1-19-22 roundup: College basketball and football, High school basketball, Pro basketball, football and soccer

By Richard Walker

A Gastonia native, an original Charlotte Hornets player and an original Carolina Panthers player highlight a group of 11 that will be honored during the 2022 induction ceremonies for the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame.

Gastonia’s Dave Robbins, a two-sport star at old Ashley High School, is being inducted for leading Virginia Union’s men’s basketball program to a 713-194 record, 14 CIAA titles and three national championships. Robbins, who played college football at Catawba, actually had a professional tryout as a wide receiver for the Denver Broncos in 1964 before starting a coaching and teaching career. Hired as the first white coach in the CIAA in 1978, Robbins coached future NBA playes Terry Davis, A.J. English, Charles Oakley and Ben Wallace during a career in which he led the Panthers to the 1980, 1992 and 2005 NCAA Division II national championships. A 1960 Ashley High graduate, Robbins already is a member of National Collegiate Basketball, Virginia Sports, CIAA and Gaston County Sports halls of fame.

Tyrone “Muggsy” Bogues, a former Wake Forest and Hornets star, was a member of the 2021 class who was unable to attend his induction, will be among those recognized this year. An original Hornets’ player in 1988, the 5-foot-3 Baltimore, Md., native, was an immediate fan favorite who played in front of sellout crowds at the old Charlotte Coliseum off Tyvola Road for all but a handful of games during his 10-year career (1988-98). Bogues still ranks first in team history in assists (5,557) and is second in games played (632) and minutes played (19,768). Bogues, who still maintains a residence in Charlotte, later was head coach for the old WNBA Charlotte Sting franchise and Charlotte’s United Faith Christian high school.

Sam Mills was the first Carolina Panthers star player and his death in 2005 his comments about his courageous fight against cancer have turned into the team motto. Considered too small (5-foot-11) coming out of Montclair State, Mills started his professional career in the old USFL before playing 12 NFL seasons for the New Orleans Saints and Carolina Panthers. A member of the first three Panthers’ teams, Mills’ pass interception against defending Super Bowl champion Dallas in January 1997 wrapped up the franchise’s first playoff victory. Later he was an assistant for the organization and his phrase “Keep Pounding” as it regarded his battle with cancer that ended his life at 45 years old has been used as the team’s motto ever since.

Robbins, Bogues and Mills will be honored on April 22 at the Raleigh Convention Center.

Joining them in the induction class are former major league star Luke Appling of High Point, former basketball pioneer Missouri Arledge of Durham, former college, pioneering East Carolina trainer Ronnie Barnes, former high school, college and pro basketball star Henry Bibby of Franklinton, former Duke golf coach Dan Brooks, former high school, college and NFL football star Torry Holt of Gibsonville, former high school, college and NFL football star Timmy Newsome of Ahoskie and longtime Raleigh TV announcer Tom Suiter of Rocky Mount.

 

 

 

Pro football

Multiple reports indicate former Burns High standout Scottie Montgomery had his second interview on Wednesday with the Carolina Panthers for the team’s vacant offensive coordinator job.

A 1996 Burns High graduate, Montgomery was a member of the Bulldogs’ 1994 N.C. 3A state championship football team before earning All-ACC honors as a wide receiver at Duke and playing three seasons in the NFL (one with the Panthers) and one season in the Arena Football League.

Once his playing career ended, Montgomery has been a coach the past 16 seasons at the collegiate and NFL level. A former assistant at Duke and Maryland and head coach at East Carolina, Montgomery was a wide receivers coach for the Pittsburgh Steelers from 2010 to 2012 and spent this past season as running backs coach for the Indianapolis Colts.

 

 

 

College football

Gardner-Webb: According to several reports, current Runnin’ Bulldogs offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Taylor Lamb has been hired as quarterback coach at the University of Virginia.

Toledo: Evan Davis, a 2019 Crest High graduate, announced on twitter he is leaving Toledo as a graduate transfer and will have three years of eligibility remaining. Davis converted 10 of 18 field goals and 45 of 45 extra points during the 2019 and 2020 seasons for the Zips. At Crest from 2015 to 2018, Davis scored 275 points and converted 28 field goals.

