Issuu

Time to look great!

VOLUME 12 ISSUE 10 | MARCH 16 - MARCH 22, 2016

YOUR SOURCE FOR SPORTS IN GEORGIA

Ballin’ Out of Control | Pg. 4 Kyle Sandy recalls the top 5 performances from state championship weekend.

TIME’S UP! Behind the Walls | Pg. 9 Craig Sager II exposes the monumental shift that could haunt the GHSA’s horizon.

NFL free agency opens and Roddy White’s time in Atlanta comes to a close. | Pg. 7

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Vol. 12 Iss. 10 | Mar. 16 - Mar. 22, 2016

STARTING LINEUP PUBLISHER/EDITOR I.J. Rosenberg

ART/CREATIVE DIRECTOR DJ Galbiati Blalock

GRAPHIC DESIGNER Rhonda Rawls

MANAGING EDITOR Craig Sager II

COLUMNISTS

ON THE COVER

PREP COVER

ASST. MANAGING EDITOR Kyle Sandy

MARKETING/ Lauren Goldstein PARTNERSHIP DIRECTOR

BUSINESS MANAGER Marvin Botnick

BEAT WRITERS: Ricky Dimon (Braves) Dan Mathews (UGA) Craig Sager II (Falcons, GHSA, GA Tech) Kyle Sandy (GSU, Kennesaw, Hawks) STAFF WRITERS Tyler Andrews Ned Kaish

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TEAM SCOOP AND VOICES

06 11 12

COVER PHOTOS COURTESY OF GHSA.NET, THE ATLANTA FALCONS, AND TY FREEMAN

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SAGER SAYS

WHAT’S NEXT IS WHAT MATTERS BY CRAIG SAGER II | CSAGER@SCOREATL.COM

he Georgia High School Association, the governing body of our state’s athletics and T activities, indefensibly marred the 2016 basket-

ball state championships by failing to provide a correctly measured regulation court at the 48-year-old host Macon Centreplex this weekend. I have evidenced that the court’s baskets were also positioned a foot further back than a regulation court in 2015, meaning that free throws were 16 feet rather than 15 feet then and that 50 square feet of baseline behind and under the basket was reduced on each side of the court amongst the other disproportions. To an informed individual, the influence these metric differences would have on a game or on any given play are clear, which is why the statement sent out by the GHSA as the Marietta Daily Journal broke the story was perhaps the biggest

misstep of the weekend. Reading the statement, it becomes clear that the GHSA severely underestimated the immediate and national attention they would entice. “Only one coach even mentioned a possible problem, and my basketball staff watched the games closely and did not notice any appreciable effect on the shooting or the play of any of the teams,” said GHSA Executive Director Gary Phillips in his statement. “Some of the teams even shot extremely well from both the floor and the free throw line. But, overall, it looked like typical championship play.” First of all, one coach bringing light to the problem is all it should have taken. Once the wrongly measured court had been detected, the reality of the situation becomes absolute.

SANDY’S SPIEL

PEACH STATE AT A CROSSROADS

will likely be stuck at home for the sixth straight season watching March Madness from their collective couches. The Yellow Jackets rallied from down 18 points to stun Clemson in overtime in the second round of the ACC Tournament 88-85 on Wednesday before falling to No. 4 Virginia 72-52 in a rematch of Jan. 9’s upset victory at home, 68-64. The loss drops Coach Brian Gregory’s fiveyear record at Tech to 74-85.

IS IT TIME FOR A CHANGE?

Since losing in the national championship back in 2003-04, Georgia Tech has been mired in mediocracy, collecting just five winning

MO’ MONEY MO’ PROBLEMS…

I have pointed out the ethical reasons why I believe this will not happen again, but there are other changes on the horizon that will restructure the Georgia high school landscape permanently that I want to focus on. In the light of the Macon fiasco, the GHSA will have more pressure than ever this upcoming school year as they marshal in extensive changes. The 2016 Wheeler’s Romello White and Shiloh’s Josh Okogie are both signed to play at McCamish Pavilion next year and should be good pieces for whoever takes the lead at Tech. Whether it be Gregory or a new staff in place, they will need to hit the recruiting trails hard, especially in Georgia in order to become a postseason contender year-in and year-out.

DO THE DAWGS HAVE BITE?

BY KYLE SANDY | KSANDY@SCOREATL.COM

hough they won six of their last eight games T with their only two losses coming against teams ranked in the top 15, Georgia Tech (19-14)

The court’s measurements were wrong and that could not be disputed. Whether one coach noticed, or the entire state ‘noticed’, should have never made a difference to our state’s governing sentinels of sportsmanship and integrity. Second of all, I don’t even need a second of all. I could break down the entire statement and counsel the GHSA on every mistake made this weekend, but I genuinely believe that a valuable lesson has been learned. I believe that this unfortunate situation and unsettling wakeup call wheeled in a new chapter. The GHSA received its tutorial on how powerful social media is as the gaffe reached the national media and delivered more support to the ripening frustrations shared by those already engaged with the story. With social media, the demand for accountability grew epidemically, while the GHSA’s original statement was fatefully anchored by an unconcerned denial of the problem.

season over their 188-193 stretch. Paul Hewitt flopped after an 11-year run and is now just 6667 at George Mason. Gregory might be the next on the chopping block after missing the big dance for another season. Georgia Tech has never been ranked while under Gregory’s guidance and has struggled to keep Georgia’s premier talent in-state while UGA and Coach Mark Fox have slowly begun to pick up the pace in the Peach. With a veteran-laden group unable to get over the hump this year, things don’t look much brighter for the Jackets, meaning it is time to go in a new direction with the head coach. The next head man for the Jackets has to be and established veteran or a young voice that can sell recruits and fans on a vision; someone that can excite people about Georgia Tech basketball again.

