High Point Dynasty (CB2K3)

[willdtarheeler]

Re: High Point Dynasty (CB2K3)

HIGH POINT HEADS TO BIG SOUTH SEMIS

The High Point Panthers, a team that started out the season hot (13-3), then fell into a bit of a rut, winning 2 of their last 10 to finish 15-11. That didn't matter tonight though, as the 5th seed Panthers knocked off 4th seed Radford. High Point got another great game from Sega Sports Award winner Randy-Prasse Freeman. The 6'9" center dropped in 21 points and had 11 boards for the Panthers. Reserve SG Raul Buscher scored 10 huge points for the Panthers also, as starting SG Reggie Dennehy has been in a slump as of late. High Point went on to win 51-48 in dramatic fashion. The game went back and forth for most of it. It was 48 all with 10 seconds remaining and Radford ball, but Buscher made a great steal for High Point with with about 6 seconds to go, then drove to the High Point end and hit a 3 with about 3 seconds left. Radford's last chance three was way off the mark and the celebration began. High Point will now travel to Winthrop to meet the 1st seed Eagles. "If you had told me that we would have won this game, I would have said 'Good joke, your kidding right'", said Coach Lewis Witherspoon after the game. "This is a much more talented Radford team, they wooped up on us in the regular season, but tonight it looked like our guys had more heart. We wanted it more and I think thats why we got this win." Meanwhile, rumors are swirling around the team that Jr. Center Randy Prasse-Freeman will be leaving early for the NBA after the season is over. He finished third in the nation in scoring this season. When asked about this he did not deny it, he simply said, "I probably will, it's a great oppurtinity for me, few guys actually get the chance to make it to the NBA, and it would be dumb to turn this down." In other words, the Panthers may be looking for a new center in the off-season.

[willdtarheeler]

Re: High Point Dynasty (CB2K3)

HIGH POINT MAKES NCAA, TO FACE #1 SEED ILLINOIS

The High Point Panthers had a pair of great wins to put them in the NCAA tournament for the first time under head coach Lewis Witherspoon. The Panthers knocked off the Winthrop Eagles, the team that usually wins the Big South and heads to the big dance, 47-21. The Panthers great D shut down the Eagles and held them to 6 second half points as the offense pulled away with 21 from SG Reggie Dennehy. C Randy Prasse-Freeman added 13 pts and 8 reb. in the High Point win. In the Big South final, the Panthers met NC A&M. The Friars were a very talented team, High Point's game against them started their losing skid. The game was a shootout with both clubs going back and forth trading baskets, but the Panthers pulled out a 68-61 victory. C Randy Prasse-Freeman was injured early in the first half and had to leave the game. Backup C Darren Hunt stepped in and added 22 pts for the Panthers. The Panthers got a huge three by Reggie Dennehy to put them ahead in the final minutes and NC A&M never threatened after that. High Point was rewarded for their conquest of the Big South with the 16 seed in the East Region. They will face #1 seed Illinois in the first round. "I'm so excited to be heading to the tourney in our first season, this is more than I could have hoped for!", said exstatic coach Witherspoon after the championship game. "I hope we do our school proud in the game, I doubt we will win but we can always try."

[CM1847]

Re: High Point Dynasty (CB2K3)

In reply to:

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I doubt we will win but we can always try."

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I like reading your reports, but no coach would ever say that.

[willdtarheeler]

Re: High Point Dynasty (CB2K3)

ILLINOIS ELIMINATES HIGH POINT

The High Point Panthers title run was cut short by Illinois 71-58. The Panthers played very well though, losing to a far superior team by only thirteen points. C Randy Prasse-Freeman led the way for the Panthers with 24 points and 13 rebounds. After the game he announced that he is foregoing his senior season to go to the NBA. "That's a big loss for our team, we were going to look to him to lead us back here next year", said Coach Witherspoon after hearing the news. "I hope he does us proud in the NBA though. He played a great game and he will be sorely missed." The Panthers are now losing 3 starters from this years Big South championship team (SG Reggie Dennehy, PF Gilson Almanson, and C Randy Prasse-Freeman).

[willdtarheeler]

Re: High Point Dynasty (CB2K3)

PANTHERS LAND THREE SOLID RECRUITS

The High Point Panthers added 3 new members to the team that won the Big South Championship last season. Two will start right away so let's meet the newest Panthers:

SG Paul Turner- a 3 star recruit from Greensboro, NC. He is only 5'8", but he makes up for it with his speed and shooting.

