3-10-23 roundup: Pro basketball, football and soccer, High school basketball, baseball and softball, College basketball

By Richard Walker

The Carolina Panthers will now have the opportunity to pick their quarterback of the future after dealing away four draft picks and wide receiver D.J. Moore to the Chicago Bears for the No. 1 overall pick in the April 27-29 NFL Draft.

Four quarterbacks are considered first-round possibilities in most mock drafts – Alabama’s Bryce Young, Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud, Kentucky’s Will Levis and Florida’s Anthony Richardson.

To acquire the team’s second No. 1 overall selection in team history – the Panthers chose quarterback Cam Newton out of Auburn in the 2011 draft – the Panthers traded away Moore, the Nos. 9 and 61 selections in the 2023 draft, their 2024 first round pick and their 2025 second round pick to the Bears.

The deal won’t be official until March 15 – or when the league’s 2023-24 officially starts.

There had been speculation that the Panthers might have an interest in trading up in the NFL draft.

“You go get the guy that you want, you know,” Carolina general manager Scott Fitterer said recently at the NFL Combine about potentially trading up for a quarterback. “If you have a conviction on a guy, you go get him. It’s pretty simple that way. If you don’t know and you’re going to give all these resources to go up and get it, you’re hurting your team in the long run.
“You better be right. You better have conviction if you do move up. When you do that, you’re all in.”

Whomever the Panthers’ choose should impact the team’s offseason free agent pursuit of other quarterbacks.

It also means first-year Carolina head coach Frank Reich would have the choice of starting the rookie right away like the franchise did with Newton in Ron Rivera’s first season of 2011 or start a veteran while the rookie grew acclimated to the Panthers’ system.

Carolina recently talked with free agent Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Derek Carr before he signed a four-year contract with the New Orleans Saints.

The only quarterbacks on the Panthers roster at the moment are Matt Corral and Jacob Eason.

The report of Carolina’s trade came only a few hours after the NFL announced the draft selections for the upcoming April 27 to 29 draft to be held in Kansas City.

The Carolina Panthers will have the following five draft selections:

2nd round No. 39
3rd round No. 93
4th round No. 114
4th round No. 132
5th round No. 145

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

College basketball

(Conference tournaments)
-2023 Region 10 men (at Cape Fear Community College)
Quarterfinals – Thursday, March 9
No. 4 Gaston College vs. No. 5 Cape Fear Community College – Cape Fear Community College 88-65
No. 2 Brunswick Community College vs. No. 7 Denmark Tech – Brunswick Community College 93-52
No. 3 Spartanburg Methodist vs. No. 6 Richard Bland – Spartanburg Methodist 64-61 (OT)
Semifinals – Friday, March 10
No. 1 Caldwell Tech vs. No. 4 Cape Fear Community College – Cape Fear Community College 89-85
No. 2 Brunswick Community College vs. No. 3 Spartanburg Methodist – Brunswick Community College 100-73
Final – Saturday, March 11
No. 4 Cape Fear Community College vs. No. 2 Brunswick Community College, 1 p.m.

-2023 ACC men (at Greensboro Coliseum)
(Tuesday, March 7)
Game 1: No. 12 Florida State vs. No. 13 Georgia Tech – Georgia Tech 61-60
Game 2: No. 10 Boston College vs. No. 15 Louisville – Boston College 80-62
Game 3: No. 11 Virginia Tech vs. No. 14 Notre Dame – Virginia Tech 67-64
(Wednesday, March 8)
Game 4: No. 8 Syracuse vs. No. 9 Wake Forest – Wake Forest 77-74
Game 5: No. 5 Pittsburgh vs. No. 13 Georgia Tech – Pittsburgh 89-81
Game 6: No. 7 North Carolina vs. No. 10 Boston College – North Carolina 85-61
Game 7: No. 6 N.C. State vs. No. 11 Virginia Tech – N.C. State 97-77
(Thursday, March 9)
Game 8: No. 1 Miami vs. No. 9 Wake Forest – Miami 74-72
Game 9: No. 4 Duke vs. No. 5 Pittsburgh – Duke 96-69
Game 10: No. 2 Virginia vs. No. 7 North Carolina – Virginia 68-59
Game 11: No. 3 Clemson vs. No. 6 N.C. State – Clemson 80-54
(Friday, March 10)
Game 12: No. 1 Miami vs. No. 4 Duke – Duke 85-78
Game 13: No. 2 Virginia vs. No. 3 Clemson – Virginia 76-56
(Saturday, march 11)
Game 14: Championship – No. 4 Duke vs. No. 2 Virginia, 8:30 p.m. (ESPN)

