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SPORTSAID^e Charlotte
Thursday, July 20, 2006
For the Week of July 18-24, 2006
COMINGS
AND
GOINGS
HBA com photo
OUT AND IN: "Big" Ben
out to Chicago, Ronald
Murray, Lindsey Hunter in
with the Detroit Pistons.
T O'NEAL SCORES; NEW TUSKEGEE,
STILLMAN, ALBANY STATE HOOP COACHES
UNDER THE BANNER
WHAT’S GOING ON IN AND AROUND BLACK COLLEGE SPORTS
O'NEAL FINISHES THIRD:
Former Jackson State golfer Tim O'Neal put togeth
er his best finish and best payday on the Nationwide Tour
this year with a tie for third at
last week's Scholarship
America Showdown at
Somerby.
O'Neal carded an
eagle-3 on the 72nd hole at
the Somerby Golf Club in
Byron, Mn., to top off his
Bcsp Photo final round 69 and finish two
O'NEAL: Third-place finish strokes behind Jeff Quinney
nets his biggest payday on s„edeker. who
this years Nationwide Tour. . ,
tied for the top spot.
Snedeker won the title on the second hole of the sudden
death playoff.
O'Neal shot 67-70-68-69 for a 14-under 274 total, tied
with Kyle Thompson for third. They both took home
$31,900. It was O'Neal’s biggest finish and payday this sea
son, topping his tie for eighth and the $11,300 he took
home at last month's Chattanooga Classic. His outing
increased his money total this year to $78,133, now 35th on
the Tour's money list.
The top 20 money winners on the Nationwide Tour at
the end of the year gain full exemption to the PGA Tour.
The next Nationwide event is this week's Price Cutter
Charity Championship in Springfield, Missouri.
SAVANNAH STATE ON HOLD:
According to the Savannah Morning News, The Mid-
Eastein Athletic Conference has placed the Savannah
State University athletic department's application for
admission on hold until 2009, when the SSU football pro
gram's three-year NCAA probation ends.
"We recently received a letter from the MEAC dated
July 5, in which Commissioner Dennis E. Thomas
informed us that the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference has
decided not to act upon our application until we have com
pleted the NCAA probationary period," SSU sports infor-
■ mation director Opio Mashariki wrote in an e-mail Friday,
responding to an inquiry by the Savannah Morning News.
Thomas and Dr. William Harvey, Hampton’s presi
dent and chairman of the MEAC's Council of Chief
Executives, which, made the decision, did not respond to
Savannah Morning News requests seeking an explanation
for the decision.
SSU’s football program was put on probation May 19
for NCAA violations following an investigation that began
Oct. 18, 2004. SSU is on probation through May 18, 2009.
JUNIOR OLYMPICS AT MSU:
More than 7,000 youth athletes from around the nation
will descend on the campus of Morgan State University
on July 25, 2006 for the USA National .lunior Olympics
Track and Field Championships.
Morgan State is the first historically black institution
to host this annual athletic event.
"Morgan has one of the finest track facilities in the
nation, and we're proud to be able to partner with USA
Track and Field for this great event," says Tanya V. Rush,
chairperson of the local organizing committee for the
Junior Olympics. "Morgan joins with the City of Baltimore
and the State of Maryland in welcoming these outstanding
young athletes."
One of the most visible developmental athletic pro
grams in the world, USA Track and Field holds 200 pre
liminary meets, 57 association championships, and 16
regional championships to determine the field for the
Junior Olympics.
The championships, scheduled from July 25-30, will
crown champions from ages 7-18 in the traditional track
and field events and the heptathlon, pentathlon, decathlon
and race walk. Some of the winners from this year’s Junior
Olympics will be selected to participate in the International
Association of Athletics Federation's World Youth
Championships in August of this year.
No stranger to athletic achievement in track and field,
the Morgan.State women's track and field team won the.
Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Outdoor champi
onships in 2005. In 1996, Morgan alumnus Rochelle
Stevens, a guest speaker for the Junior Olympics opening
ceremony, was a member of the American 1600 meter relay
team which won the gold medal in the Summer Olympics
in Atlanta.
PRO FILE
Shaw’s Flip Murray now a Piston
Former Shaw University
guard and CIAA Player of the Year
Ronald "Flip" Murray, a free
agent who played for Seattle and
Cleveland this season, has agreed to
terms with the Detroit Pistons on a
two-year $3.6 million contract.
Murray, the NCAA Div, II
player of the year during his senior
year at Shaw (2002), finished out
this season as a combo guard for the
Cleveland Cavaliers after a trade
from Seattle. He averaged 11.2
NBA.com Photo
MURRAY: Signs two-
"Flip really helped us win
games when we needed to,"
Cleveland general manager Danny
Ferry said after last season.
Even more perfect for the
Pistons was the price at which they
got him. The Pistons originally
offered the majority of their mid
level exception to Murray, but
Murray hesitated to take it, hoping
to get a more lucrative deal else
where.