Georgia (19-13) will be playing in the NIT along with Georgia Tech this season. The Bulldogs garnered a three-seed while Tech pulls a four-seed. It is disappointing after Georgia lost by seven to eventual Final Four team Michigan State last year, but the Dawgs didn’t completely fall off the map. Mark Fox has done a nice job at UGA after a slow start. In his seven years at the helm, Fox is 125-102 with three 20-win seasons and two playoff appearances. With a win in the NIT, that will make it four 20-win seasons and more importantly, he will have accomplished the feat in three consecutive seasons. What is the crux of Fox’s success? His ability to land in-state talent that produces. On last year’s NCAA Tournament team, four of their top five scorers were all plucked out of high school from Georgia. The trend continued this year with only Marcus Thornton (Westlake) graduating. Leading scorer J.J. Frazier (Faith Baptist Christian) is

18 Region Alignment that was set in stone this January is the most significant reclassification made in the state’s history. The addition of Class 7A restructures the regions and teams in each classification, and also increases the amount of teams that make the playoffs and that will appear in the subsequently expanded championship schedules. Nowhere will the changes be more impactful than basketball, where instead of 15 state championship games (14 plus the AAASP Wheelchair game), it will increase to a 17-game championship weekend. If the additional games do force a change to the locations of state championships in upcoming years, the other rounds are still impacted by the new alignment, which is exactly my next point. The restructuring into a seventh classification and keeping the divided Class A-Private and Class A-Public championships creates 62 additional playoff basketball games this next year alone. The 62 new basketball games is in addition to the hundreds of new playoff games football and the other 17 GHSA sanctioned sports will add this next school year and in the years to follow. So, with 14.3 percent more playoff games on the hardwood next year, that should create more than enough revenue for the GHSA to assure us all that this lesson’s been learned. So, see you next year. We can’t wait. Photo courtesy of GHSA.net pouring in 17 a night. Kenny Gaines (Whitefield Academy) adds 12.8, Charles Mann (Milton) 10.4 and freshman Derek Ogbeide (Pebblebrook) has come on strong after an injury delayed his debut. Currently there are eight players from in-state on the roster with Turtle Jackson (Athens Christian) and Houston Kessler (Landmark Christian) highlighting the other contributors. On the horizon for UGA? Likely more success. The devastating scoring duo from South Georgia of Jordan Harris and Tyree Crump will make immediate impacts next year. The two are cousins with Crump hailing from Bainbridge while Harris led his Seminole County team to a state championship in 2014. Harris is a freakish athlete that can score any way he wants with his southpaw attack. Crump scores in bunches and can launch from anywhere. The juice and excitement will be in abundance next year with the two finally teaming up. They have played countless times with Bainbridge handing Seminole County three losses in 2014; the Indians’ only losses during their state championship season. If Fox can land a few more in-state pieces moving forward, don’t be surprised in the Dawgs become a staple in March with the amount of talent surrounding the area. Photo courtesy of exploregeorgia.org

Vol. 12 Iss. 10 | Mar. 16 - Mar. 22, 2016

This comeback athlete had a long road back. Today it’s 8.5 miles. Know a young athlete who overcame a serious injury or illness? Nominate them for Comeback Athlete of the Month at choa.org/comeback.

ACC

Stony Brook

Printers

Not one, but two teams earned No. 1 seeds heading into March Madness with ACC champs North Carolina and Virginia getting the nod. UVA defeated UNC earlier in the year but the Tar Heels got the last laugh in the ACC title game, 61-57. If Virginia can avoid lengthy scoreless droughts like they had in the second half against UNC, they will be a tough out.

The Seawolves are finally dancing after an epic performance from American East Player of the Year Jameel Warney in the conference title. He posted 43 points and 10 rebounds while shooting 18-of-22 from the field. The potential Cinderella draws juggernaut Kentucky in round one. Stony Brook will have a puncher’s chance if they can establish Warney down low.

With March Madness here, make sure you have your ink and toner ready because brackets will be printed like newspapers, spitting out at an alarming rate. Millions of brackets will be filled during the sport fan’s favorite time of year. Expect a lot of heartbreak and a ton of gloating throughout the process.

SCORE LIST By Craig Sager II BRACKET MADNESS

It’s that time of year again to fill out NCAA Tournament brackets and predict which team will be cutting down the net in Houston this year at the Final Four. With upsets, surprising teams and the parity that bursts through the seams of college basketball each March, the love for this time of year is rekindled. Here’s to hoping we won’t be one of the millions shooting our crumpled brackets into the trashcan after this weekend.

ON THE PINE

The Peach State finds itself out of the NCAA tournament as no school within our borders earned a bid. Instead, fans will watch as the Yellow Jackets and Bulldogs battle in a surprisingly-deep NIT field. Building momentum for next season will be the storyline to watch as the two outsiders open play, but making a run poses a tall task.

WELCOME BACK

The Atlanta Falcons announced the re-signing of safety Charles Godfrey on Tuesday. Godfrey was signed by the Falcons as a free agent on October 28, 2014 after spending six-plus seasons with the Panthers. Godfrey played in five games with the Falcons and seven games with the Panthers in 2014. In 2015, Godfrey played eight games and recorded 12 total tackles, a forced fumble, and one pass defensed.

