2-3-23 roundup: Pro basketball and football, High school basketball, Middle school basketball, College football and basketball
By Richard Walker
Two of the winningest basketball programs in the Carolinas reside 40 miles apart in the North Carolina Piedmont.
Unbeaten Conference Carolinas leader Belmont Abbey has a 15-game winning streak and is ahead by two games in the loss column with three weeks to go in its regular season starting with Saturday’s 2 p.m. home game against Francis Marion.
And unbeaten Big South Conference leader Gardner-Webb has an 11-game winning streak and is ahead by three games with four weeks left in its regular season entering Saturday’s 2 p.m. game at Presbyterian.
The Abbey of first-year head coach Kim Lusk started out 2-3 before getting on the winning streak that has put them in control of the league race. At 17-3 overall (14-0 in Conference Carolinas), Lusk has a chance to surpass the previous record for best first-year record for women’s basketball coach at the school – Missy Tiber went 22-8 in the 2001-02 season and Jason Williams went 22-9 in the 2013-14 season.
Lusk’s team has been led by sophomore Abigail Crain (17.6 scoring average, 5.9 rebounds, 2.3 assists) and senior Taylor Stelley (12.6 points, 2.6 rebounds, 2.3 assists). Earlier this week, Lusk recorded her 300th career head coaching victory.
Lusk replaced Williams after he left for the head coaching job at USC Upstate of the NCAA Division I Big South and would be virtually assured of guided the Crusaders to the school’s third NCAA Division II playoff appearance in four years – ninth overall.
While the Abbey’s success isn’t surprising, Gardner-Webb’s success is rare in its 48-year history in the sport.
At 19-4 overall and 11-0 in the Big South Conference, 5th-year coach Alex Simmons’ Bulldogs are positioned to pursue the school’s best-ever record of 28-5 overall and 15-1 and regular season Big South champions in the 2009-10 season.
Gardner-Webb has had four 20-win seasons in its history – 23-10 as a NCAA Division II school in 1989-90, 28-5 in the school-best 2009-10 season and 23-11 in the 2010-11 season.
That 2011 season also remains the school’s lone NCAA tournament appearance, which Gardner-Webb is now considered the favorite to repeat in the March 1-5 Big South Conference tournament at Charlotte’s Bojangles’ Coliseum.
Gardner-Webb has been led by Jessyka Williams (18.6 points, 10.0 rebounds, 3.1 assists), Lauren Bevis (15.1 points), Alasia Smith (13.5 points, 8.9 rebounds) and Ki’Ari Cain (10.5 points, 2.2 rebounds, 4.9 assists).
High school basketball
(Friday’s games)
-BOYS
Ashbrook 53, Cramer 41
North Gaston 85, Crest 66: Issac Byers Jr. had 28 points, Key Murrell 21 and Stepfon Simmons 16 led North Gaston and D’various Surratt had 23 points and Amareion Goodlett 22 for Crest.
Huss 80, Forestview 60
South Point 61, Kings Mountain 47: Dylan Bradley and Jaquis Rumph had 10 points apiece and Sully Absher had 15 rebounds and Graham Williams 10 to lead South Point and Zay Smith had 20 points for Kings Mountain.
Burns 60, Bessemer City 59
East Gaston 63, Shelby 61
Cherryville 62, Highland Tech 48: Carson Kelly had 18 points, Landon Hahn 15, Numerius Good 12 and Darian Floyd 10 for Cherryville.
Queen’s Grant 99, Piedmont CC 95 (OT)
North Lincoln 65, Foard 52
East Lincoln 73, St. Stephens 53: Jackson Fannon (26 points), Dre Walker (12 points, 12 rebounds) and Palmer Crichton (11 points, 4 assists) led East Lincoln.
Lincolnton 52, East Burke 33
West Lincoln at West Caldwell
Lincoln Charter 79, Community School of Davidson 59
Mountain Island Charter 86, Langtree Charter 67
Northside Christian 65, Gaston Day 54: Callum Richard had 15 points, Colin Fayed 12 and Deshawn Coulter 10 for Gaston Day.
