We have three videos up on aroundiredell.com/sports this week.
For the weekly installment of The Sports Show, click here.
We also continued our weekly installment of player profiles, this time from North Iredell. Here are the links to North Iredell girls player Kandace Hoots and boys player Marlon "Poppy" Staton.
We'll be at South Iredell next week.
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
A little self promotion
Readers - you can click here to see a video story on free throw shooting in Iredell County. Our Web producer, Jess Norman, and I went to different high schools to talk to players about their free throw form.
We'll do more video stories in the future. Make sure you give the video time to load.
I'm going to start posting a weekly link to The Sports Show as well.
We'll do more video stories in the future. Make sure you give the video time to load.
I'm going to start posting a weekly link to The Sports Show as well.
Monday, January 21, 2008
It's down to two
Depending on which conference you look at, my Super Bowl predictions were either outstanding or abysmal.
Way back in September on this blog, I projected New England to make the Super Bowl after beating San Diego in the AFC Championship game. Perfect.
The NFC was a different story. I had New Orleans beating St. Louis. The same St. Louis team that will have the No. 2 pick in next year's NFL draft. I know the Rams were without Orlando Pace for the entire season, and Steven Jackson was banged up, but that's still an embarrassing pick.
Who do you like in the Super Bowl? It has to be the Patriots, right?
Way back in September on this blog, I projected New England to make the Super Bowl after beating San Diego in the AFC Championship game. Perfect.
The NFC was a different story. I had New Orleans beating St. Louis. The same St. Louis team that will have the No. 2 pick in next year's NFL draft. I know the Rams were without Orlando Pace for the entire season, and Steven Jackson was banged up, but that's still an embarrassing pick.
Who do you like in the Super Bowl? It has to be the Patriots, right?
Sunday, January 13, 2008
My All-Underrated team
Here at the R&L, we do our all county teams in every varsity sport. For basketball specifically, there's also the Holiday Classic all tournament team, selected by the coaches.
What I'd like to do is present my completely unofficial "All-Underrated team," two five-player teams compromised of good, solid basketball players that perhaps aren't as well-known as say: Keyrra Gillespie, Kasey Haynes, Paul Larsen, Santana Morrison, Tyrece Scott or Quan Rucker.
Again, this is completely my opinion and is based off what I have observed this season from the games I've seen and conversations throughout the year with coaches.
BOYS
A.J. Barringer (South Iredell): Barringer is young, but has developed nicely this season. He has a great jump shot, is a hard worker and is clutch at the free throw line. He's come off the bench to hit some big shots for the Vikings, and his 17 points were the lone bright spot in a 99-55 loss to Cherryville.
Spencer Cook (Lake Norman): First of all, it must be noted that Cook looks a bit like Kurt Rambis with his goggles. Not the clean-shaven Rambis as a coach, but this Rambis in his playing days. He plays like him too, which is a good thing. Cook's very valuable to Lake Norman in coming off the bench to spell starters Nathan Bowers and Paul Larsen. He has a very good understanding of post play, and likes to bang inside for the rebounds.
Chris Patterson (Mooresville): Patterson has only played basketball for a few years, but he has earned a starting spot for the Blue Devils as a junior. Despite his clumsy-looking shot, Patterson is one of the deadliest outside shooters in the county. But he also isn't afraid to take it to the hoop, and has emerged as a legitimate scoring option this season.
Ryan Sharpe (North Iredell): His scoring fluctuates between four and 12 points a game, but Sharpe is a rebounding machine. A lanky post player, he uses his freakishly long arms to control rebounds most players couldn't get. He also gets good position underneath and knows how to box out.
Jordan Daywalt (Statesville): Daywalt may play harder than any other girl in the county. She does a great job playing back in Statesville's full-court press, and is usually the first one to hit the floor going after a loose ball. She also consistently pulls down tough rebounds against bigger opponents.
Shakira McLaughlin (Mooresville): It's almost cheating to put McLaughlin on an underrated list because she's so talented. But she's underrated because not too many people know about the freshman guard on the southern end of the county. McLaughlin is a big reason why the Blue Devils have played much better basketball this season, and there have been multiple games where she's recorded double-digit points and at least five assists, rebounds and steals.
Caroline Moffett (Lake Norman): Moffett doesn't score a ton of points, but she more than makes up for it with smart play and great defense. She's one of the best in the county when it comes to using both her left and right hand properly, and she's a fearless one-on-one perimeter defender.
Elizabeth Walden (West Iredell): Granted, I've only seen West Iredell play twice, but Walden stood out both times. West's post players fill up the stat sheet, but Walden plays a big role in getting them the ball and hitting open jumpers when the posts are double-teamed.