In the meantime, the Pistons
points for the year. The Cavs were year deal to play for found out that they were losing Ben
18-7 with Murray in the starting Detroit,
lineup after he was acquired when
starting off-guard Larry Hughes went down with
an injury. Murray averaged 13.8 points for the
Cavs.
Detroit had been looking for a combo guard
who could penetrate to the basket and produce
instant offense off the bench and Murray appears
to be a perfect fit. Murray made a name for him
self two years ago in Seattle when he was insert
ed into the starting lineup on opening night after
Ray Allen suffered an injury and scored 20 or
more points in 10 of his first 11 games.
Last week, Murray decided to accept
Detroit's two-year offer,
"We really feel like Flip is going to be able
to step in and give us depth, scoring and tough
ness," said Pistons’ General Manager Joe
Dumars. "We think Flip is going to continue to
get better as a player for us."
Wallace and made Nazr Mchamed
an offer. When Mohammed accept
ed, Murray was left without a big suitor,
In the end, the Pistons were able to fill both
their needs — adding a center to replace Wallace
and adding some scoring punch to their back-
court-
While no one is pretending that the Pistons
are going to be better without Wallace, they are
adding some depth to what once was a paper thin
rotation.
OTHER PROS
Murray was not the only former black col
lege player making headlines in the NBA, nor
was he the only one involved with the Pistons.
- Former Virginia Union center and CIAA
standout, Ben Wallace, a four-time NBA defen
sive player of the year with Detroit, accepted a
four-year $60 million free agent contract to join
the Chicago Bulls, Wallace averaged 7.3 points
and 11.3 rebounds per game for the Pistons.
- Former Jackson State guard and SWAC
standout Lindsey Hunter inked a two-year $4.5
million contract to remain with the Pistons.
Hunter averaged 2.9 points per game last season
but was valuable as a back-up point guard and
on-ball defender.
TRYING TO MAKE IT
• Former Hampton guard Devin Green,
who made the Los Angeles Lakers squad as an
undrafted free agent last year, averaged 9.0
points and 4.0 rebounds for the Lakers’ squad in
the Long Beach Summer Pro League.
• Former Prairie View center Roderick
Riley, playing for Cleveland in the Toshiba Las
Vegas Summer League averaged just four min
utes per game over five games. The 6-11 pivot
man scored just one point,
• Former Virginia Union standout Wayne
Wallace, like his uncle Ben a former center for
the Panthers, and former University of the
District of Columbia guard Rasheim Wright,
saw limited playing time with Detroit in the
Vegas Summer League. Wright averaged 7.8
minutes over the Pistons' four games while
Wallace logged just 2.7 (min.) per game. Wright
had a total of seven points while Wallace did not
score.
• Former North Carolina Central guard
David Young, playing for New Jersey in the
Orlando Summer League averaged about 10
minutes per game and scored at a 2.8 ppg. clip.
c
V
TU Sports Photo
DOUGLAS: Former
Alabama star to lead
BCSP News
Tuskegee pegs former hoops standout
Douglas to lead basketball fortunes
"Diskegee University has named 2005-06 SIAC Basketball
Tournament Championship coach and former Detroit Piston Leon
Douglas as its new head men's basketball coach.
Douglas spent the 2004-2006 seasons
coaching at Stillman College, where he led the
team to victory in the 2005-06 SIAC champi
onship. Over the two years he had an impressive
34-24 record.
"I am excited about the opportunity to
become a part of the Tuskegee University fami
ly," said Douglas. "My vision is that we be com
petitive and my goal is that we win national
championships."
The Alabama native, earned a degree in
social work from the University of Alabama ^ ,
- ,, , . ' ' . ' Goldon Tiqsrs-
after an outstanding playing career with the'
Crimson Tide. He was a four-time Ail-SEC selection, the first Alabama
player to achieve that distinction since Jerry Harper earned it in 1953-56.
During Douglas' career, he was a first team All-American selection by
the United States Basketball Writers Association in 1975 and 1976, and
SEC Player of the Year in 1975 and 1976. Douglas was also a member
of the Gold Medal 1976 United States Pan American Team that played in
Mexico City. He was Alabama's first, first round NBA draft pick, select
ed fourth overall by the Detroit Pistons in 1976.
Douglas played four years with the Pistons and then joined the
Kansas City Kings from 1980 to 1983. He went on to play in the Italian
Basketball League from 1984 -1992 with Venice, Bologna, Pistoia,
Florence, and Siena. In 1985, we was a member of the French
Championship team. Douglas' stellar career led to his being inducted into
the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame in 1995.
"I am impressed with Coach Douglas’ thorough knowledge of the
techniques and broad aspects of basketball," said Tuskegee President
Benjamin F. Payton. "He knows and has championship experience with
playing, coaching and recruiting. His professional experience, coupled
with his proven leadership and mentoring of student-athletes, makes him
a strong choice to lead the Tuskegee Golden Tigers.”
Brown to lead Stillman hoopsters
The Stillman College Athletics Department has named Angelyne
Brown as its new women's basketball coach last week.
Brown, who takes over the positions that was previously filled by
Sherri Harris, becomes the sixth women's basketball head coach in nine
years. Brown takes over the Lady Tiger program after a year coaching
hiatus to work on a master's degree.