Gaston Christian 104, Hickory Grove Christian 53
-GIRLS
Cramer 49, Ashbrook 40: Hadley Womack (17 points), Oshauna Holland (16 points, 6 rebounds, 8 steals) and Zion Duncan (9 points, 9 rebounds) lead Cramer and Maddison Cole had 19 points and Emerald Butler 8 for Ashbrook.
Crest 65, North Gaston 19
Huss 63, Forestview 29
South Point 49, Kings Mountain 37
Bessemer City 65, Burns 31
Shelby 69, East Gaston 24
Highland Tech 34, Cherryville 26
Piedmont CC 69, Queen’s Grant 42
Foard 54, North Lincoln 37
East Lincoln 73, St. Stephens 33
East Burke 65, Lincolnton 15
Lincoln Charter 48, Community School of Davidson 35
Hickory Grove Christian 45, Gaston Christian 26
College signings
Forestview’s Nate Aguilar signed with Ferrum for football and Forestview’s Parker Hope signed with Erskine for soccer.
Middle school basketball
Gaston County Conference standings through Feb. 3:
-BOYS
Southwest 4-0
Mount Holly 3-0
Belmont 3-1
Grier 2-1
Holbrook 2-1
Stanley 2-2
York Chester 2-2
Chavis 1-3
Cramerton 1-3
W.C. Friday 0-3
Bessemer City 0-4
-GIRLS
Belmont 4-0
Holbrook 3-0
Mount Holly 3-0
Cramerton 2-2
Southwest 2-2
Stanley 2-2
York Chester 2-2
W.C. Friday 1-2
Chavis 1-3
Grier 0-3
Bessemer City 0-4
(Friday’s games)
-BOYS
Southwest 62, Belmont 35: Cayden Rumph’s 17 points led Belmont.
-GIRLS
Belmont 38, Southwest 23: Stella Absher had 19 points and Evy McKee 12 for Belmont.
(Monday’s games)
W.C. Friday at Chavis, Grier at Bessemer City, Holbrook at Belmont, Mount Holly at York Chester, Southwest at Stanley
College football
Former Gardner-Webb player and coach Travis Cunningham was announced as a new Appalachian State defensive assistant on Friday.
Cunningham played at Gardner-Webb from 1999-2000 and then coached at his alma mater for the next 17 seasons, adding defensive coordinator in its 3-4 scheme to his duties for his final two seasons with the Runnin’ Bulldogs in 2016 and 2017.
Since leaving Gardner-Webb, Cunningham coached at Georgia Southern from 2018 to 2021 and spent last season as inside linebackers coach at Western Kentucky. He helped the Hilltoppers to a 9-5 record with top 30 national rankings in interceptions, passing yards allowed per game and pass efficiency.
Pro basketball
The Charlotte Hornets lost their third straight game in a 118-112 loss at the Detroit Pistons.
LaMelo Ball (23 points, 8 rebounds, 8 assists), Terry Rozier (23 points, 6 rebounds), Jalen McDaniels (14 points), Mason Plumlee (13 points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists) and Gordon Hayward (12 points, 4 rebounds) led Charlotte.