 

 

 

 

 

High school basketball

Here are standings for Cleveland, Gaston and Lincoln counties through Jan. 15:

BIG SOUTH 3A
(Boys)
Kings Mountain 5-0, 8-5
Crest 3-0, 8-2
Cramer 3-1, 12-1
Ashbrook 2-3, 3-10
South Point 2-4, 6-9
Forestview 1-1, 3-6
Huss 1-3, 4-8
North Gaston 0-5, 3-12
(Girls)
Kings Mountain 6-0, 9-2
Ashbrook 4-1, 8-5
Huss 3-1, 7-3
Crest 2-2, 5-7
South Point 2-3, 5-8
North Gaston 1-4, 5-10
Cramer 0-3, 2-10
Forestview 0-4, 0-11

SOUTHERN PIEDMONT 1A/2A
(Boys)
Shelby 4-0, 6-3
Thomas Jefferson 2-0, 11-2
Bessemer City 2-1, 9-3
Burns 2-3, 3-11
Cherryville 2-3, 10-4
East Gaston 1-2, 7-6
Highland Tech 0-4, 2-10
(Girls)
Shelby 4-0, 7-2
Thomas Jefferson 2-0, 4-7
East Gaston 1-2, 7-6
Bessemer City 2-1, 7-5
Burns 3-2, 4-10
Highland Tech 0-4, 2-10
Cherryville 1-4, 2-12

OTHERS
(Boys)
Piedmont CC 1-3, 2-9
East Lincoln 6-0, 14-2
North Lincoln 2-3, 8-6
Lincolnton 4-1, 6-9
West Lincoln 2-3, 5-10
Lincoln Charter 3-0, 12-4
Mtn Isl Charter 0-2, 5-10
Gaston Christian 3-2, 8-9
Gaston Day 6-0, 17-1

(Girls)
Piedmont CC 1-0, 4-5
East Lincoln 5-0, 13-2
North Lincoln 0-5, 2-12
Lincolnton 0-4, 4-10
West Lincoln 1-3, 7-9
Lincoln Charter 3-0, 11-6
Mtn Isl Charter 0-2, 0-5
Gaston Christian 1-3, 1-6
Gaston Day 2-5, 2-10

The rest of this week’s schedule:

(Thursday)
Ashbrook at Huss
Crest at Kings Mountain
Forestview at Cramer
North Gaston at South Point
Cherryville at East Gaston
Shelby at Bessemer City
Lincolnton at West Lincoln
Community School of Davidson at Lincoln Charter
Langtree Charter at Mountain Island Charter

(Friday)
Ashbrook at Crest
Huss at Kings Mountain
North Gaston at Forestview
South Point at Cramer
Cherryville at Thomas Jefferson
Highland Tech at East Gaston
Shelby at Burns
Piedmont CC at Bradford Prep
Hickory at East Lincoln
Statesville at North Lincoln
Bunker Hill at Lincolnton
West Lincoln at Bandys
Metrolina Christian at Gaston Day
SouthLake Christian at Gaston Christian
Lincoln Charter at Pine Lake Prep
Christ the King at Mountain Island Charter

(Saturday)
Cramer at Kings Mountain
Huss at Crest
Shelby at East Rutherford

 

 

College basketball

Lees-McRae 118, Belmont Abbey 113: The highest-scoring game in Belmont Abbey history ended in disappointment for the host Crusaders (8-7, 6-5), who lost despite having seven double-figure scorers. L.J. McCoy’s 21 points led Belmont Abbey and former East Lincoln standout Sidney Dollar had 12 points for Lees-McRae (10-3, 8-2).
The 231 combined points snapped the previous Abbey record of 225 set in a 116-109 home loss to Lees-McRae in the 2017-18 season.

USC Upstate 74, Gardner-Webb 61: The Runnin’ Bulldogs fell to 9-9, 3-2 in the Big South Conference home loss. Kareem Reid’s 15 points led Gardner-Webb.

Gaston College: The Rhinos’ Region 10 road game at Spartanburg Methodist was moved back one day to Thursday at 5 p.m.

Belmont Abbey women 62, Lees-McRae 48: Jo Snow’s season-high 23 points led the Crusaders (8-5, 6-3) to their third straight victory.

 

 

 

 

Pro soccer

Charlotte FC on Wednesday announced it has signed Cristian Ortíz from Mexican side Club Tijuana on loan through the 2022 season with a Club option to purchase the player permanently. The move is pending receipt of a P-1 visa and ITC. The 29-year-old will occupy an international roster slot on the Club’s inaugural roster.
Ortíz, who goes by “Titi”, joined Independiente del Valle in early 2020 and played 31 games for CLTFC head coach Miguel Ángel Ramírez. He scored nine goals and added six assists for the Ecuadorian club that season across the domestic league and Copa Libertadores. He went on to score 19 goals total for IDV before earning a move to Tijuana.

 

 

Pro basketball

The Charlotte Hornets won for the sixth time in seven games in a 111-102 nationally televised victory at the Boston Celtics Wednesday night.

