9-26-22 roundup: Pro basketball, football and soccer, High school football, Middle school football and softball, College football and basketball, Auto racing

By Richard Walker

The Charlotte Hornets are back – and so is former head coach Steve Clifford.

Clifford, hired for a second tenure as the team’s head coach earlier this summer, begins training camp on Tuesday morning with its first practice as the team prepares for a 5-game preseason slate that begins Sunday at 1 p.m. at Boston.

“I’m excited to be back,” Clifford said on Monday at the team’s NBA Media Day.

Clifford returns to Charlotte only 11 wins shy of becoming the franchise’s all-time head coaching after leading the franchise to a 196-214 overall record in five seasons from 2013 to 2018 that included two playoff appearances.

Allan Bristow is the franchise’s all-time winner with a 207-203 record in five seasons from 1991 to 1996 with two playoff berths and the franchise’s first postseason victory in the 1993 opening round against the Boston Celtics.

Also a three-year head coach of the Orlando Magic from 2018 to 2021, Clifford has long been regarded as one of the NBA’s best defensive strategists.

After the firing of former coach James Borrego, who replaced Clifford in 2021, Charlotte general manager Mitch Kupchak citing the need for defensive improvement as a priority.

His players understand as much.

“We have to buy into it,” center Mason Plumlee said. “His reputation has been to build or improve on defenses.”

Clifford is confident that can happen with a roster that likely will start 2021 NBA Rookie of the Year LaMelo Ball and Terry Rozier at guards, Gordon Hayward and P.J. Washington at forwards and Plumlee at center. Among the reserves are guards James Bouknight, Dennis Smith, Jr., forwards Kelly Oubre, Cody Martin and Jalen McDaniels and centers Nick Richards, Kai Jones and 2022 1st round draft pick Mark Williams out of Duke.

Also on the roster is projected Greensboro Swarm G-League player Isaiah Whaley of Gastonia; Whaley, who led Ashbrook to the N.C. 2015 3A state title game, was on the team’s Las Vegas Summer League roster after finishing his career at Connecticut where he once played with Bouknight.

“There’s so much good here,” Clifford said. “We’re going to run. Our team is built for that. We want to build on the offense that’s really good and improve on the parts of the defense that need improvement.”

The biggest question hanging over the team is the uncertainty surrounding Miles Bridges legal issues.

The Hornets’ leading scorer last season, he entered restricted free agency after last season ended with a second straight NBA play-in tournament defeat. Charlotte gave Bridges a $7.9 million qualifying offer before he was charged with three counts of felony domestic violence in June. According to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office, Bridges allegedly assaulted the mother of his two young children in front of them. Bridges has pleaded not guilty to the charges and has a court date on Thursday.

The Hornets’ qualifying offer allowed the team to match any offer sheet he signs with another team. The team had a chance to rescind that offer on July 13 but hasn’t done so in a move many think means they want to retain him.

If Bridges’ legal situation is resolved and he doesn’t go to jail, his options are the following: Sign an offer sheet with another team with the Hornets having the chance to match, sign a long-term deal with the Hornets, agree to the Hornets’ one-year qualifying offer or sit out the entire season and become an unrestricted free agent in July 2023.

“He does a lot of really good things for our team, on both sides of the ball,” Hayward said of Bridges, who averaged a career-high 20.2 points last season. “He’s a really good defender, and offensively he took a big leap last year. So it’s on all of us to step up if he’s not here.”

Said Ball: “I’m hoping we get him (back). I’m not really trying to throw in any negative energy and just trying to keep it positive.”

Here is the 2022-23 Charlotte Hornets schedule:

(Preseason)
October
2 at Boston, 1 p.m.
5 Indiana, 7 p.m.
7 Boston (at Greensboro), 7:30 p.m.
10 Washington, 7 p.m.
12 at Philadelphia, 7 p.m.