C Duncan Stevens- a 3 star center from Durham, NC. He stands at 6'10" and has the same polished low post game of former center Randy Prasse-Freeman

PF Corien Merritt- a 1 star power forward from Washington D.C. He was listed as "all around" but the only thing he seems to do well now is rebound and standing dunks. He may develop into a solid contributor in the future.

Note: I'm starting off the new season on All-American level, so I set the schedule real easy (never played on AA before).
Thanks for reading, more updates are on the way.

[willdtarheeler]

2003-2004 Season Preview

Here is a preview of the 2003-2004 High Point Panthers, I know that last season I left you guys out of the loop on who my players were, I didn't give you any background info about any of my players, so here is a preview:

Starters:
Junior PG Ronald Scott: Last year's starting point guard needs to step up this year on a team that lost it's top 3 scorers. He has the ability to be a slashing, scoring PG, but didn't show it last year. Over the summer he developed a three-point range, and is the team's top shooter from behind the arc.

Junior SG Raul Buscher: A pure shooter but he didn't get much playing time last year behind Reggie Dennehy. His height (6'6") gives him the ability to play at SF also. His specialty is the mid-range jumper.

Senior SF T.J. Garrett: An athletic small forward with a dynamite short range shot. He has shown the ability to drive for a flashy dunk, but has problems creating these oppurtinities. He is also a very solid rebounder.

Freshman Corien Merritt: A true freshman, he stands at 6'9" and is a great rebounder. That's about all I can say to his credit though, he is the best power forward on the team with a rating of 68. He can't shoot the ball very well, but has the ability for put back dunks.

Freshman Center Duncan Stevens: A solid freshman center who will contribute right away, very good rebounder and gives the team a low post presence. He has the same polish on his low-post game of former High Point center Randy Prasse-Freeman, except that Stevens is taller at 6'10". The future looks bright for this player.

Contributors off the Bench:

Junior PG Howard Freeman: Brings the same package to the table as Scott, but not as good overall. Solid player who will steal some minutes while Scott needs a breather.

Junior SG Kurt Bailey: A solid shooter and a good rebounder at the shooting guard position. One of the team's best defenders who can provide a needed spark for the team with his stellar defensive play.

Junior C Darren Hunt: A good offensive center but only average on defense. Although he has been in the program longer than Stevens, he has to play the reserve role because of lackluster defensive play.

Freshman SG Paul Turner: A slashing shooting guard who can provide some needed offense off the bench. Won't see too much PT with 2 better all-around SG's in front of him on the depth chart. The third member of Witherspoon's first recruiting class.

Those are all the players who should see signifigant action barring injuries.

[willdtarheeler]

High Point wins first 7 games!

PANTHERS OFF TO BEST START IN SCHOOL HISTORY

The High Point Panthers have started off their 2003-2004 season with an incredible seven game winning streak. It is the best start in team history. The Panthers have knocked off, in order, Jacksonville St., Central Connecticut St., Arkansas St., USC who at the time was #17 in the country, Georgia St, Appalachian St, and Penn St. High Point has been led by junior point guard Ronald Scott with 15.1 ppg and 7 steals a game. The Panthers freshman class have also performed admirably. C Duncan Stevens leads the team with 17.1 ppg and 11.3 rebounds a game. PF Corien Merritt, who this author said would amount to not much of anything, has averaged 8.3 ppg and 10.4 rebounds a game. PG Howard Freeman has been a sparkplug for the Panthers, causing many turnovers and baskets in his sixth man role. "We have just been getting great contributions from every player on the team", said Coach Witherspoon after the Penn St. win. "Our defense has been key to our success, hopefully our kids continue to play with the vigor that they have started the season with."

[willdtarheeler]

Re: High Point wins first 7 games!

