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SPORTS
THURSDAY, AUGUST 31. 2006
PHOTO/CALVIN FERGUSON
Johnson C. Smith quarterback
Carlton Richardson sprints down-
field for a 67-yard touchdown run
against Edward Waters.
Savor the
flavor of
vHiiming
Losing streak over,
J.C. Smith’s focus
turns to Glenville St.
By Herbert L. White
hert)-wh(fe@fhechartbffepos/.com
After 24 weeks in the valley of
defeat, Johnson C. Smith.’ s Golden
Bulls are eager to climb a winning
streak.
“That’s the goal,” Bulls coach Darji
McNdll said after Saturday’s 19-14
win over Edward Waters (Fla.) in the
HBCU Classic in Greenville, S.C.
“It’s just so grand to know that these
kids beheve in themselves. We’ve
been fighting alone for a long time
and I’m just so happy for them, you
just don’t know.”
After more than two years of fi*us-
tration, the entire team was swept up
in the thrill of victory with hugs anH
tears handed out equally Forget
about the offense going scoreless in
the second half or the Kevin' AHen
fiunble that gave Edward Waters a
chance to steal a win late. Smith held
Please see FINALLY/2C
Prep PATs
PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Ryan
Houston, Butler. Senior tailback roast
ed North Mecklenburg for 113 yards
and a pair of scores on 22 carries in a
36-13 win. If he’s not the best high
school back in the coimty who is?
BREAKOUT GAME: Victory
Christian. Sanquan Davis scores a
pair of touchdowns, including a 66-
yard reception from Reg Robinson in
an 18-13 victory over Providence Day
HAPPY RETURNS: Quentero
Long, West Charlotte. Receiver/cor-
nerback is pretty good at returning
kicks as well. Scored on a 48-yard
strike and set up a pair of touchdowns
with long punt returns in 34-0 win
against Waddell.
MUST-SEE GAME: Olympic (2-0)
at Independence (2-0). Light‘em up
offensive philosophies coUide.
Independence looks to run nation’s
longest win streak to 95 games.
Trojans have scored 85 points in two
easy wins.
Herbert L. White
PHOTO/CALVIN FERGUSON
West Charlotte High cornerback-
receiver Quentero Long (23) caught
a touchdown pass and set up two
scores on punt returns in last
week’s 34-0 win against Waddell.
®OOE
PHOTO/CURTIS WILSON
Carolina Panthers running back DeAngelo Williams sheds Miami cornerback Will Allen to pick up yardage in the Panthers’ 19-10 win last week
at Bank of America Stadium. The Panthers close the preseason today against Pittsburgh.
Measuring potential
Diggs on way
back to linUup
Preseason finale a last audition for youngest Panthers
By Heibert L. White
herb.wh;fe@thechcirtofteposf.co/n
One dress rehearsal sepa
rate the Carolina Panthers
fiom reahty
Thureday’s preseason finale
against Pittsburgh gives
coaches a final chance to eval
uate players before cuttir^
the roster down to the
required 53. While the start
ing lineups-me set, there are
players with potential who’ll
merit some attention:
• RB DeAngelo Williams.
The rookie made his best
impression last we^ by scor
ing on a kick return against
Miami- He’s a definite change
of pace to DeShaun Foster,
and coach John Fox is com
mitted to working Williams
at tailback and kick returner.
• LB Thomas Davis. He’s
growing into an NFL line
backer aft^ splitting time at •
safety last year as a rookie.
His development is key to
making a deep unit ehte.
• WRs Drew Carter and
Keary Colbert. While
reporters wait for Keyshawn
Johnson and Steve Smith to
go off on each otiier, Colba4
and Carter have emerged as
more than capaUe backups.
Colbert is recov
ered fiom last year
injuries
Carter continues
to evolve into
long-distance
threat. There’s ht-.y^i
tie drop-off when^'
these two are m
the hneup.
CB Richard
Marshall.
The second-t,
round draft
pick is tough;
and athletic. If not for
Wiliams, he’d be the steal of
this year’s rookie class.
PHOTO/WADE NASH
By Mike Cranston
Yhe associated press
For the second straight year,
.Na’il Di^s was on the ground at
Bank of .America Stadium, clutch
ing his knee.
But imlike last season, the
iCarolina Panthers linebacker insist
ed he knew it wasn’t a serious
injury
Diggs said Simday he suffered only
a mild sprain of the medial collateral
ligament in his right knee in
See DIGGS/2C
Wade’s World: From Finals MVP to super sub
By Brian Mahoney
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
SAITAMA, Japan - Dwyane
Wade sized up the U.S. roster
and decided how he could best
make a difference: on the
bench-
That seemed hke a strange
place for a player just two
months removed fiom win
ning the MVP award at the
NBA finals. But it made per
fect sense to Wade, who is just
as comfortable fitting in as he
is standing out.
“It’s somethir^ that I want
ed,” he said- “This team is
very deep, and of course
Coach can start me at any
time with these guys. But me
coming off the bench gives us
another dimension and I love
it.”
So did the rest of the
Americans, who went 6-0 dur
ing pool play before movir^ on
advance to the round of eight.
Once Wade settled on his
plan, he discussed it with fel
low captains LeBron James
and Carmelo Anthony and
told them he was bringing it
to U.S. coach Mike
Krzyzewski.
Krzyzewski
quickly went
along witii the
idea. He saw it
as a way to
separate Wade,
James and
Anthony - all
needing plenty
of shots - while
giving him a
bona fide scorer to lead his
second unit.
Anthony wasn’t as easily
convinced, recalling his first
thought when he was told of
tile plan.
“First? He ain’t doir^ that,”
Wade
Anthony said. “That was my
first impression.
“Then once I sat down and
really thought about it, I said,
How do you feel about that?’
He was hke, ‘I think it will be
better for everybody’ and it
has been. Not that we don’t
want him out there with us in
the first group, but him com
ing off the bench is like
instant offense, especially
with, that group that he comes
off the bench with.”
Playing primarily with Ejrk
Hinrich, Elton Brand,
Antawn Jamison and Joe
Johnson, Wade averaged 21.4
points during pool play That
ranked fourth in the touma-
mait behind fellow NBA All-
Stars Yao Ming, Dirk
Nowitzki and Pau Gasol.
The question is how long
Wade would keep his super
See WADE’S/3C
Baker ‘sometimes’
feels he has future
with Chicago Cubs
By R.B. Fallstrom
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
ST. LOUIS - Manager Dusty Baker said
Sunday he “sometimes” feels he has a
future with the Chicago Cubs, and made it
clear that sometimes he does not.
Baker is in. the final year of a four-year
contract and general manager Jim Hendry
has said oply that his manag
er is secure for the rest of q
disappointing season.
“You put yourself in my
position, what would your
answer be?” Baker asked
reporters, ‘It’s not only Jim, I
it’s the whole picture. Just |
period. Bgijg,
Im not going to be the
overwhehnir^ favorite. You hear about
who’s available, who’s going to take your
See CUBS/3C