2-2-22 roundup: Pro baseball, basketball and football, College football, High school wrestling and basketball, Middle school basketball

By Richard Walker

Former Ashbrook High and Gastonia American Legion Post 23 baseball star Wes Helms will be returning as manager of the Class AAA Charlotte Knights, the Chicago White Sox organization announced on Wednesday.

Helms, a 1994 Ashbrook graduate who played 13 seasons in the major leagues, made his managerial debut last year with the Knights and is preparing for his fourth season in the White Sox organization.

“I’m really excited to be back in Charlotte to manage this Knights this year,” Helms said in a Knights news release. “Being in my backyard, close to family and friends has been a dream come true. I look forward to getting back on the field in Charlotte in a couple of months to manage in front of the best fans in Minor League Baseball.”

Along with Helms, the Knights will also welcome back the entire coaching staff from the 2021 season — Matt Zaleski (pitching coach), Chris Johnson (hitting coach), Cory Barton (trainer) and Shawn Powell (performance coach).

The Knights open the 2022 season on April 5 with their home opener on April 12 at Truist Field.

 

 

 

 

College football

Gardner-Webb: The Runnin’ Bulldogs of head coach Tre Lamb added 13 on Wednesday’s national signing day, among them a pair of former South Point High offensive line standouts in Appalachian State transfer Larry Dowdy and current senior Jacob Patterson.
The signees:
Ty Anderson * 6-1 * 215 * LB * Thomasville, Ga. / Thomasville HS
Jai Barnes * 6-2 * 300 * DL * Cedartown, Ga. / Cedartown HS
Ian Calhoun * 6-3 * 280 * DL * Jacksonville, Fla. / Creekside HS
Antonio Chambers * 6-2 * 250 * DE * Collierville, Tenn. / Collierville HS
Casson Clark * 5-10 * 185 * DB * Perry, Ga. / Perry HS
Kieran Colahan * 6-0 * 210 * P/PK * Earlville, Australia / Coastal Carolina
Larry Dowdy * 6-4 * 295 * OL * Belmont, N.C. / Appalachian State
Will Mattison * 6-4 * 190 * QB * Rock Hill, S.C. / Northwestern HS
Aaron McIver * 6-2 * 265 * OL * Charlotte, N.C. / Butler HS
Salik McRae * 6-3 * 295 * DL * Jacksonville, Fla. / Savannah State
Karim Paige * 6-0 * 180 * WR * Dalton, Ga. / Dalton HS
Jacob Patterson * 6-4 * 265 * OL * Belmont, N.C. / South Point HS
Glenn Rice * 5-11 * 175 * QB * Lancaster, Texas / Lancaster HS

Charlotte 49ers: Head coach Will Healy announced five additions to the program’s 2022 recruiting class that will join 12 who signed in December. The newcomers are three transfers from four-year schools: Wayne Jones (DB, Kansas State), Eugene Minter Jr. (WR, Austin Peay) and Amir Siddiq (DL, Central Michigan) as well as junior college LB/DB Cade White and standout RB Johnny Martin III out of St. Thomas More Prep.

Other signings:
Cramer defensive lineman Arias Nash with Mercer of the Southern Conference.

Crest running back Mari Adams with Davidson of the Pioneer Football League.

South Point’s Jake Beaty to Florence-Darlington Tech BASEBALL

South Point’s Matt Walker to Limestone BASEBALL

 

 

 

 

 

High school basketball

(Wednesday’s boys games)
Crest 83, Cramer 70: Ray Hall’s 22 points led Crest and Will Kelly (22 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals), John Hill (10 points, 4 rebounds, 3 blocks) and Taelen Whitley (9 points, 11 rebounds, 6 blocks) led Cramer.

Hickory 56, East Lincoln 49

Shelby 76, Kings Mountain 74 (OT)

Bessemer City 61, East Gaston 56 (Tuesday): Randal Pettus (22 points, 8 rebounds, 8 assists, 5 steals), Nazarri Smarr (19 points), Jameer Holmes (12 points, 15 rebounds) and Terrance Smith (6 points, 14 rebounds, 4 blocks) led Bessemer City.

(Wednesday’s girls games)

Crest 60, Cramer 31: Monica Surratt had 14 points for Crest and Hadley Womack (13 points, 7 steals) and Dasia Harris (11 points, 7 rebounds) led Cramer.

Shelby 77, Kings Mountain 39: Maraja Pass had 21 points and surpassed 1,000 for fer career for Shelby and Saniya Wilson (17 points, 3 assists, 2 rebounds, 1 steal, 2 charges taken) led Kings Mountain.