(Regular season)
October
19 at San Antonio, 8 p.m.
21 New Orleans, 7 p.m.
23 at Atlanta, 5:00 p.m.
26 at New York, 7:30 p.m.
28 at Orlando, 7 p.m.
29 Golden State 7 p.m.
31 Sacramento, 7 p.m.
November
2 at Chicago, 7:30 p.m.
4 at Memphis, 8 p.m.
5 Brooklyn, 7 p.m.
7 Washington, 7 p.m.
9 Portland, 7 p.m.
10 at Miami, 7:30 p.m.
12 at Miami, 8 p.m.
14 at Orlando, 7 p.m.
16 Indiana, 7 p.m.
18 at Cleveland, 7:30 p.m.
20 at Washington, 6 p.m.
23 Philadelphia, 7 p.m.
25 Minnesota, 5 p.m.
28 at Boston, 7:30 p.m.
December
2 Washington, 7 p.m.
3 Milwaukee, 6 p.m.
5 L.A. Clippers, 7 p.m.
7 at Brooklyn, 7:30 p.m.
9 New York, 7 p.m.
11 at Philadelphia, 6 p.m.
14 Detroit, 7 p.m.
16 Atlanta, 7 p.m.
18 at Denver, 8 p.m.
19 at Sacramento, 10 p.m.
21 at L.A. Clippers, 10:30 p.m.
23 at L.A. Lakers, 10:30 p.m.
26 at Portland, 10 p.m.
27 at Golden State, 10 p.m.
29 Oklahoma City, 7 p.m.
31 Brooklyn, 7 p.m.
January
2 L.A. Lakers, 7 p.m.
4 Memphis, 7 p.m.
6 at Milwaukee, 8 p.m.
8 at Indiana, 5 p.m.
10 at Toronto, 7:30 p.m.
12 at Toronto, 7:30 p.m.
14 Boston, 7 p.m.
16 Boston, 1 p.m.
18 at Houston, 8 p.m.
21 at Atlanta, 7:30 p.m.
23 at Utah, 9 p.m.
24 at Phoenix, 9 p.m.
26 Chicago, 7:30 p.m.
29 Miami, 1 p.m.
31 at Milwaukee, 8 p.m.
February
2 at Chicago, 8 p.m.
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

Former Huss standout Cress Worthy was named first team preseason All-CIAA in voting done by league coaches and he and his Fayetteville State teammates are the preseason pick to repeat as league champion.

Worthy, a 2017 Huss graduate, averaged 14.8 points, 4.2 rebounds and 3.1 assists last season as the Broncos went 21-9, won the CIAA title and advanced to the NCAA Division II playoffs.

 

 

 

 

 

Pro football

Here’s the full Carolina Panthers schedule for the 2022 season:

Week 1, Sept. 11, Cleveland (L 24-26)
Week 2, Sept. 18, at N.Y. Giants (L 16-19)
Week 3, Sept. 25, New Orleans (W 22-14)
Week 4, Oct. 2, Arizona, 4:05 p.m.
Week 5, Oct. 9, San Francisco, 4:05 p.m.
Week 6, Oct. 16, at L.A. Rams, 4:05 p.m.
Week 7, Oct. 23, Tampa Bay, 1 p.m.
Week 8, Oct. 30, at Atlanta, 1 p.m.
Week 9, Nov. 6, at Cincinnati, 1 p.m.
Week 10, Nov. 9, Atlanta, 1 p.m.
Week 11, Nov. 20, at Baltimore, 1 p.m.
Week 12, Nov. 27, Denver, 1 p.m.
Week 13, Dec. 4, BYE
Week 14, Dec. 11, at Seattle, 4:25 p.m.
Week 15, Dec. 18, Pittsburgh, 1 p.m.
Week 16, Dec. 24, Detroit, 1 p.m.
Week 17, Jan. 1, at Tampa Bay, 1 p.m.
Week 18, Jan. 7 or 8, at New Orleans, TBD

 

 

 

 

 

 

High school football

With Hurricane Ian churning in the Atlantic Ocean and scheduled to reach this area on Friday, all high school football games involving teams from Cleveland, Gaston, Lincoln and Mecklenburg counties will be moved from Friday to Thursday this week.