ROAD TO RECOVERY

Jason Grilli is set to make his Grapefruit League debut Thursday, and the Braves believe the veteran reliever probably has enough time to be ready when the regular season begins April 4. Grilli, 39, ruptured his Achilles tendon in the next-tolast game before the 2015 All-Star break and had seasonending surgery. It looks as if he might prove skeptics wrong and be ready by opening day.

TAKE YOUR PICK

We are one month away from the NFL Draft and there hardly seems to be a consensus on who the Falcons should choose with the 17th overall pick. The latest mock drafts include Jonathan Bullard, DE, Florida; Corey Coleman, WR, Baylor; Leonard Floyd, OLB Georgia; Shaw Lawson, DE, Clemson; Darron Lee, OLB, Ohio State; Reggie Ragland, ILB Alabama; and Sheldon Rankins, DT, Louisville.

WHO’S NOT

By Kyle Sandy

WHO’S HOT

SCORE ATLANTA | www.ScoreAtl.com

NCAA

Peach State

Monmouth

Some questionable selections were made for the NCAA Tournament, but that happens every year. The biggest shocker was that the brackets were leaked online before the Selection Sunday show. Not a very good look for the governing body. Reminds me of a governing body around here.

A whopping zero teams from Georgia made the tournament this year. No more Georgia State to put on the glass slipper and steal America’s heart. No Georgia to play Michigan State as tough as nails. And of course, no Georgia Tech, but we are used to that by now right?

Everyone’s favorite MidMajor with the funny bench antics got the shaft from the NCAA, leaving many displeased. If they weren’t good enough to win any games, fans at least wanted to see what kind of comedy the substitutes could cook up courtside. Sad day for basketball fans and benchwarmer supporters.

NUMBERS

OUR TWO CENTS

By Kyle Sandy

Our email newsletter is something we take a lot of pride in at Score. If you aren’t familiar with it, it is a high school sportsheavy publication that we produce each day to fill in our readers on the latest happenings in Georgia prep sports. We send it out Monday through Friday throughout the year and Monday through Saturday during the fall. Not only do we cover popular sports like football, basketball and baseball, we also cover every other varsity sport the GHSA fields. If you like Georgia high school sports at all, sign up for our email newsletter by visiting www.tinyurl.com/scorenewsletter and enter your email address(es) that you’d like added to the distribution list.

TRIVIA QUESTION

HOW MANY NIT BIDS HAVE UGA AND GEORGIA TECH EARNED IN THEIR HISTORY?

“

SANITY AT LAST

“We just came up short this year. There’s nothing else we can do about it. It sucks.”

Years since a West Coast team made the Final Four

145

Wins over the last for years for UConn women’s basketball

Years since a West Coast team (Arizona) won the National Championship

Number of Georgia programs in the tournament

Combined losses for the top four seeds in the women’s tournament

Braves losses, the secondmost in the Grapefruit League

9.5

Games the Hawks are behind first-place Cleveland in the Eastern Conference

Combined points Paul George and Monta Ellis were held to against Atlanta

PLAYOFF PICTURE

The NBA playoffs are rapidly approaching and the Atlanta Hawks (38-29) recent upswing could secure home court in at least the first round if the trend continues. Currently, Atlanta sits as the No. 5 seed in the East and is one game behind the Miami Heat and a game and a half behind the Boston Celtics. Cleveland (47-19) and Toronto (44-21) look like locks for the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds.

ANSWER ON PAGE 14

- Georgia guard Charles Mann

Vol. 12 Iss. 10 | Mar. 16 - Mar. 22, 2016

ON THE COVER

ATLANTA FALCONS

WHAT TO MAKE OF FALCONS EARLY MOVES BY CRAIG SAGER II | CSAGER@SCOREATL.COM

here is a delicate balance between patching up weaknesses and diving for treasure that the Falcons have watchfully demonstrated in the primal stages of NFL free agency. Before the free agency period began, the Falcons gears were already turning. Veteran safety William Moore and linebacker Justin Durant were released on Feb. 8 and a week later the team shed more weight by parting with cornerback Travis Howard and fullback Collin Mooney. The final move made before free agency was the biggest move of the 2016 offseason so far and sent a message to an openness for drastic changes as the Falcons released Roddy White on March 2. Parting with White, the best receiver in franchise history, is understandably difficult for much of the fan base, but what is important now is where the team goes from here. This move also proves what we already knew; Julio Jones is the new face of the franchise and this is his era.

Atlanta introduced one new face and one familiar face to the offensive side of the ball on March 9, while waiving nose tackle Paul Solia. Center Alex Mack was inked to a five-year contract with the Falcons to give the team an experienced anchor to the line. We all remember the botched snaps and busted plays that were direct results of inexperience and inconsistency at the center position last year. Mack is an expensive pillar, but the upside is well worth it. Mack is a beast in the run game at 6-foot-4, 311 pounds and a big body in the interior to free up the elusive and hard-running of Devonta Freeman, who needs just a sliver of open field to make something happen. Mack joins Atlanta with a familiarity of the current playbook, having spent 2014 with offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan in Cleveland. His leg injury in 2014 prevented him from playing much that year, but he nonetheless was well-acquainted to the outside zone block-