BCSP Notes
NC A&T drops men's tennis
Effective immediately. North Carolina
A&T State University will discontinue its
men's tennis intercollegiate athletics program.
All current men’s tennis scholarships will be
honored for the 2006-2007 school year. Players
will not lose a year of eligibility, allowing
transfers to play immediately,
"In light of the challenges facing our ath
letics budgets, it was felt that the discontinua
tion of men’s tennis would assist us in realizing
a more competitive budget for other sports,"
said Director of Athletics Dee Todd. Without
men’s tennis, N.C. A&T has 15 varsity sports.
The NCAArequires 14 for Division I status.
"This was an extremely difficult decision;
no athletics director enjoys eliminating a
sport," "The department will investigate the
possibility of adding men's golf in the near
future. We thank the members of the men’s ten
nis team for all they have done for North
Carolina A&T."
"I am very excited about coming to
Stillman," said Brown. "All of the people that I
have met during the interviewing process and
after I accepted the job have been very nice and
helpful. You have to have a good working envi
ronment. Also, I will be getting an experienced
team that has been competitive in the SIAC. We
have some talented athletes and I want to help
them grow on the court and in the class room."
Brown's last coaching experience was at
Morgan State University where she led that pro- stiiiman Sports Photo
gram from 2002-2005 posting an 8-76 record. Her BROWN: Takes over
career coaching record is 159-175. at Stillman
Before becoming the head coach at Morgan
State, she coached in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
(S1.4C), spending eight years as the head coach at Clark Atlanta
University posting a 151-99 record'(.799) while winning the postseason
tournament in 1999. She had no losing, sevens at CAU and reached the
SIAC tournament semifinals in 2002, and was the 2001 tournament nm-
ner-up.
Prior to taking over at Clark Atlanta, she was an assistant coach at
Ihskegee University and Spelman College. Brown graduated from
Clark College in 1987 with a bachelor's degree in physical education.
Albany State promotes assistant
to Interim head basketball position
Albany State named former assistant basketball coach, Chris
Cameron, as the men's basketball coach on an interim basis. Cameron
has spent four of the last five seasons as the Rams assistant coach, and is
ready to get started with his first head coaching position. The position had
been empty since John I. Davis stepped down at the end of the school
year. The Rams never brought in any other candidates to interview for
the job, but Cameron says he didn't take anything for granted.
"I prayed that it would happen," says Cameron. "Once Davis
resigned, I knew I was the front-runner to be the head coach, so I just
prayed everything would work out in my favor, and just continue to
work." Cameron says the school hasn’t given him any requirements to
meet to earn the position permanently.
"No one has talked to me about that. My main thing is just try to be
successful. As long as I'm successful, I'm sure I'll fulfill any expectations
they have."
The Rams return all five starters and nine of their top players from
last year. ASU finished 16-13 during the 2005-2006 season and bowed
out in the semifinals of the SIAC tournament.
This is Cameron's first time as a head coach though he has compiled
a 1-1 record while filling in for Davis.
Shaw drops baseball,
indoor track and golf
Shaw University has dropped its CIAA
championship baseball program and is also
eliminating indoor track and golf in an overhaul
of its athletic programs.
According to a story in the Raleigh News
and Observer, the moves are a way to "roll
money into other programs ... roll money into
basketball and football," said Shaw Associate
Athletic Director, Dianthia Ford-Kee.
FAMU's Hargrett captures Gold
Florida A&M sprinter Chris Hargrett
captured two medals last weekend for Team
USA at the 2006 North American, Central
American and Caribbean (NACAC) U-23
Track and Field Championships at the
Panamerican Stadium in Santo Domingo,
Dominican Republic.
Hargrett, the 2006 Mid-Eastern Athletic
Conference champion in the 100 and 200
meters and the anchor for the victorious FAMU
4x100 meter relay team, won gold here as part
of the victorious Team USA 4x100 meter relay
team, while capturing bronze with a third place
finish in the 100 meter final.
The Orlando native, who will be a senior
for Coach Rey Robinson's Rattler Track team
in 2006-07, turned in the fastest time in the
qualifying rounds of the 100 meters on Friday,
©AZEEZ Communications, Ir
with a 10.42, before
turning in a 10.28 time
for third in the final.
In the 4x100 meter
relay, Hargrett ran the
third leg for Team
USA's combo, which
included Gary Jones,
Carlos Moore and
Florida State's Greg
Bolden, which sizzled to
a 39,38 gold medal fin-
. . relay gold and sprint
„ bronze at NACAC
Hargrett is the third
straight Rattler thinclad
to compete in national and international com
petition, following sprinter Sheldon Morant
(2004) and 800 meter phenom Kevin Hicks
(2005).
Five hundred athletes from 28 countries
competed in the fourth edition of the champi
onships. The NACAC Athletic Association's
U23 Championships are held every two years
in one of the 32 member nations of the North
America, Central America and Caribbean
Athletic Association, one of six regional athlet
ics associations affiliated with the International
Association of Athletics Federations (lAAF).