(This week’s Cleveland/Gaston/Lincoln counties games:)
-Thursday
Mountain Island Charter at Winston-Salem Prep
Ashbrook at North Gaston
Bessemer City at Burns
Bunker Hill at West Lincoln
Cramer at Huss
Crest at South Point
East Gaston at Thomas Jefferson
Highland Tech at Shelby
Kings Mountain at Forestview
Lincolnton at Bandys
North Iredell at North Lincoln
West Iredell at East Lincoln
Off – Cherryville

(This week’s other area games:)
-Thursday
Hopewell at West Charlotte
West Meck at Hough
Mallard Creek at North Meck
Kell at Myers Park
Harding at Berry Academy
Olympic at Palisades
East Meck at Butler
Rocky River at Catholic
Independence at Garinger
Mooresville at Providence
-Friday (all could also be moved to Thursday)
Statesville at Foard
St. Stephens at Hickory
East Burke at Newton-Conover
Maiden at West Caldwell
Hendersonville at Chase
Patton at East Rutherford
Polk County at R-S Central
Nation Ford, S.C. at Clover, S.C.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Middle school football

GASTON COUNTY CONFERENCE
Standings through Sept. 21 with division records followed by overall records:

(Division I)
Southwest 3-0, 4-1
Holbrook 1-1, 3-1
Grier 1-1, 2-2
Cramerton 1-2, 3-2
Mount Holly 0-2, 2-2

(Division II)
Belmont 3-0, 5-0
Stanley 2-1, 2-2
W.C. Friday 2-1, 2-3
York Chester 2-1, 2-3
Chavis 0-3, 0-4
Bessemer City 0-3, 0-5

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

 

TRI-COUNTY CONFERENCE
Standings through Sept. 22 with division records followed by overall records:

(West)
East Lincoln 2-0, 3-0
Kings Mountain 1-1, 1-2
Lincolnton 1-1, 2-1
North Lincoln 1-1, 2-1
Burns 1-1, 1-2
West Lincoln 0-2, 1-2

(East)
Crest 2-0, 3-0
Shelby 1-1, 2-1
East Rutherford 1-1, 1-2
R-S Central 1-1, 1-2
Thomas Jefferson 1-1, 1-2
Chase 0-2, 0-3

(Wednesday’s games)
Burns at Lincolnton
Crest at Chase
Kings Mountain at East Lincoln
North Lincoln at West Lincoln
R-S Central at Thomas Jefferson
Shelby at East Rutherford

 

 

 

 

 

Middle school softball

Standings through Sept. 26:

Belmont 8-0
Chavis 6-2
Stanley 6-2
W.C. Friday 5-3
Mount Holly 5-3
Bessemer City 4-4
Holbrook 4-5
Cramerton 2-6
Grier 1-7
Southwest 0-9

(Monday’s games)
Belmont 16, Mount Holly 1 (3 innings): Evy McKee had 3 hits, Sally Risk and Adeleigh Hutcheson 2 hits apiece and winning pitcher Stella Absher struck out 6 batters.

Bessemer City 5, Holbrook 0

Chavis 19, Grier 3 (3 innings): Winning pitcher Grace Capps had 6 strikeouts, Landry Beam, Maddie Avery and Hailey Vance had multiple hits and Kate Mulvey, Livi Harmon, Kayla Throckmorton and Capps had one hit apiece.

W.C. Friday 16, Cramerton 1

(Thursday’s games)
Cramerton at Chavis
W.C. Friday at Bessemer City
Grier at Belmont
Mount Holly at Stanley

 

 

 

 

 

College football

This week’s NCAA Division I Carolinas schedule:

(Saturday’s games)
S.C. State at South Carolina, noon
Butler at Davidson, 1 p.m.
Presbyterian at Morehead State, 1 p.m.
Mercer at Wofford, 1:30 p.m.
Samford at Furman, 2 p.m.
Richmond at Elon, 2 p.m.
Wake Forest at Florida State, 3:30 p.m.
Virginia Tech at North Carolina, 3:30 p.m.
The Citadel at Appalachian State, 3:30 p.m.
Gardner-Webb at Marshall, 3:30 p.m.
VMI at Western Carolina, 3:30 p.m.
N.C. Central at Campbell, 6 p.m.
UTEP at Charlotte, 6 p.m.
Bryant at North Carolina A&T, 7 p.m.
East Carolina at South Florida, 7 p.m.
N.C. State at Clemson, 7:30 p.m.
Virginia at Duke, 7:30 p.m.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pro soccer

Here’s the full Charlotte FC MLS schedule for the 2022 season (with results):

