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Section
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SPORTS
THURSDAY, APRIL 20, 2006
Hopewell’s Jordan
gets big air for Titans
photo/cualv:n fehguson
Hopewell High senior Alphonso Jordan had the
top triple jump in the nation indoors at the Nike
Nationals.
Triple jumper looks
to improve distance
By Aisha Lide
FOR THE CHARLOTTE POST
Hopewell High senior Alphonso
Jordan is the top triple jumper in the
nation.
Jordan jumped a national best of 49
feet, 1 inch to win the Nike Indoor
Nationals, and finished third at the
Mobile Meet of Champions earlier
this month in Mobile, Ala.
He is the first from Mecklenburg
County to win the nationals in 20
years
Jordan has been running since the
sixth grade, first with the Charlotte
Flights, and now the Carolina
Mustangs in the summer. Jordan
credits AAU coach and personal
trainer TVenton Guy, and his parents
for his success.
“Trent brought me in the program
when I was just an average runner,”
Jordan said. “He pretty much devel
oped me into what I am today.”
Jordan is an3^hing but average. He
went from 44 feet in the triple jump to
49 feet this year in his development
as an early favorite for the state out
door championship.
“This all came because of his dedi
cation to his craft,” said Guy.
Jordan practices with Guy at least
twice a week, and four times a week
See HOPEWELL/2C
Playoff
field set,
opponents
must wait
HE ASSOCIATED PRESS
The NBA’s playoff field is
set. The matchups could
take a few more days.
The Lakers, Bulls, Wizards
and Kings claimed the four
spots that were remaining
entering Sunday, and all
that’s left with three days to
go in the regular season is
figuring out the seedings.
While none of the eight
first-round matchups have
been determined, Los
Angeles and Sacramento
win have the two bottom
spots in the Western
Conference _ and they both
could be dangerous. The
Lakers have the scoring of
Kobe Bryant, the Kings have
the defensive play of Ron
Artest, and botli teams are
surging down the stretch.
‘We’re not finished,” Artest
said after the Kings’ 96-79
victory over New Orleans.
‘We’ve got a long season
ahead of us. We’re far from
done. Our goal is to come out
of this year No. 1, and win a
championship.”
Bryant scored 43 points
and the Lakers routed the
Phoenix Suns 109-89. Those
teams could meet again in
the first rouhd, or Los
Angeles could end up play
ing San Antonio or Dallas,
whichever gets the No. 1
seed.
“Whoever we play, it’s
going to be tough because it’s
two great teams,” Bryant
said. ‘We just have to make
sure we do our homework
and go out there and try to
execute.”
The East field is more com
plicated. Washington (40-40)
Chicago, Indiana and
Milwaukee are with a game
of fifth. Victories Sunday by
the Bulls and Wizards elimi
nated Orlando and
Philadelphia - which hoped
to compete for the Atlantic
Division title this season.
“I take every loss hard, and
See NBA/4C
PHOTO/CURTIS WILSON
Charlotte Knights manager Razor Shines, a former standout at St Augustine’s, played briefly In
the major leagues with Montreal (below). His goal Is to prepare Knights for the big show, too.
Razor’s,
edge
Shines moves up ladder
as Knights manager
By Herbert L. White
ljerb.whiie@iheduirloneposi.com
FORT MILL — Razor Shines
knows these Charlotte
Knights.
Fourteen of them played for
Shines in the minor leagues
before he was named Knights
manager in February. He
knows what they’re capable of,
and how to exploit it.
“I’ve had these kids before, I
know their mentality for what
they do,” he said. “I know the
approach they take, so I know
we’re going to be OK”
Shines, a Durham native
who played college baseball at
St. Augustine’s, is a rising star
in the White Sox organization.
He’s developed prospects in A
Winston-Salem and AA
Birmingham, Ala., where he
led the Barons to an 82-57
record in 2005 their best since
1989. He was named Southern
League manager of the year.
“He has worked with the top
See MINOR/2C
Bobcats took a small step forward despite aehes
By Herbert L. White
herb.while@ihecharlotieposi.com
Through the injuries and
inconsistency of juggling
lineups, the Charlotte
Bobcats were decidedly bet
ter this season than their
inagural campaign.