-2023 Conference USA men (at Frisco, Tex.)
(Wednesday, March 8)
No. 8 WKU vs. No. 9 UTEP – WKU 73-67
No. 7 FIU vs. No. 10 Louisiana Tech – Louisiana Tech 81-76 (OT)
No. 6 Rice vs. No. 11 UTSA – Rice 72-71
(Thursday, March 9)
No. 1 Florida Atlantic vs. No. 8 WKU – Florida Atlantic 75-51
No. 4 Middle Tennessee vs. No. 5 Charlotte – Middle Tennessee 66-65
No. 2 North Texas vs. No. 10 Louisiana Tech – North Texas 74-46
No. 3 UAB vs. No. 6 Rice – UAB 87-60
(Friday, March 10)
No. 1 Florida Atlantic vs. No. 4 Middle Tennessee – Florida Atlantic 68-65
No. 2 North Texas vs. No. 3 UAB – UAB 76-69
(Saturday, March 11)
Final – No. 1 Florida Atlantic vs. No. 3 UAB, 8:30 p.m. Court A

-2023 Conference USA women (at Frisco, Tex.)
(Wednesday, March 8)
No. 8 FIU vs. No. 9 Charlotte – Charlotte 72-59
No. 7 North Texas vs. No. 10 UAB – UAB 75-71
No. 6 UTSA vs. No. 11 Florida Atlantic – UTSA 69-68
(Thursday, March 9)
No. 1 Middle Tennessee vs. No. 9 Charlotte – Middle Tennessee 84-53
No. 4 UTEP vs. No. 5 Louisiana Tech – UTEP 64-54
No. 2 WKU vs. No. 10 UAB – WKU 71-67
No. 3 Rice vs. No. 6 UTSA – UTSA 62-54
(Friday, March 10)
No. 1 Middle Tennessee vs. No. 4 UTEP – Middle Tennessee 68-62
No. 2 WKU vs. No. 6 UTSA – WKU 70-55
(Saturday, March 11)
Final – No. 1 Middle Tennessee vs. No. 2 WKU, 5:30 p.m. Court A

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

High school baseball

(Thursday, March 9)
Burns 26, Thomas Jefferson 0

East Gaston 9, Bessemer City 3

(Friday, March 10)
Shelby 9, Highland Tech 3

Maiden 4, West Lincoln 3

South Caldwell 13, Lincoln Charter 3

Community School of Davidson 20, Mountain Island Charter 2

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

High school softball

(Thursday, March 9)
West Lincoln 8, North Lincoln 1: Winning pitcher Stacia Cowan and Gracie Elmore and Amelia May, who each had 2-run home runs, led West Lincoln.

Lincolnton 8, Newton-Conover 2

(Friday, March 10)
Maiden 6, West Lincoln 5

South Caldwell 17, Crest 7

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

High school basketball

Here are Saturday’s N.C. High School Athletic Association state championship game pairings, times and sites:

-BOYS
4A – Myers Park vs. Richmond County, 7:30 p.m. at Smith Center, UNC Chapel Hill
3A – Central Cabarrus vs. Pittsboro Northwood, 7:30 p.m. at Reynolds Coliseum, N.C. State
2A – Reidsville vs. Farmville Central, 2:30 p.m. at Smith Center, UNC Chapel Hill
1A – Eastern Randolph vs. Wilson Prep, noon at Reynolds Coliseum, N.C. State