ing scheme after spending the entire year with Shanahan. Before the injury in 2014, Mack, a 2009 first round pick (21st overall), never missed a snap in the NFL. He returned last season fully healthy and started all 16 regularseason contests for the Browns. This durability helped Mack to three Pro Bowl nominations. This is a significant deal as Mack was brought in to be an immediate leader on the field and in the locker room. Mack’s five-year deal is worth $45 million and includes $28.5 million in guaranteed money. The contract made Mack the highest paid center in the NFL going into the 2016 season if that’s any gauge on the level of performance the organization expects from the former Cal Bear. The familiar face that returned to Atlanta, was quarterback Matt Shaub, who was picked up on Wednesday from Baltimore. Shaub, at 6-foot-5, 235 pounds, was originally selected by the Falcons in the third round (90th overall) of the 2004 NFL Draft out of Virginia. He spent his first three seasons in Atlanta and played in 38 games with two starts for the team, while completing 84-of-161 passes for 1,033 yards and six touchdowns. Schaub was traded to the Houston Texans during the 2007 offseason. He played in 90 games with 88 starts for the team, and completed 1,951 of his 3,020 passes for 23,221 yards with 124 touchdowns, and a 90.9 passer rating, while being selected to two Pro Bowls. During the two years Shanahan was offensive coordinator for the Texans (2008-09), Schaub went 647-of-963 for 7,813 yards and 44 touchdowns, and had a 95.7 passer rating. Schaub was then traded to the Oakland Raiders in 2014, where he saw action in 11 games. He was signed by the Baltimore Ravens during the 2015 offseason. Schaub played in two games with two starts and went 52-of-80 for 540 yards and three touchdowns. This move is intriguing to me for two reasons. First, it gave the Falcons a reliable and proven backup at the quarterback position, something Matt Ryan has never had. Secondly, it brought in an experienced quarterback that I believe will directly impact Ryan this offsea-

son. By having a quarterback familiar with Shanahan, familiar with the Falcons organization and fluent to life in the NFL, it will undoubtedly push Ryan and should make him a better-prepared quarterback in 2016.

MORE TO COME… Day 2 of free agency was focused on the defensive end position as the Falcons agreed to terms with Adrian Clayborn and Derrick Shelby. Clayborn was signed by the Falcons last offseason and played in every game in 2015. Shelby, 6-2, 280 pounds, was originally signed as a college free agent by the Miami Dolphins following the 2012 NFL Draft out of Utah. Shelby has seen action in 63 games with nine starts, while posting 103 total tackles (74 solo), nine sacks, four forced fumbles, two interceptions, one fumble recovery, and one defensive touchdown. Last season, he started eight of the 16 games he played in and recorded career highs in total tackles (37 – 25 solo) and sacks (3.5), as well as recording two forced fumbles and one interception, which he returned for a touchdown. The addition of Shelby pairs Beasley with a young, 27-year-old end that is entering his prime years. Shelby is also a proven three-down pass-rusher and run-stopper that provides depth and bolsters the rotation. The latest signees brought another split of fresh and old faces. Wide receiver Mohamed Sanu was added as a 6-foot-2, 210-pound target for the offense. Sanu comes from Cincinnati and will have a much more important role in Atlanta’s offense. On Friday, former Falcon Sean Weatherspoon was signed to a one-year deal. After missing the entire 2014 season, Atlanta separated with Weatherspoon and he spent last season on the Arizona Cardinals. Weatherspoon, 6-2, 244 pounds, was selected by the Falcons in the first round (19th overall) of the 2010 NFL Draft. Falcons fans are enthused by the possibility of hearing “Spoooooon” echo throughout the Georgia Dome again, something I certainly did not see as a possibility after the split following 2014. Photos courtesy of the Atlanta Falcons and Joshua Gunter, Cleveland.com

SATURDAY, MARCH 5, 2016 9AM - 3PM ATLANTA FALCONS PRACTICE FACILITY | 4400 FALCON PARKWAY | FLOWERY BRANCH, GA 30542

THIS INTERACTIVE AND EDUCATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL COACHES FORUM IS DESIGNED TO FOCUS ON A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT TOPICS RELATED TO COACHING A HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL TEAM AND DEVELOPING STUDENT-ATHLETES. COACHES WILL PARTICIPATE IN BREAKOUT SESSIONS AND HEAR FROM SPEAKERS, INCLUDING MEMBERS OF THE ATLANTA FALCONS COACHING STAFF, THAT WILL PROVIDE THEM WITH NEW TOOLS TO CONTINUE MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN THE LANDSCAPE OF HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL.

THIS FORUM IS FREE TO ATTEND AND LUNCH WILL BE PROVIDED. EACH COACH WILL RECEIVE A GIFT FOLLOWING THE FORUM FOR ATTENDING.

MUST REGISTER TO ATTEND: ATLANTAFALCONS.COM/COACHESFORUM

PREP SPORTS

He is a Class AAA First-Team All-State selection.

TOP 5 PERFORMANCES FROM CHAMPIONSHIP WEEKEND

3. JOHN OGWUCHE, GREENFOREST, SR.

KYLE SANDY | KSANDY@SCOREATL.COM

weekend of dominant performances and competitive matchups was tainted by the controversy that ensued the GHSA’s embarrassing failures on providing a regulation court. The past week was spent focusing on the failures of the GHSA and the outrage shared by sports fans and audiences across the country. The teams and the individuals that shone in Macon have not yet received their praise, so without further ado here are the top 5 individual performances from championship weekend.