PANTHERS TAKE #13 SEED IN SOUTH REGION

After the High Point Panthers completed the best season in school history with a 27-4 record, their reward was a 13 seed to the South region in the NCAA tournament. It was High Point's most successful season yet under Coach Lewis Witherspoon, who was named Big South Coach of the Year. Junior PG Ronald Scott received the John R. Wooden Award for his excellent season. He was also name conference player of the year and was 1st team all-conference. He averaged 14.5 ppg, 6.2 rebpg, and 4.5 steals a game. Freshman C Duncan Stevens won the "Newcomer of the Year" award in the Big South and was also 1st team all-conference with 10.3 ppg and 11.5 rebounds a game. High Point finished the regular season 24-4 overall, 14-2 in their conference. They were awarded the #1 seed in the conference tournament and defeated, in order, #8 North Carolina A&M, #4 Radford, and #2 Winthrop to reach the NCAA tournament for the second season in a row. They were then given the 13th seed to the South region and will face the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors. "I'm very excited about this team and it's future", said Coach Witherspoon during a CBS selection show interview. Clark Kellog took notice of the Panthers early in the season when he saw the great numbers they were putting up against the Big South, and decided that Witherspoon would make for an interesting interview. Here is an excerpt from their conversation which was aired on national TV:

Clark: "So, tell me Coach, when did you begin to see that this team might be special?"
Witherspoon: "Probably after the USC game, they were a high powered team, and we beat them pretty good. It became clear to me that our freshman were contributing right away. My hope was that they would be able to help out some, steal some minutes for us while the starters rested. They did so well in practice though, I had to start them. Many thought I was crazy, but they (the freshman) proved me right. It was then I knew, that we had a good team on our hands."
Clark: "What's your take on your draw in the tournament?"
Witherspoon: "I think it's great, it's hard to believe how much difference a year makes. Last year I was afraid we might have to play in the play-in game, this year I was almost dissapointed we didn't get a better seed than 13, but I'm not complaining. Hawaii is a good team, but this may be our best chance to advance to the second round. I'm not saying their bad or anything, there are a lot worse teams we could be facing instead."

Clark: "Thanks for your time Coach and good luck."
Witherspoon: "Your welcome, thanks for having me."

Next Update: Result of High Point vs. Hawaii

[willdtarheeler]

High Point vs. Hawaii

HIGH POINT LOSES TO HAWAII IN THRILLER

The High Point Panthers lost in one of the most exciting games of the season to Hawaii 88-77. Both teams came out of the locker rooms shooting the ball very well. The Panthers shot the ball a little better and had a 45-40 halftime lead, with Ron Scott leading the way with 19 for the Panthers. The second half though, was all Hawaii. They shot 68% from the field in the second half. High Point only shot 46% and began to turn the ball over against Hawaii's press defense. Hawaii took a 6 point lead at the start of the half thanks to an 11-0 run. Then both teams began to trade baskets. Another Hawaii run and they were up 12 with 3 minutes to play. The Panthers would not go away though, they fought back and cut the lead to 5 with 50 seconds to play. Ron Scott then hit a 3 to cut the lead to 2. Hawaii then through a pass the length of the court over the top of the press and dunked it easy. That made it 81-77, then they stole the inbounds for another easy dunk 83-77. High Point never scored again but fouled Hawaii to get the ball resulting in 5 more points for the Rainbow Warriors, final score 88-77. "We have nothing to be ashamed of, we played a great game out there tonight", said Coach Witherspoon after the game. "Our guys took a great team to the the final minute. We shot the ball very well, they just shot better. It's hard to beat a team that shoots 68% in the second half. I'm not dissapointed though, we should be back here easy next year with 4 of 5 starters returning and a good (hopefully) recruiting class on the way."

[willdtarheeler]

2004-2005 Season Review

PANTHERS SEASON REVIEW

The High Point Panthers had a nearly identical season to last year with the same exact record (27-4). The only difference was the team had a new top scorer, Freshman SF Lou Young. Young was the only member of the Panthers recruiting class, he replaced T.J. Garrett. This season he averaged 18.1 ppg and was named 1st team all conference. Senior PG Ron Scott (11.3 ppg, 4.6 stealspg) and Sophomore C Duncan Stevens (14.5ppg, 10.2 rbpg) joined him on the all-conference first team. Young was also named "Newcomer of the Year" in the Big South. Coach Lewis Witherspoon won the Big South Coach of the Year Award for the second year in a row. The Panthers headed to the NCAA tournament for the third straight season, and once again, the 13th seed in the South. There, they faced #4 Illinois. If you recall, Illinois knocked the Panthers off in their first tournament appearance under Coach Witherspoon two seasons ago. This contest was more competitive but the outcome was still the same, Illinois won 73-65 and the Panthers were sent home early again. Next year should be an interesting one for High Point, as they lose the nucleus of this team in their starting guards (Scott, Buscher) and their backup guards (Freeman, Bailey) to graduation. The Panthers are drawing more interest from top recruits thanks to their great showings in the regular season against top teams.