-GIRLS
4A – Lake Norman vs. Cary Panther Creek, noon at Smith Center, UNC Chapel Hill
3A – West Rowan vs. Rocky Mount, 2:30 p.m. at Reynolds Coliseum, N.C. State
2A – Salisbury vs. Pittsboro Seaforth, 5 p.m. at Smith Center, UNC Chapel Hill
1A – Kernersville McGuinness vs. Chatham Charter, 5 p.m. at Reynolds Coliseum, N.C. State

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pro basketball

Here’s the 2022-23 Charlotte Hornets schedule:

(22-46 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 (L 112-118)
5 Orlando (L 113-119)
8 at Washington (L 104-118)
10 at Boston (L 116-127)
11 Denver (L 105-119)
13 Atlanta (W 144-138)
15 San Antonio (W 120-110)
24 at Minnesota (W 121-113)
25 Miami (W 108-103)
27 Detroit (W 117-106)
March
1 Phoenix (L 91-105)
3 Orlando (L 106-117)
5 at Brooklyn (L 86-102)
7 at New York (W 112-105)
9 at Detroit (W 113-103)
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.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pro soccer

Here is Charlotte FC’s full 2023 schedule:

(0-2 record)
Feb. 25 New England Revolution (L 0-1)
March 4 at St. Louis City SC (L 1-3)
March 11 Atlanta United FC, noon
March 18 at Orlando City SC, 7:30 p.m.
March 25 New York Red Bulls, 7:30 p.m.
April 1 at Toronto FC, 7:30 p.m.
April 8 at Real Salt Lake, 9:30 p.m.
April 15 Colorado Rapids, 7:30 p.m.
April 22 Columbus Crew, 7:30 p.m.
April 29 at D.C. United, 7:30 p.m.
May 6 New York City FC, 7:30 p.m.
May 13 at Atlanta United FC, 7:30 p.m.
May 17 Chicago Fire FC, 7:30 p.m.
May 20 Nashville SC, 7:30 p.m.
May 27 at L.A. Galaxy, 10:30 p.m.
May 31 at Philadelphia Union, 7:30 0.m.
June 3 at Columbus Crew, 7:30 p.m.
June 10 Seattle Sounders FC, 7:30 p.m.
June 21 at New York Red Bulls, 7:30 p.m.
June 24 CF Montreal, 7:30 p.m.
July 5 at New York City FC, 7:30 p.m.
July 8 FC Cincinnati, 7:30 p.m.
July 15 at CF Montreal, 7:30 p.m.
Aug. 20 at Inter Miami CF, 7:30 p.m.
Aug. 26 L.A. FC, 7:30 p.m.
Aug. 30 Orlando City SC, 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 2 at Nashville SC, 8:30 p.m.
Sept. 16 D.C. United, 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 20 Philadelphia Union, 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 23 at FC Cincinnati, 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 30 at New England Revoultion, 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 4 Toronto FC, 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 7 at Chicago Fire FC, 8:30 p.m.
Oct. 21 Inter Miami CF, TBD

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Auto racing

The 2023 NASCAR schedule (with winners in parentheses):