The Hornets (25-20) were led by Terry Rozier (28 points, 4 rebounds, 10 assists), Miles Bridges (22 points), Kelly Oubre (18 points), LaMelo Ball (15 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists), Jalen McDaniels (12 points) and Mason Plumlee (6 points, 10 rebounds).

Ball’s triple-double was the fifth of his career and ties him for second all-time in Hornets’ history with Nic Batum; Anthony Mason is the all-time leader with seven.

Here is the Charlotte Hornets’ full regular season schedule (with results):

OCTOBER
Wed. 20 INDIANA (W 123-122)
Fri. 22 at Cleveland (W 123-112)
Sun. 24 at Brooklyn (W 111-95)
Mon. 25 BOSTON (L 129-140, OT)
Wed. 27 at Orlando (W 120-111)
Fri. 29 at Miami (L 99-114)
Sun. 31 PORTLAND (W 125-113)
NOVEMBER
Mon. 1 CLEVELAND (L 110-113)
Wed. 3 at Golden State (L 92-114)
Fri. 5 at Sacramento (L 110-140)
Sun. 7 at LA Clippers (L 106-120)
Mon. 8 at L.A. Lakers (L 123-126, OT)
Wed. 10 at Memphis (W 118-108)
Fri. 12 NEW YORK (W 104-96)
Sun. 14 GOLDEN STATE (W 106-102)
Wed. 17 WASHINGTON (W 97-87)
Fri. 19 INDIANA (W 121-118)
Sat. 20 at Atlanta (L 105-115)
Mon. 22 at Washington (W 109-103)
Wed. 24 at Orlando (W 108-99)
Fri. 26 MINNESOTA (W 133-115)
Sat. 27 at Houston (L 143-146, OT)
Mon. 29 at Chicago (L 119-133)
DECEMBER
Wed. 1 at Milwaukee (L 125-127)
Sun. 5 at Atlanta (W 130-127)
Mon. 6 PHILADELPHIA (L 124-127, OT)
Wed. 8 PHILADELPHIA (L 106-110)
Fri. 10 SACRAMENTO (W 124-123)
Mon. 13 at Dallas (L 96-120)
Wed. 15 at San Antonio (W 131-115)
Fri. 17 at Portland (L 116-125)
Sun. 19 at Phoenix (L 106-137)
Mon. 20 at Utah (L 102-112)
Thu. 23 at Denver (W 115-107)
Mon. 27 HOUSTON (W 123-99)
Wed. 29 at Indiana (W 116-108)
JANUARY
Sun. 2 PHOENIX (L 99-133)
Mon. 3 at Washington (L 121-124)
Wed. 5 DETROIT (W 140-111)
Sat. 8 MILWAUKEE (W 114-106)
Mon. 10 MILWAUKEE (W 103-99)
Wed. 12 at Philadelphia (W 109-98)
Fri. 14 ORLANDO (L 109-116)
Mon. 17 at New York (W 97-87)
Wed. 19 at Boston (W 111-102)
Fri. 21 OKLAHOMA CITY 7:00
Sun. 23 ATLANTA 7:00
Tue. 25 at Toronto 7:00
Wed. 26 at Indiana 7:00
Fri. 28 L.A. LAKERS 7:00
Sun. 30 LA CLIPPERS 1:00
FEBRUARY
Wed. 2 at Boston 7:30
Fri. 4 CLEVELAND 7:00
Sat. 5 MIAMI 7:00
Mon. 7 TORONTO 7:00
Wed. 9 CHICAGO 7:30
Fri. 11 at Detroit 7:00
Sat. 12 MEMPHIS 7:00
Tue. 15 at Minnesota 8:00
Thu. 17 MIAMI 7:00
Fri. 25 TORONTO 7:00
Sun. 27 DETROIT 7:00
Mon. 28 at Milwaukee 8:00
MARCH
Wed. 2 at Cleveland 7:00
Sat. 5 SAN ANTONIO 7:00
Tue. 8 BROOKLYN 7:00
Wed. 9 BOSTON 7:00
Fri. 11 at New Orleans 8:00
Mon. 14 at Oklahoma City 8:00
Wed. 16 ATLANTA 7:00
Sat. 19 DALLAS 7:00
Mon. 21 NEW ORLEANS 7:00
Wed. 23 NEW YORK 7:00
Fri. 25 UTAH 7:00
Sun. 27 at Brooklyn 7:30
Mon. 28 DENVER 7:00
Wed. 30 at New York 7:30
APRIL
Sat. 2 at Philadelphia 12:30
Tue. 5 at Miami 7:30
Thu. 7 ORLANDO 7:00
Fri. 8 at Chicago 8:00
Sun. 10 WASHINGTON TBD