[willdtarheeler]

Sad Day for High Point Faithful

WITHERSPOON RESIGNS AS COACH; TAKES UGA JOB

Coach Lewis Witherspoon, who has guided the Panthers to three straight Big South titles and three straight NCAA tournament appearances has stepped down today. He is moving on to bigger and better things, taking the job at Georgia left vacant when Jim Harrick was fired after the 'Dawgs 9-20 season. "It is with great sadness that I must resign from my job as head coach here(High Point), but the time was right for me to move on", said Witherspoon at his press conference. "I loved every minute of being coach here, this place is a great place to coach. My top assistant, Charles Hall, will be taking over my spot as coach here. Hopefully, he can do what I could not and get the team past the first round of the (NCAA) tournament." It appeared that Witherspoon was just stepping down but as soon as the press conference was over, he jumped on a plane for Athens, GA, and 3 hours later was in another press conference to announce his hiring as head coach. "I hope to bring my style of hardnose, scrappy defense, and selfless offense to the Bulldogs", said Witherspoon at the press conference. "This team is already very talented, and I am confident that we can do great things here."

[willdtarheeler]

Witherspoon Lands NYC\'s Top PG

WITHERSPOON LANDS NYC'S TOP PG FOR THE DAWGS

Georgia's new head coach, Lewis Witherspoon, wasted no time in making his mark here at Georgia. He signed New York City's top player, Lawrence Bogans, only 5 days after becoming head coach. "I liked his (Coach Witherspoon's) style of play, and I wanted to play for his team, wherever that maybe. He was scouting me heavily while he was at High Point, and I liked the way his point guards were floor generals. That is the type of player I want to be, playing for him (Witherspoon) gives me the best oppurtinity to do that", said Bogans in an interview after signing with the Bulldogs. Georgia already has two talented point guards, but Bogans will be this team's leader of the future.

[Vince]

Re: Witherspoon Lands NYC\'s Top PG

Is this an Open or Career legacy?

[willdtarheeler]

vinceanity

Vinceanity, this is a carrer legacy. I started out as High Point as they were one of the teams available from the start and now have moved on to Georgia. Thanks for reading

[willdtarheeler]

Bulldogs off to 3-0 Start

NEW COACH WITHERSPOON LEADS DAWGS TO 3-0 START

The Georgia Bulldogs began the 2005-2006 with a 3-0 start to the young season. The Bulldogs new coach, Lewis Witherspoon, has installed his patented scrappy defense ,which helped him lead High Point to three straight Big South titles, and the Dawgs have been playing great ever since. The defense for Georgia has been incredible, the team has caused an average of about 20 turnovers a game. "I'm excited that my defense is working here",said Coach Witherspoon after Georgia's most recent win over Bridgeport Tech 81-43. "The guys really seem to be responding, I just wish that they would play the same at the offensive end. If it wasn't for the defensive output, those games would be a lot tighter. This team is really deep, we have at least 2 good players at each position, and I think if we play better on offense we could win the SEC this year easy." Quite lofty predictions from a new coach to the SEC, but Witherspoon is right. This team is has many good players, on the verge of greatness. If he can get them to play every night, this team could be special. The 'Dawgs are led by Junior SF Brian Ramelli. Ramelli has averaged 15.3 ppg in the first 3 contests. Georgia also has a wealth of good point guards. The starter is Junior Brian Walker who is more of a traditional, distributing point guard, but don't think he can't score, he can light up opponents with the 3 ball. The backups are Junior Ryan McLeod, a dangerous outside shooter, who can drive the lane, and Freshman Lawrence Bogans, a slashing PG who is the team's best defender, even though he is just a freshman. The Bulldogs have given sound beatings to Cleveland St. (73-32), Stephen F. Austin (68-35), and Bridgeport Tech (81-43), but they looked sloppy on the offensive end of the floor, as if they knew they would win so they didn't want to try. If Coach Witherspoon can inspire them, this team could be very special.