Here’s the 2022-23 Charlotte Hornets schedule:
(15-39 record)
October
19 at San Antonio (W 129-102)
21 New Orleans (L 112-124)
23 at Atlanta (W 126-109)
26 at New York (L 131-134, OT)
28 at Orlando (L 93-113)
29 Golden State (W 120-113, OT)
31 Sacramento (L 108-115)
November
2 at Chicago (L 88-106)
4 at Memphis (L 99-130)
5 Brooklyn (L 94-98)
7 Washington (L 100-108)
9 Portland (L 95-105)
10 at Miami (L 112-117, OT)
12 at Miami (L 115-132)
14 at Orlando (W 112-105)
16 Indiana (L 113-125)
18 at Cleveland (L 122-132, 2 OT)
20 at Washington (L 102-106)
23 Philadelphia (W 107-101)
25 Minnesota (W 110-108)
28 at Boston (L 105-140)
December
2 Washington (W 117-116)
3 Milwaukee (L 96-105)
5 L.A. Clippers (L 117-119)
7 at Brooklyn (L 116-122)
9 New York (L 102-121)
11 at Philadelphia (L 113-131)
14 Detroit (L 134-141, OT)
16 Atlanta (L 106-125)
18 at Denver (L 115-119)
19 at Sacramento (W 125-119)
21 at L.A. Clippers (L 105-126)
23 at L.A. Lakers (W 134-130)
26 at Portland (L 113-124)
27 at Golden State (L 105-110)
29 Oklahoma City (W 121-113)
31 Brooklyn (L 106-123)
January
2 L.A. Lakers (L 115-121)
4 Memphis (L 107-131)
6 at Milwaukee (W 138-109)
8 at Indiana (L 111-116)
10 at Toronto (L 120-132)
12 at Toronto (L 114-124)
14 Boston (L 106-122)
16 Boston (L 118-130)
18 at Houston (W 122-117)
21 at Atlanta (W 122-118)
23 at Utah (L 102-120)
24 at Phoenix (L 97-128)
26 Chicago (W 111-96)
29 Miami (W 122-117)
31 at Milwaukee (L 115-124)
February
2 at Chicago (L 98-114)
3 at Detroit, 7 p.m.
5 Orlando, 1 p.m.
8 at Washington, 7 p.m.
10 at Boston, 7:30 p.m.
11 Denver, 7 p.m.
13 Atlanta, 7 p.m.
15 San Antonio, 7 p.m.
24 at Minnesota, 8 p.m.
25 Miami, 7 p.m.
27 Detroit, 7 p.m.
March
1 Phoenix, 7 p.m.
3 Orlando, 7 p.m.
5 at Brooklyn, 6 p.m.
7 at New York, 7:30 p.m.
9 at Detroit, 7 p.m.
11 Utah, 7 p.m.
12 Cleveland, 5 p.m.
14 Cleveland, 7 p.m.
17 Philadelphia, 7 p.m.
20 Indiana, 7 p.m.
23 at New Orleans, 8 p.m.
24 at Dallas, 7:30 p.m.
26 Dallas, 1 p.m.
28 at Oklahoma City, 8 p.m.
31 Chicago, 7 p.m.
April
2 Toronto, 1 p.m.
4 Toronto, 7 p.m.
7 Houston, 7 p.m.
9 at Cleveland, 1 p.m.
College basketball
(Saturday’s games)
Davidson at Massachusetts
Florida Atlantic at Charlotte
Francis Marion at Belmont Abbey
Gaston College at Caldwell Tech
Presbyterian at Gardner-Webb
Queens at Austin Peay
Pro football
Here’s the 2022-23 NFL playoff schedule:
-Wild Card weekend
Jan. 14-16
(AFC)
No. 1 Kansas City – bye
No. 5 L.A. Chargers at Jacksonville – Jacksonville 31-30
No. 7 Miami at No. 2 Buffalo – Buffalo 34-31
No. 6 Baltimore at No. 3 Cincinnati – Cincinnati 24-17
(NFC)
No. 1 Philadelphia – bye
No. 7 Seattle at No. 2 San Francisco – San Francisco 41-23
No. 6 N.Y. Giants at No. 3 Minnesota – N.Y. Giants 31-24
No. 5 Dallas at No. 4 Tampa Bay – Dallas 31-14
-Confererence semifinals
Jan. 21-22
(AFC)
No. 4 Jacksonville at No. 1 Kansas City – Kansas City 27-20
No. 3 Cincinnati at No. 2 Buffalo – Cincinnati 27-10
(NFC)
No. 6 N.Y. Giants at No. 1 Philadelphia – Philadelphia 38-7
No. 5 Dallas at No. 2 San Francisco – San Francisco 19-12
-Conference championship games
Jan. 29
NFC – No. 2 San Francisco at No. 1 Philadelphia – Philadelphia 31-7
AFC – No. 3 Cincinnati at No. 1 Kansas City – Kansas City 23-20
-Super Bowl
Feb. 12
At Glendale, Ariz. – Philadelphia vs. Kansas City, 6:30 p.m. (FOX)