1. WENDELL CARTER JR., PACE ACADEMY, JR.

30 POINTS (10-11 FG), 20 REBOUNDS, 2 ASSISTS, 3 BLOCKS, 1 STEAL Domination. One word that has been synonymous with Wendell Carter Jr. throughout his career. Against a smaller yet physical frontline of Manchester, the five-star junior center wrecked

the Blue Devils and led the Knights to their first ever title. He even went 3-for-3 from deep, proving he can do it all on the floor. Carter was named Class AA Player of the Year along with numerous superlatives and was named Sandy’s Spiel Mr. Basketball.

2. JAILYN INGRAM, MORGAN COUNTY, SR.

28 POINTS (8-11 FT), 9 REBOUNDS, 1 ASSIST Florida Atlantic is getting a big time player in Jailyn Ingram, who has successfully stepped out of the shadows cast by Tookie Brown last year. The 6-foot-7 forward used his quickness and size inside to get the best of a smaller Jenkins team while capturing his second state championship and getting revenge after a 62-60 loss to the Warriors in the title game a year ago. Ingram used nifty footwork while facing up on the low block to spin to the cup and finish with authority.

27 POINTS (14-23 FT), 3 REBOUNDS, 5 ASSISTS, 4 STEALS The New Hampshire signee went out on top as Greenforest knocked off St. Francis, ending the Knights’ two-year run and getting payback from last year’s 96-81 loss in the state championship. John Ogwuche was relentless on his attack of the rim, living at the line while punishing the Knights’ guards trying to check him. He also helped hold Kobi Simmons (8-25 FG) in check to preserve the victory. Coach Larry Thompson praised Ogwuche for his efforts after the game saying he “willed us to victory.” The grizzled veteran was selected to the 1A-Private All-State Second-Team.

4. JAMIE LEWIS, WESTLAKE, SO.

21 POINTS, 4 REBOUNDS, 9 ASSISTS, 1 STEAL Only a sophomore, the sky is the limit for Jamie Lewis. With Westlake on the ropes in the third quarter down 11 to Pebblebrook, Lewis took over and scored 12 of his game-high 21 points in the period to claw the Lions back into the game. Lewis was battle-tested all year long coming out of Region 3 and taking the toughest road to the final by having to beat Norcross, Shiloh and New-

ton just to get to Macon. On the biggest stage, he shined the brightest whether he was tossing alley-oops or getting buckets. Lewis’ performance will not be forgotten in a wild Class AAAAAA final. He is an All-State Honorable Mention selection.

5. RICHARD LECOUNTE, LIBERTY COUNTY, JR.

20 POINTS, 9 REBOUNDS, 2 ASSISTS, 4 STEALS Sometimes you take the good with the bad. LeCounte missed his first three shots in wild and ugly fashion but eventually settled in. He had a whopping 10 turnovers, but his fearless style of play consisting of flying all over the floor and smacking bodies with opponents for loose balls was the difference in helping Liberty County to its first-ever state championship while avenging last year’s 71-43 season ending loss to Jonesboro and snapping the Cardinals’ attempt at a three-peat. The five-star UGA football commit showed off his uber-athleticism from the opening tip, stealing the jump ball in impressive fashion. LeCounte was aggressive all night long and wasn’t afraid to make mistakes. He drilled three big threes in the Panthers’ 58-52 Class AAAA championship victory. LeCounte was named Second-Team AllState. Photos courtesy of Ty Freeman

SCORE ATLANTA | www.ScoreAtl.com

Vol. 12 Iss. 10 | Mar. 16 - Mar. 22, 2016 UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA

UGA BEAT BY DAN MATHEWS | DMATHEWS@SCOREATL.COM

he Bulldogs have an opportunity to build momentum heading into what looks to be a promising 2016-17 season, but it will require nothing short of excellence in the upcoming NIT Tournament to achieve that steam. A seemingly unusual amount of tournament snubs on Selection Sunday have bolstered the NIT field and made this year’s slate one of the strongest in over a decade. The 79th annual National Invitation Tournament gets set for a 32-team battle, that like Georgia, will have teams fighting for the tournament crown and the impetus that can carry over into next season. The NIT is a 32-team, single-elimination tournament that plays its first three rounds on campus sites. The field is split into four regions of teams seeded 1-8. The semifinals and finals will take place at Madison Square Garden in New York. Georgia resides in the Valparaiso Region, with No. 1 seed Valpariso and No. 2 Saint Mary’s. Georgia earned the No. 3 seed and the

GEORGIA STATE

BEACH VOLLEYBALL HEADLINES SPRING SPORTS SUCCESS BY KYLE SANDY | KSANDY@SCOREATL.COM

eorgia State (8-7) plated seven runs in the seventh inning on Sunday against Jackson State (7-6), rallying from down 11-5 to take a 12-11 lead, but the Tigers answered back and squeaked out a 13-12 win at the GSU Baseball Complex. Senior James Clements played a big role in the comeback that fell short, collecting career highs in both hits (3) and RBIs (4). Three and four hitters for Jackson State Lamar Briggs and Jesus Santana killed the Panthers finishing 3-of7 with eight RBIs and three runs scored. Wayne Wages got the start for Georgia State and lasted 4.2 innings before poor defense helped lead to an early departure. He allowed two hits, two walks and struck out five, but allowed five runs to cross the plate, with just one being earned. Overall the Panthers committed three costly errors on the day. “It was really good to see our offense come to life and get some confidence and some momentum,” head coach Greg Frady said. “We had the big sixth and seventh where we scored nine

remaining bracket features Florida State, Davidson, Belmont, New Mexico State and Texas Southern. SEC rival South Carolina is the top seed in its Region with No. 4 Georgia Tech.