JoBeth Wright (Lake Norman): Wright would start for any other team in the county, but is typically a reserve on the incredibly deep Lake Norman squad. Wright, a post, does everything well. She has good range, but also rebounds well and plays tough defense. She's also an emotional player, and carried the Wildcats back into the game when they trailed Statesville in the Holiday Classic finals.
What I'd like to do is present my completely unofficial "All-Underrated team," two five-player teams compromised of good, solid basketball players that perhaps aren't as well-known as say: Keyrra Gillespie, Kasey Haynes, Paul Larsen, Santana Morrison, Tyrece Scott or Quan Rucker.
Again, this is completely my opinion and is based off what I have observed this season from the games I've seen and conversations throughout the year with coaches.
BOYS
A.J. Barringer (South Iredell): Barringer is young, but has developed nicely this season. He has a great jump shot, is a hard worker and is clutch at the free throw line. He's come off the bench to hit some big shots for the Vikings, and his 17 points were the lone bright spot in a 99-55 loss to Cherryville.
Spencer Cook (Lake Norman): First of all, it must be noted that Cook looks a bit like Kurt Rambis with his goggles. Not the clean-shaven Rambis as a coach, but this Rambis in his playing days. He plays like him too, which is a good thing. Cook's very valuable to Lake Norman in coming off the bench to spell starters Nathan Bowers and Paul Larsen. He has a very good understanding of post play, and likes to bang inside for the rebounds.
Chris Patterson (Mooresville): Patterson has only played basketball for a few years, but he has earned a starting spot for the Blue Devils as a junior. Despite his clumsy-looking shot, Patterson is one of the deadliest outside shooters in the county. But he also isn't afraid to take it to the hoop, and has emerged as a legitimate scoring option this season.
Ryan Sharpe (North Iredell): His scoring fluctuates between four and 12 points a game, but Sharpe is a rebounding machine. A lanky post player, he uses his freakishly long arms to control rebounds most players couldn't get. He also gets good position underneath and knows how to box out.
Adrian Sloan (Statesville): Sloan has improved more than any player I've seen this season. He's an unselfish, big forward with decent range and can make teams pay when they play a 3-2 zone to stop Statesville's shooters.
GIRLSJordan Daywalt (Statesville): Daywalt may play harder than any other girl in the county. She does a great job playing back in Statesville's full-court press, and is usually the first one to hit the floor going after a loose ball. She also consistently pulls down tough rebounds against bigger opponents.
Shakira McLaughlin (Mooresville): It's almost cheating to put McLaughlin on an underrated list because she's so talented. But she's underrated because not too many people know about the freshman guard on the southern end of the county. McLaughlin is a big reason why the Blue Devils have played much better basketball this season, and there have been multiple games where she's recorded double-digit points and at least five assists, rebounds and steals.
Caroline Moffett (Lake Norman): Moffett doesn't score a ton of points, but she more than makes up for it with smart play and great defense. She's one of the best in the county when it comes to using both her left and right hand properly, and she's a fearless one-on-one perimeter defender.
Elizabeth Walden (West Iredell): Granted, I've only seen West Iredell play twice, but Walden stood out both times. West's post players fill up the stat sheet, but Walden plays a big role in getting them the ball and hitting open jumpers when the posts are double-teamed.
JoBeth Wright (Lake Norman): Wright would start for any other team in the county, but is typically a reserve on the incredibly deep Lake Norman squad. Wright, a post, does everything well. She has good range, but also rebounds well and plays tough defense. She's also an emotional player, and carried the Wildcats back into the game when they trailed Statesville in the Holiday Classic finals.
Monday, January 7, 2008
Things to keep an eye on
Tuesday's basketball games mark the exact halfway point through the North Piedmont 3A schedule.
Here are a couple of things to watch for during the second half of the winter sports season.
Who emerges from the pack in the NPC?
This goes for both the girls and the boys. And keep in mind, the NPC sends six teams to the playoffs.
The boys side has East Rowan on top with an 8-0 record. The Mustangs are really, really good, and play a fun style of basketball - lots of pressing and fast-break points. It's also safe to consider Northwest Cabarrus (7-1 NPC) as a lock to make the playoffs.
After that, nothing is permanent, although the next three spots should be pretty secure. West Rowan (6-2), Mooresville (6-2) and Lake Norman (5-3) have all looked anywhere from solid to very, very good this season. They should be OK.
The last spot is a bit of a toss-up. Right now, it's Statesville (3-5) holding down the fort. The Greyhounds have been inconsistent this year, but have shown they can compete with the top teams. Statesville took Mooresville to the buzzer, and competed well with Lake Norman in the Holiday Classic championship. Carson (2-6) along with West and North Iredell (1-7) are technically still in the mix. The Warriors have Quan Rucker and the Raiders have Tyrece Scott, which means you can't count either one out.
Predicted order of finish, for playoff purposes: East Rowan, Northwest Cabarrus, West Rowan, Lake Norman, Mooresville, Statesville.