(12-17-2 record)
Feb. 26 at D.C. (L 0-3)
March 5, L.A. (L 0-1)
March 13, at Atlanta (L 1-2)
March 19, New England (W 3-1)
March 26, Cincinnati (W 2-0)
April 2, at Philadelphia (L 0-2)
April 10, Atlanta (W 1-0)
April 16, at New England (L 1-2)
April 23, at Colorado (T 0-0)
April 30, at Orlando (L 1-2)
May 7, Miami (W 1-0)
May 14, Montreal (L 0-2)
May 22, Vancouver (W 2-1)
May 29, at Seattle (L 1-2)
June 11, New York (W 2-0)
June 18, at Columbus (T 1-1)
June 25, at Montreal (L 1-2)
June 30, Austin (L 0-1)
July 3, at Houston (W 2-1)
July 9, Nashville (W 4-1)
July 16, at Miami (L 2-3)
July 23, at Toronto (L 0-4)
July 30, Columbus (suspended at 0-0 in 16th minute to Oct. 5)
August 3, D.C. (W 3-0)
August 6, Chicago (L 2-3)
August 13, at LAFC (L 0-5)
August 17, at New York City (W 3-1)
August 21, Orlando (L 1-2)
August 27, Toronto (L 0-2)
September 3, at Cincinnati (L 0-2)
September 10, New York City (W 1-0)
September 17, at Chicago (W 3-2)
October 1, Philadelphia, 5:30 p.m.
October 5, Columbus, 7 p.m.
October 9, at New York, 1 p.m.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Auto racing

The 2022 NASCAR cup schedule (with winners):

Feb. 6 Busch Light Clash (Joey Logano)
Feb. 17 Bluegreen Vacations Duel 1 (Brad Keselowski)
Feb. 17 Bluegreen Vacations Duel 2 (Chris Buescher)
Feb. 20 Daytona 500 (Austin Cindric)
Feb. 27 Wise Power 400 (Kyle Larson)
Mar. 6 Pennzoil 400 (Alex Bowman)
Mar. 13 Ruoff Mortgage (Chase Briscoe)
Mar. 20 Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 (William Byron)
Mar. 27 EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix (Ross Chastain)
Apr. 3 Toyota Owners (Denny Hamlin)
Apr. 9 Blue-Emu Maximum Pain Relief 400 (William Byron-2)
Apr. 17 Food City Dirt Race (Kyle Busch)
Apr. 24 Geico 500 (Ross Chastain-2)
May 2 DuraMAX Drydene 400 (Chase Elliott)
May 8 Goodyear 400 (Joey Logano)
May 15 AdventHealth 400 (Kurt Busch)
May 22 NASCAR All-Star Open (Daniel Suarez)
May 22 NASCAR All-Star (Ryan Blaney)
May 29 Coca-Cola 600 (Denny Hamlin-2)
June 5 Enjoy Illinois 300 (Joey Logano-2)
June 12 Toyota/Save Mart 350 (Daniel Suarez)
June 26 Ally 400 (Chase Elliott-2)
July 3 Kwik Trip 250 (Tyler Reddick)
July 10 Quaker State 400 (Chase Elliott-3)
July 17 Ambetter 301 (Christopher Bell)
July 24 NASCAR Cup Series at Pocono (Chase Elliott-4)
July 31 Verizon 200 at the Brickyard (Tyler Reddick-2)
Aug. 7 FireKeepers Casino 400 (Kevin Harvick)
Aug. 14 Federated Auto Parts 400 (Kevin Harvick-2)
Aug. 21 Go Bowling at The Glen (Kyle Larson-2)
Aug. 27-28 Coke Zero Sugar 400 (Austin Dillon)
Sept. 4 Cook Out Southern 500 (Erik Jones)
Sept. 11 Hollywood Casino 400 (Bubba Wallace)
Sept. 17 Bass Pro Shops Night Race (Chris Buescher)
Sept. 25 AutoTraderEchoPark Automotive 500 (Tyler Reddick-3)
Oct. 2 YellaWood 500
Oct. 9 Bank of America ROVAL 400
Oct. 16 South Point 400
Oct. 23 Dixie Vodka 400
Oct. 30 Xfinity 500
Nov. 6 NASCAR Cup Series Championship