FOR THE SENIORS

Two seniors, Charles Mann and Kenny Gaines, have done a tremendous job in their four seasons with the Dawgs to lead the program. It is unfortunate for the two guards that the season will not end in the big dance, but these two will be highly-motivated to complete what has been a steady improvement from the team’s dreadful start. Georgia’s midseason form did not come until there were only six games left in the season and the consistency was just not quite there. The Auburn loss ultimately may be to blame for coming up short to a tournament berth as the loss influenced many people to write off Georgia as an NCAA Tournament team after the result. The Bulldogs did not play their best basketball until it was too late, but now is the chance for the seniors and the rising collection of underclassmen to show the committee the type of talent and team this is. A strong run in the NIT, might even change the minds of the committee next year if the Dawgs sit on the bubble. “We just came up short this year,” Mann said. “There’s nothing else we can do about it. It sucks.”

runs, but we just didn’t have enough at the end. We’re dealing with injuries and adversity, and I’m glad to see them fight, but we’re going to have to find a way to win these games at the end.”

SAND QUEENS

The No. 10 ranked GSU beach volleyball team advanced its record to 8-1 on the year after a dominant performance at the Tiger Beach Challenge. The Panthers went 5-0 over the weekend and capped off their successful trip to Baton Rouge with wins over UL Monroe and LSU. On Saturday to kick off their tournament, GSU defeated two top ten teams in No. 8 Stetson and No. 9 FIU. “Our team showed maturity and discipline today. We embraced the pressure and across all five flight we saw heart and hustle,” assistant coach Kirsten Gallagher said after Saturday’s wins. “We are motivated to keep improving each time we step on the court.” “Each flight contributed to our success this weekend. We’re proud of how hard we played,” head coach Beth Van Fleet explained after finishing a perfect weekend. “Our identity has started to emerge. We are going to play hard for every point and continue to improve.”

BASKETBALL BLUES

There will be no glass slipper for Cinderella this season as Texas State thwarted GSU’s shot at a postseason bid, knocking them off 63-61 on a Bobby Conley three-pointer with 2.5 seconds left. The Panthers finish the season 16-14.

GEORGIA TECH

what they did.”

QUICK HITS

PAIR OF PITCHERS MAKE HEADLINES BY CRAIG SAGER II | CSAGER@SCOREATL.COM

ophomore pitcher Emily Anderson struck out a career-high 14 batters as the Georgia Tech Ssoftball team (6-14) defeated NC Central (1-19),

3-2, on Monday afternoon at Mewborn Field. The Eagles got on the board first and the Jackets answered in the bottom of the inning. Pierannunzi singled, stole second and scored on a throwing error by the Eagle outfield. NC Central regained the lead in the top of the third, but the Jackets scored a run in each of the fourth and fifth innings to take a 3-2 lead. Anderson (5-9) earned the win after throwing seven innings, surrendering two runs on three hits. NC Central’s Jennifer Allison (0-8) suffered the loss after giving up three runs on six hits in four innings work. I thought Emily really took control of the game after the first inning,” head coach Shelly Hoerner said. “She had a career-high strikeouts and she made adjustments. She and Kaylee Ellebracht worked well together, and I’m proud of how she refocused in the second inning. “Sam and Maddie had great at bats. It was a 9-1 kind of punch. They did a great job getting on base. We talked about doing whatever it took to get on base and make things happen, and that’s

KENNESAW STATE

BASEBALL IN FULL SWING BY KYLE SANDY | KSANDY@SCOREATL.COM

ennesaw State baseball dropped to 7-8 after an 8-6 loss to Middle Tennessee State on Sunday. It took 10 innings to decide the winner where the Blue Raiders plated two runs off of Erich Stahl in the top of the tenth. Kennesaw blew an early 4-0 lead. The Owls jumped on starter Reid Clements and hung four runs off three hits and three walks in 1.1 innings pitched. David Chabut, Matt Mixon and Chris Erwin all plated runs in the second inning. Jeremy Howell finished 3-for-4 at the dish with one RBI. AJ Moore baffled MTSU hitters early on and went six innings with a no decision. He allowed six hits, two walks and struck out two. His defense behind him let him down as five runs scored but only one was earned. Brad Jarreau was a thorn in the Kennesaw State pitching staff’s side. The center fielder collected four hits and drove in three runs while crossing the plate three times himself. “We jumped out early and, offensively, did not do anything after jumping out to a quick

- Emily Anderson had a career-high 14 strikeouts; her previous best was 10 - The Jackets out-hit the Eagles 6-to-3 - Maddie Lionberger went 2-for-2 with a run - Samantha Pierannunzi went 2-for-3 with a run - Courtney Ziese and Colleen Darragh each had a hit The Yellow Jackets are back in action Wednesday, March 16 with a doubleheader against Tennessee State beginning at 4 p.m.