..Lincoln Charter at Pine Lake Prep

..Gaston Christian at Metrolina Christian

 

The rest of this week’s games:

(Thursday)
Forestview at North Gaston
Lincolnton at West Lincoln

(Friday)
Crest at Forestview
Huss at North Gaston
Kings Mountain at Cramer
South Point at Ashbrook
Burns at Bessemer City
Cherryville at Highland Tech
Shelby at East Gaston
Queen’s Grant at Piedmont CC
East Lincoln at St. Stephens
Foard at North Lincoln
East Burke at Lincolnton
West Caldwell at West Lincoln
Lincoln Charter at Community School of Davidson
Gaston Christian at Hickory Grove
Gaston Day at Northside Christian
Asheville Trailblazers at Thomas Jefferson

(Saturday)
Huss at Crest
Kings Mountain at Forestview

 

 

 

 

Pro basketball

LaMelo Ball’s career-high 38 points wasn’t enough for the Charlotte Hornets in a 113-107 loss at the Boston Celtics.

Ball, who also had six rebounds and nine assists, got help from Terry Rozier (23 points), P.J. Washington (16 points), Kelly Oubre (15 points) and Mason Plumlee (5 points, 17 rebounds) as Charlotte fell to 28-24.

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 (W 121-98)
Sun. 23 ATLANTA (L 91-113)
Tue. 25 at Toronto (L 113-125)
Wed. 26 at Indiana (W 158-126)
Fri. 28 L.A. LAKERS (W 117-114)
Sun. 30 LA CLIPPERS (L 90-115)
FEBRUARY
Wed. 2 at Boston (L 107-113)
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

 

 

College basketball

Gardner-Webb 65, High Point 57: A second half comeback led the Runnin’ Bulldogs (10-3 overall) to their first 6-3 Big South Conference start in school history. Gardner-Webb outscored the host Panthers 38-19 in the second half.

Belmont Abbey 90, North Greenville 85: Sean Halloran scored 22 points and three teammates also reached double figures as the Abbey improved to 12-8 overall and 10-6 in Conference Carolinas.

Belmont Abbey women 69, Francis Marion 59: Brittany Autry had 20 points as the visiting Crusaders improved to 12-6 overall and 10-4 in Conference Carolinas.

 

 

 

Middle school basketball

Here are standings through Monday’s games:

(Boys)
Southwest 3-0
Grier 2-0
Holbrook 2-0
Belmont 2-1
Mount Holly 2-1
York Chester 2-1
Cramerton 1-2
Stanley 1-2
W.C. Friday 0-2
Bessemer City 0-3
Chavis 0-3

(Girls)
Belmont 3-0
Cramerton 3-0
Holbrook 2-0
Stanley 2-1
W.C. Friday 1-1
Bessemer City 1-2
Chavis 1-2
Mount Holly 1-2
Southwest 1-2
Grier 0-2
York Chester 0-3

(Thursday’s games)
Belmont at Holbrook
Bessemer City at Grier
Chavis at W.C. Friday
Stanley at Southwest
York Chester at Mount Holly

 

 

 

 

Pro football

The 2021-22 NFL playoffs:

(AFC 1st round)
1. Tennessee (12-5) – bye
4. Cincinnati (11-7) 26, 5. Las Vegas (10-8) 19
3. Buffalo (12-6) 47, 6. New England (10-8) 17
2. Kansas City (13-5) 42, 7. Pittsburgh (9-8-1) 21

(NFC 1st round)
1. Green Bay (13-4) – bye
2. Tampa Bay (14-4) 31, 7. Philadelphia (9-9) 15
6. San Francisco (11-7) 23, 3. Dallas (12-6) 17
4. Los Angeles (13-5) 34, 5. Arizona (11-7) 11

(AFC, NFC semifinals)
AFC
Cincinnati (12-7) 19, Tennessee (12-6) 16
Kansas City (14-5) 42, Buffalo (12-7) 36, OT
NFC
San Francisco (12-7) 13, Green Bay (13-5) 10
Los Angeles (14-5) 30, Tampa Bay (14-5) 27

(AFC, NFC championship games)
NFC
Los Angeles (15-5) 20, San Francisco (12-8) 17
AFC
Cincinnati (13-7) 27, Kansas City (14-6) 24, OT

(Super Bowl)
Feb. 13 – L.A. Rams vs. Cincinnati, 6:30 p.m.