The question now becomes
how can they keep it going.
Charlotte, which won a
franchise-record 25th game
Monday at New York, man
aged to get there without for
wards Emeka Okafor and
Sean May, the Bobcats’ best
bigmanandakeyfirontcourt •
reserve. Without them,
0#OE
Charlotte relied on small
lineups that had to create its
own opportunities.
The good news was in the
backcourt, where rookie
Ra3Tnond Felton took on the
mantle of team leader the
second half of the season.
He struggled early to
adjust to the NBA, but once
he got the hang of it, quickly
displaced Brevin Knight at
point guard. Felton is now
capable of producing double
doubles eyery game, and
maybe even triple-doubles
on occasion. New Orleans’
Chris Paul wrapped up the
rookie of the year award in
January, but Felton was
head of the class from
February on.
Knight never complained
about moving to shooting •
guard, although at 5-10, it
was a tall order for him to
check bigger opponents.
Would he want to play off
guard next season or ask for
a trade to a playoff con
tender? Bobcats Gm/coach
Bemie Bickerstaff has
options, but Knight’s too
good a lockerroom leader
and mentor to trade away
without real value in return.
The other shining light
was forward Gerald Wallace,
whose defensive skills
ranked among the NBAs
best. He averaged two steals
and two blocks a game, a
rarity in the pros, it also
made him a more effective
scorer.
Charlotte still has gaping
holes, however. The offense
lacks a go-to scorer and
health has to be a concern,
especially Okafor’s. With
access to a fiall salary cap to
spend in 2006-07, the
Bobcats will likely address
offensive firepower first.
Who has
upper
hand hi
prep^
The debate over public vi'.
private schools continues
By Eric Bozeman
FOR THE CHARLOTTE POST
The question has been asked time and again,
who is better at prep basketball, public or pri
vate schools?
Last week an all-star team from both the pri
vate schools and the public schools locked horns
in a Charlotte Pro Am All Star game, and the
Private School team dominated, winning HI
SS.
The private school team was lead by Stephen
Cuny of Charlotte Christian, Jeremy Goode of
Providence Day, and Donnell Mack of
Statesville Christian, as the private school all
stars sat on a early lead which ballooned to over
30 points early in the first half.
So is that a true indication of who is better?
Can the depth of the talent pool be proven in
one game?
“Not in an all-star game and not with a limit
ed amount of practices and restrictions on them,
it may show that they are a little deeper and I
think the depth came from half their roster
were basically fifth year seniors,” said East
Mecklenburg coach Jason Grube, who led the
See WHO/3C
JCSU to play
Savannah State,
Edward Waters
By Herbert L. White
herb.white@lhecharloiiepo.stx:oin
Johnson C. Smith will have 10 more chances
to change its football fortunes.
The Golden Bulls’ 2006 sched
ule will have a first-time oppo
nent in Edward Waters (Fla.) and
four games in Charlotte, includ
ing three at Irwin Belk Complex
on campus, where Smith is 0-9
since the facility opened in 2003.
Smith opens against Edward
Waters, an NAIA school, Aug. 26 McNeill
in the HBCU Classic in
Greenville, S.C. The Tigers went 3-7 last sea
son.
JCSU has lost 23 straight games dating back
to 2003, but Bulls head coach Daryl McNeill
hkes the schedule, which includes seven CIAA
games.
“This is a very competitive schedule like last
year,” he said. “We have our challenges with the
addition of Edward Waters and Division I-AA
Savannah State for homecoming. However, we
are excited about the upcoming football season.”
The home schedule includes CIAA East cham
pion Bowie State Sept. 9, St. Augustine’s (Oct.
14) and Fayetteville State (Oct. 21) at Belk.
Savannah State is the homecoming opponent at
Memorial Stadium. Off the schedule is
Winston-Salem State, which is moving up to I-
AA and the MEAC.
Smith will likely face N.C. Central for the
final time Nov. 4 in Durham. The Eagles are
moving up a division in 2007.
PHOTO/CURTIS WILSON
Bobcats forward Gerald Wallace (right) averaged two steals
and two blocks per game, a rarity in the NBA.