaff, the Bobcats’ general manager and coach, when he walked in to talk See LATTA/2C First-rounders are Carolina Bobcats PHOTO/CHARLOTTE BOBCATS North Carolina point guard Raymond Felton was the Charlotte Bobcats’ top pick. FROM n:\FF REPORTS The Charlotte Bobcats went for the familiar in the NBA di'aft. The Bobcats picked North Carolina point guai'd Raymond Felton with the fifth overaU pick and forward Sean May with the 13th pick. Felton averaged 12.9 points, 6.9 assists and two steals in 36 games for the Tar Heels. The 6-1, 198- pound point guard was aU-America third team and aU-ACC first team. He was named to the aU-ACC firesh- man team and was the first fi'esh- man named team MVP. Felton led North Carolina to two NCAA tour nament appeai'ances, including its fii’st national title since 1993. “Raymond Felton was the point guard on a national championship team and has the skills necessary to be a quality point guard,” said Bobcats general manager and head coach Bemie Bickerstaff. “He is veiy quick and he has improved his shooting. We feel he wiU continue to develop as a basketbaU player.” Felton, a Latta, S.C., native, left See BOBCATS/2C PHO10/WAYNE JERNIGAN Charlotte Sting head coach Trudi Lacey (left) hasn’t had the luxury of waiting out easy wins this season. The Sting is last in the WNBA Eastern Conference at 2-10. Mired at bottom of WNBA East, Sting and coach feel the heat Pressure By Herbert L. White lierbwhiteCfftliecharlotteposlrom Dawn Staley is uniquely qualified to underetand the delicate situation Charlotte Sting head coach Triidy Lacey is in. Staley, the Sting’s point guai'd, is also head coach of Tfemple’s women’s basketball program. With Charlotte stuck at the bottom of the WNBA Eastern Conference at 2-10, there’s no denying Laceys job status - she’s also the general manager - may be in the balance. “I try to see what I would do in this situation and try to help in the lock er room just as a player, knowing the pressui’e she’s feeling and I try to explain to my teammates that it’s hard,” Staley said. “It’s a hard job stability wise, her being a black woman, her being a general manag er. She’s got a lot pressure on her.” The pressure’s been on since the offseason. Lacey overhauled the ros ter, adding veterans Sheri Sam, Tangela Smith and Helen Dai'ling and draftir^ Janel McCarville first overall. But the results haven’t translated into a winning record. The Sting staited 0-3 and broke a six-game losing sti'eak Saturday with a 67-61 win over New York before a 66-61 overtime loss Tuesday against Washington. The New York win followed a two-hour team meeting in which Lacy and players cleared the air about where the team’s struggles. T like input and I accept input from my players,” she said. ‘Whatever they need me to do, I points want to do it for them. If it’s some thing I’m doing or not doing I’m aU about helping them.” As poorly as Charlotte started, there’s still hope. The Sting is three games out of the fourth and final playoff spot and three players — Staley, center Tanuny Sutton- Brown and guard Allison Feaster — were on the 2001 East champi onship team that lost 10 of its first 11 games. “The ones who are still here hold on to that 1-10 year and then going on to the championship” final, See LACEY/2C Nationals’ postseason vets hope for repeat niE ASSOCIATED PRESS WASHINGTON - Livan Hernandez disposed of the question about the Washington Nationals’ postseason hopes much Hke his array of tantalizing pitches silences opposing batters. “It’s too eai'ly It’s June,” said Hernandez, the Nationals’ 11-2 ace. "Nobody talks about winning the World Series in June. Right now, the team is playing good. That’s what’s important.” Despite sitting atop the Eastern Division at 44-31 — and with a three-game lead over second-place Atlanta — the Nationals ai'e maintaining perspective. Still, Washington players with pennant race experience notice similarities between their pasts and the present. “It reminds n^e a little bit of Cleveland,” said utility infielder Carlos Baerga, who went to the World Series with the Indians in 1995. ‘T remember in ‘91 ... when we lost over 100 games. But then we brought in some new players and turned things around. The new talent was a big part of that.” General manager Jim Bowden doesn’t have the deep pockets to sign bui'geoning starts to long-term deals like See NATIONALS/3C TAKING FLIGHT PHOTO/WADE NASH Charlotte Flights Russell Price (left) takes the baton from teammate Johnathan-Cole Bankhead during the 400 meters relay at the USA state track meet at Watauga High last week. Winners go on the the regional meet at N.C. A&T JCSU in holiday basketball classic By Herbert L. White herb.white^thef^harlottepostcom Johnson C. Smith’s Golden Bulls will spend the Christmas weekend playing basketball in southern Califoi’nia. JCSU is one of eight teams invited to play in the Black College Hoops Classic Dec. 27-29 at the Los Angeles Sports Arena. Other CIAA teams paiiicipating include Division II national champi on 'VTiginia Union, and the Panthers’ main East Division rival in recent seasons, Bowie State. Wilberforce (Ohio), Xavier (La.) Lincoln (Mo.) Wiley College and SIAC power Morehouse reund out the field. In addition *to the tourna ment, the classic wiU include education and social events ranging fi'om a celebrity game and halftime show, comedy show and national collegiate Greek step show. General admission is $100 per day and reserved tickets are $75 a day and $200 for all three da5/s. Students, alumni and seniore can get in for $20 a day for aU games or $50 for all games. IjOS Angeles Sports Arena box office: (213) 747-7111 . Web site: boxoffice®lacoliseum com Tourney supports minority golf hall By Herbert L. White lierb.whitet&thecliarlottepostjcom The achievements of minor ity golfers will be acknowl edged next month at a Charlotte tournament. The Mecklenburg County Pai'k and Recreation Department and Minority Golfers National Museum and Hall of Fame wiU host the Mnority Golfers National Pro Am Tournament at Renaissance (Coif Course on July 10. The tournament wUl start at 7:30 a.m. at 1525 West Tyvola Road. The tournament, in its third year, raises awareness and help provide funding for a haU of fame planned for Charlotte. Amateurs and pi'o- fessionals are eligible to play The Minority Golfers HaU of Fame and Museum wUl commemorate the accom plishments and contributions of minorities to golf, including the era of segregation when black golfers were banned finm many courses an clubs. The haU wUi honor traUblaz- ers such as Charlotte native CharUe Sifford, Lee Elder and James Black who opened the door for players such as Tiger Woods. The entrance fee for profes sionals is $300; amateurs can sign up for $125. Registration includes medal play with individual prize money for the pros, team scramble with prizes for ama teurs. Registration also includes green fees, golf carts, lunch at the course on Sunday and use of practice range. Deadline for registra tion is Friday For informa tion or to register, caU tourna ment director James Ross (704) 597-5529 or WUUam Chandler (704) 575-9309. The field wiU be limited to 144 players. A golf clinic wiU be held at the course July 9. #«oi
The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, N.C.)
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June 30, 2005, edition 1
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