The girls side is even more congested.
Statesville and East Rowan are both 8-0 (and they play Jan. 8). Slightly below them is Lake Norman (6-2). North Iredell and South Rowan are tied for third (5-3).
Lake Norman still has an outside chance to win the conference, although it's a long shot. The Wildcats must go unbeaten the rest of the way and will need East Rowan and Statesville to split their season series.
The more interesting storyline, I think, is who ends up where. It looks nearly certain that Statesville or East Rowan will finish first. But then what? Lake Norman, Statesville/East Rowan and North Iredell could all finish anywhere from second to fourth. That's huge as far as playoff seedings go. And if South Rowan or Northwest Cabarrus make a run, it could get even cloudier.
Predicted order of finish, for playoff purposes: Statesville, East Rowan, Lake Norman, North Iredell, Northwest Cabarrus, South Rowan.
Can South Iredell maintain?
Forget about the 99-55 shellacking to Cherryville for a second. South Iredell is 3-9, but holds a 2-1 clip early in conference play. The Southern Piedmont 1A-2A sends four of its six 2A teams to the playoffs, and the Vikings still have a shot. The wins came over North and West Lincoln (combined 0-6 in SPC), so the stretch of games against Bessemer City, East Lincoln and Lincolnton will be telling.
Predicted order of finish, for 2A playoff purposes: Bessemer City, East Lincoln, Lincolnton, South Iredell.
Who will emerge on the mats?
With Lake Norman developing into a wrestling power, the entire NPC has been shaken up. Typically, it was Mooresville, North Iredell and either West Rowan or Northwest Cabarrus fighting for two playoff spots, with a wild-card entry also up for grabs.
This year, I think it's going to come down to Lake Norman and Mooresville on Jan. 29 for the conference title, with the loser getting the conference's No. 2 seed.
Here are a couple of things to watch for during the second half of the winter sports season.
Who emerges from the pack in the NPC?
This goes for both the girls and the boys. And keep in mind, the NPC sends six teams to the playoffs.
The boys side has East Rowan on top with an 8-0 record. The Mustangs are really, really good, and play a fun style of basketball - lots of pressing and fast-break points. It's also safe to consider Northwest Cabarrus (7-1 NPC) as a lock to make the playoffs.
After that, nothing is permanent, although the next three spots should be pretty secure. West Rowan (6-2), Mooresville (6-2) and Lake Norman (5-3) have all looked anywhere from solid to very, very good this season. They should be OK.
The last spot is a bit of a toss-up. Right now, it's Statesville (3-5) holding down the fort. The Greyhounds have been inconsistent this year, but have shown they can compete with the top teams. Statesville took Mooresville to the buzzer, and competed well with Lake Norman in the Holiday Classic championship. Carson (2-6) along with West and North Iredell (1-7) are technically still in the mix. The Warriors have Quan Rucker and the Raiders have Tyrece Scott, which means you can't count either one out.
Predicted order of finish, for playoff purposes: East Rowan, Northwest Cabarrus, West Rowan, Lake Norman, Mooresville, Statesville.
The girls side is even more congested.
Statesville and East Rowan are both 8-0 (and they play Jan. 8). Slightly below them is Lake Norman (6-2). North Iredell and South Rowan are tied for third (5-3).
Lake Norman still has an outside chance to win the conference, although it's a long shot. The Wildcats must go unbeaten the rest of the way and will need East Rowan and Statesville to split their season series.
The more interesting storyline, I think, is who ends up where. It looks nearly certain that Statesville or East Rowan will finish first. But then what? Lake Norman, Statesville/East Rowan and North Iredell could all finish anywhere from second to fourth. That's huge as far as playoff seedings go. And if South Rowan or Northwest Cabarrus make a run, it could get even cloudier.
Predicted order of finish, for playoff purposes: Statesville, East Rowan, Lake Norman, North Iredell, Northwest Cabarrus, South Rowan.
Can South Iredell maintain?
Forget about the 99-55 shellacking to Cherryville for a second. South Iredell is 3-9, but holds a 2-1 clip early in conference play. The Southern Piedmont 1A-2A sends four of its six 2A teams to the playoffs, and the Vikings still have a shot. The wins came over North and West Lincoln (combined 0-6 in SPC), so the stretch of games against Bessemer City, East Lincoln and Lincolnton will be telling.
Predicted order of finish, for 2A playoff purposes: Bessemer City, East Lincoln, Lincolnton, South Iredell.
Who will emerge on the mats?
With Lake Norman developing into a wrestling power, the entire NPC has been shaken up. Typically, it was Mooresville, North Iredell and either West Rowan or Northwest Cabarrus fighting for two playoff spots, with a wild-card entry also up for grabs.
This year, I think it's going to come down to Lake Norman and Mooresville on Jan. 29 for the conference title, with the loser getting the conference's No. 2 seed.
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