HEAD OF THE CLASS…

Georgia Tech redshirt junior pitcher Jonathan King is one of 30 baseball student-athletes selected as a candidate for the 2016 Senior CLASS Award. King is one of four ACC student-athletes on the list, joining Clemson’s Patrick Andrews, Louisville’s Kyle Funkhouser and Miami’s Thomas Woodrey. The Murfreesboro, Tenn., native is a twotime All-ACC Academic Baseball Team selection (2013, 2015) and three-time ACC Academic Honor Roll member (2013, 2014, 2015). An industrial engineering major with a 3.46 cumulative GPA, King has traveled to the Dominican Republic for a service trip with Tech’s FCA chapter (2015) and was involved in the Georgia Tech Athletic Association’s recent strategic planning process. On the field, King is 13-10 with a 3.61 ERA in 45 career appearances. He owns a nearly 2:1 career strikeout-to-walk ratio (117 to 60).

five run lead. I felt like we were in all three games, and we have to be able to control the innings better and limit runs,” said Coach Mike Sansing following the series loss.

SWINGING FOR THE FENCES

Sophomore Austin Upshaw has been a major addition to the Owls. After starring at Buford High School, Upshaw took a year at Georgia Perimeter to hone his game. He hit two homers last year but already has the team lead with four this season at the Division-I level. He is batting .375 with nine RBIs and is slugging a team-best .625. Corey Greeson and Brennan Morgan are tied for second on the team with two homeruns. Jeremy Howell is pacing the Owls with a .389 average. Chris Erwin has a team-high 11 RBIs. On the bump Gabe Friese (1.61 ERA) and AJ Moore (2.35 ERA) have been the most effective. In eight appearances Brock Turner has a 1.04 ERA.

FORE

Christopher Guglielmo finished 4-under par and tied for fifth-place at the 36-hole Souther Intercollegiate Championships held on Monday. Guglielmo’s performance helped the Owls post a 14-over par 590 to tie for fifth place. Host and second-ranked Georgia captured the 13-team event with a 20-under par 556 to finish three shots ahead of No. 27 Arkansas.

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ATLANTA HAWKS

FIVE OF SIX BY KYLE SANDY | KSANDY@SCOREATL.COM

tlanta (38-29) has slipped to sixth place in the Eastern Conference and third in the Southeast Division thanks to a surging Charlotte Hornets team that has won 7-straight and is now 37-28. The Hawks have won five of their last six however and continue to play up-anddown basketball. Wins over the Grizzlies and Pacers are their latest achievements. Sunday belonged to Atlanta as the Hawks cruised by Indiana 104-75. Both Paul Millsap and Al Horford scored 18 points to pace the attack. Millsap added nine rebounds, four assists, three steals and three blocks. Atlanta drained 15-of-30 three-pointers while Indiana could only manage 5-of-24 from behind the arc. The Hawks used a 20-0 run in the third quarter and buried seven three-pointers in the third to push their lead to 34. Paul George and Monta Ellis were harassed into a combined 7-of-24 shooting worth 17 points. “Tonight I felt like we caught a little bit of a break,” Coach Mike Budenholzer said. “The defense was good, and I want to give the defense

ATLANTA BRAVES

TOMMY JOHN SURGERY TO SHELVE MCKIRAHAN FOR 2016 SEASON BY RICKY DIMON | RDIMON@SCOREATL.COM

he Atlanta Braves will be one of the first T teams in Major League Baseball this season to send a player for a dreaded visit to Dr.

James Andrews. Relief pitch Andrew McKirahan suffered a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his first appearance at spring training last week and will need Tommy John surgery. McKirahan, who underwent the same procedure back in 2012, will miss at least all of the upcoming year. The 26-year-old southpaw pitched in 27 games for Atlanta during the 2015 campaign, compiling a 5.93 ERA in 27.1 innings. “You really feel for the kid because this will be his second (Tommy John surgery),” general manager Coppolella told the Atlanta Journal Constitution before adding that he remains encouraged about the bullpen. “I thought he had a real shot to make our club…. We feel like we still have good depth there.”

PLENTY TO BRAGG ABOUT

The Braves and Marlins have announced that they will play their June 3 game at Fort

credit, but those are two great players that are hard to control.” “They beat us the first two times, so we knew it was important for us to come out with that kind of energy,” Horford said. “We’re a much better team than we were a month ago (when the Hawks beat Indiana by six points). I’m satisfied with what we were able to do tonight.”

GRIT N GRIND

Atlanta out scrapped a depleted Memphis Grizzlies team on Saturday for a 95-83 home win. Already pressed for offense with a healthy roster, Memphis had no firepower with Mike Conley, Marc Gasol, Zach Randolph and Vince Carter all sidelined with injuries. The Grizz shot just 34.7 percent but kept the game close by outrebounding Atlanta 67-51. “We’re challenged offensively right now,” Grizzlies coach David Joerger said. “Part of it is fatigue but most of it is that (the Hawks) are a really good team and we just struggled to get the ball in the hole.” Millsap (21), Horford (19), Jeff Teague (18), Kyle Korver (15) and Thabo Sefolosha (13) all troubled the Grizzlies defense. Lance Stephenson led Memphis with 18 points while Tony Allen chipped in 15 and Ray McCallum netted 13.

LOOKING AHEAD

A date in the Motor City lies ahead for Atlanta on Wednesday vs. the Pistons before hosting a three-game home stand starting on Thursday against Denver, Houston and Washington.

Bragg in North Carolina to celebrate Independence Day weekend. It will be the first professional contest in any sport to be hosted at Fort Bragg. This special Braves’ “home” game will be ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball feature, televised at 8:00 p.m. “Any time you get an opportunity to do stuff like that, it’s an honor, especially to go to an active base in front of the troops,” catcher A.J. Pierzynski told the team’s website. “That’s what you do this for because those guys are the real heroes with what they do to protect us and our way of life every day. It will be pretty amazing.” “Major League Baseball’s boundless gratitude to our military has led us to a unique event that will benefit the men and women of Fort Bragg and their families for many years,” MLB commissioner Rob Manfred said in an official statement. “I thank the Braves and the Marlins for their participation and all of our clubs and players for contributing to this gesture, which will stand as a fitting new chapter in the national pastime’s proud and distinguished military history.”