Feb 5 Clash at The Coliseum, Los Angeles CA (Martin Truex, Jr.)
Feb 16 Duel No. 1, Daytona Beach FL (Joey Logano)
Feb 16 Duel No. 2, Daytona Beach FL (Aric Almirola)
Feb 19 Daytona 500, Daytona Beach FL (Ricky Stenhouse, Jr.)
Feb 26 NASCAR Cup Series at California, Fontana CA (Kyle Busch)
Mar 5 NASCAR Cup Series at Las Vegas, Las Vegas NV (William Byron)
Mar 12 NASCAR Cup Series at Phoenix, Avondale AZ, 3:30 p.m. on FOX
Mar 19 NASCAR Cup Series at Atlanta, Hampton GA, 3:30 p.m. on FOX
Mar 26 NASCAR Cup Series at Circuit of the Americas, Austin TX, 3:30 p.m. on FOX
Apr 2 NASCAR Cup Series at Richmond, Richmond VA, 3:30 p.m. on FS1
Apr 9 NASCAR Cup Series at Bristol, Bristol TN, 7 p.m. on FOX
Apr 16 NASCAR Cup Series at Martinsville, Martinsville VA, 3 p.m. on FS1
Apr 23 NASCAR Cup Series at Talladega, Lincoln AL, 3 p.m. on FOX
Apr 30 NASCAR Cup Series at Dover, Dover DE, 2 p.m. on FS1
May 7 NASCAR Cup Series at Kansas, Kansas City KS, 3 p.m. on FS1
May 14 NASCAR Cup Series at Darlington, Darlington SC, 3 p.m. on FS1
May 21 NASCAR Cup Series All-Star Open Race, North Wilkesboro NC, 6 p.m. on FS1
May 21 NASCAR Cup Series All-Star Race, North Wilkesboro NC, 8 p.m. on FS1
May 28 NASCAR Cup Series at Charlotte, Concord NC, 6 p.m. at FOX
Jun 4 NASCAR Cup Series at World Wide Technology Raceway, Madison IL, 3:30 p.m. on FS1
Jun 11 NASCAR Cup Series at Sonoma, Sonoma CA, 3:30 p.m. on FOX
Jun 25 NASCAR Cup Series at Nashville, Lebanon TN, 7 p.m. on NBC
Jul 2 NASCAR Cup Series at Chicago, Chicago IL, 5:30 p.m. on NBC
Jul 9 NASCAR Cup Series at Atlanta, Hampton GA, 7 p.m. on USA
Jul 16 NASCAR Cup Series at New Hampshire, Loudon NH, 2:30 p.m. on USA
Jul 23 NASCAR Cup Series at Pocono, Long Pond PA, 2:30 p.m. on USA
Jul 30 NASCAR Cup Series at Richmond, Richmond VA, 3 p.m. on USA
Aug 6 NASCAR Cup Series at Michigan, Brooklyn MI, 2:30 p.m. on USA
Aug 13 NASCAR Cup Series at Indianapolis Road Course, Speedway IN, 2:30 p.m. on NBC
Aug 20 NASCAR Cup Series at Watkins Glen, Watkins Glen NY, 3 p.m. on USA
Aug 26 NASCAR Cup Series at Daytona, Daytona Beach FL, 7 p.m. on NBC

(Cup Playoffs)
Sep 3 NASCAR Cup Series at Darlington, Darlington SC, 6 p.m. on USA
Sep 10 NASCAR Cup Series at Kansas, Kansas City KS, 3 p.m. on USA
Sep 16 NASCAR Cup Series at Bristol, Bristol TN, 7:30 p.m. on USA
Sep 24 NASCAR Cup Series at Texas, Fort Worth TX, 3:30 p.m. on USA
Oct 1 NASCAR Cup Series at Talladega, Lincoln AL, 2 p.m. on NBC
Oct 8 NASCAR Cup Series at Charlotte, Concord NC, 2 p.m. on NBC
Oct 15 NASCAR Cup Series at Las Vegas, Las Vegas NV, 2:30 p.m. on NBC
Oct 22 NASCAR Cup Series at Miami, Homestead FL, 2:30 p.m. on NBC
Oct 29 NASCAR Cup Series at Martinsville, Martinsville, 2 p.m. on NBC
Nov 5 NASCAR Cup Series at Phoenix, Avondale AZ, 3 p.m. on NBC

 

 

 

 

 

 

Travel Basketball

The Denver Nuggets Travel boys’ basketball teams will be holding tryouts for the following teams: 7th-8th Grade Boys Monday, March 20th, Thursday, March 23rd, and Monday, March 27th from 6:00-7:30 PM in the competition gym at East Lincoln High School (6471 Hwy 73 Denver, NC 28037). 9th-11th grade boys have the same dates 7:30-9:00 PM. Players need to be at all 3 tryout dates if possible.

All basketball players in Lincoln and surrounding counties are encouraged to tryout for the teams. Parent Permission, Medical Consent, and Information forms are required to tryout and can be electronically sent to you. Contact Chip Ashley, at [email protected] or call 704-718-5136.