SECOND WIN

Atlanta picked up its second win of spring training with a 5-4 victory over the Mets last Tuesday in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. The Braves got one run off starter Matt Harvey before prevailing in the bottom of the ninth inning. Shortstop prospect Dansby Swanson ripped a game-tying triple and scored the winning run on an Emilio Bonifacio single.

ATLANTA FALCONS

BLACK COLLEGE FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME WELCOMES NEW CLASS BY CRAIG SAGER II | CSAGER@SCOREATL.COM

ut of 25 finalists for this year’s class, six of the greatest historically black college football players will inducted into the Black College Football Hall of Fame on March 19 at the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta, Georgia. The metropolis of Atlanta has not only been a centralized hub for business and entertainment but is also one of the most well respected cities with a proud cultural background. In February of 2010 during Black History Month, the capital city was selected as the perfect location to be the home of the Inaugural Enshrinement Ceremony with its close proximity to more than half of the nation’s HBCUs. Ken Burrough (Texas Southern University), Jethro Pugh (Elizabeth City State University), Otis Taylor (Prairie View A&M University), Emmitt Thomas (Bishop College), Aeneas Williams (Southern University) and Lloyd “Judge” Wells (Kansas City Chiefs’ Scout) will enter the Hall, which currently holds 58 previously inducted members. Burrough was drafted by the New Orleans

GHSA BASKETBALL

MILLER GROVE EYES NATIONAL PRIZE BY CRAIG SAGER II | CSAGER@SCOREATL.COM

The 8th annual DICK’s Sporting Goods National Tournament released its eight-team field for this year’s tournament which begins play on March 31 in New York City and lasts till April 2 when the country’s best is crowned. But what if one of the nation’s best teams has been left at home? Actually, the nation’s No. 1 ranked team, undefeated Chino Hills (CA) and unblemished No. 4 St. Anthony’s (NJ) are ineligible to play due to state association rules, the same type of rules that Wheeler had to conquer in order to play last year. This year it’s not Wheeler representing Georgia, but perennial power Miller Grove (302) who successfully captured its seventh title in eight years after falling to Warner Robins in the Elite Eight a year ago. Coach Sharman White’s Wolverines are led by McDonald’s All-American and UConn signee Alterique Gilbert along with guards Aaron Augustin, Tae Hardy, Colin Young and Joshua Jackmon. They held off previously undefeated Allatoona, a team with one player holding a Division-I offer, 50-48 in the

Saints in 1970 10th overall before playing his next 11 seasons in Houston while garnering two Pro Bowl selections and two All-Pro honors. The physical 6-foot-3, 215-pound wide out led the NFL in receiving in 1973 with 1,063 yards and is the last NFL player to ever wear 00. Pugh starred as a two-time All-CIAA defensive end in 1963-64 at Elizabeth City State University before playing all 14 seasons in the NFL with the Dallas Cowboys where he was a two-time Super Bowl Champion in 1972 and ’78. Taylor played 11 seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs and was named to three Pro Bowls. The wide receiver as a two-time All-Pro in 1971-72, was a two-time AFL champion and won the Super Bowl in 1970.

MR. PRO BOWL

Thomas spent 13 years in Kansas City and was selected to five Pro Bowls as a lock-down cornerback. He claims three Super Bowl titles: One in 1970 as a player and in 1988 and 1992 as a coach for the Washington Redskins. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2008. Williams made eight Pro Bowls during his 14 seasons as a member of the Arizona Cardinals and St. Louis Rams secondary. The fourtime All-Pro was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2014 .Wells is recognized as pro football’s first black full-time scout.

Class AAAAA final.

SEVEN-TIME CHAMPS

Miller Grove is one of the state’s best programs year-in and year-out, but are they really the team that should be representing the Peach state in the Big Apple? Greenforest Christian (30-2) has been regarded as the state’s best team all year long. The Class 1A-Private school knocked off McDonald’s All-American and Arizona-commit Kobi Simmons in the state championship 78-66 to end St. Francis’ quest for a three-peat. The Eagles boast possibly the biggest front line in the country consisting of five-star 7-foot junior center Ikey Obiagu, the nation’s best shot blocker who sent back 20 shots in the Region 5 championship this year, 6-foot-10 (Jr.) Abayomi Iyiola, 6-foot-9 (So.) Mohammed Abdulsalem, 6-foot-8 (Jr.) Victor Enoh and 6-foot-7 Miami (OH) signee Precious Ayah. As dominant as Greenforest’s trees are inside protecting the paint, its junior Justin Forrest and New Hampshire signee John Ogwuche that orchestrate Coach Larry Thompson’s offense. Ogwuche poured in 27 points and five assists while getting to the line 23 times. Forrest, the team’s leading scorer on the year, added 13 points in the state championship. Greenforest’s only losses came to Hammond (SC) 70-58 when Obiagu did not play due to injury and to South Atlanta 62-57. Hammond sported UNC signee Seventh Woods and College of Charleston signee Chevez Goodwin.

Vol. 12 Iss. 10 | Mar. 16 - Mar. 22, 2016

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