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BAILEY'S TAKE
ON PIRATE SPORTS
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From the Anchor Desk
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
By Brian Bailey |
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Pirates get set for
ACC run
By
Brian Bailey
©2008 Bonesville.net
All rights reserved.
East Carolina basketball
coach Mack McCarthy
looks at his upcoming
schedule and wonders if
his athletics director
had a hand in the slate.
The Pirates visit N.C.
State tomorrow night,
host No. 10 Wake Forest
on Monday, and then hit
the road to South
Carolina, playing at
Coastal Carolina and
Clemson.
“I think playing three
ACC schools out of the
next four smacks of
having Terry Holland’s
finger prints on it,”
McCarthy joked. “But I
can’t really blame him
for this schedule. It
will be a great
measuring stick for our
program to expose our
weaknesses and prepare
us for the rigors of
C-USA play, which starts
January 6th against
Tulane.”
Last year, East Carolina
stunned N.C. State
in Greenville. It was
ECU’s first win ever
against a team from the
ACC.
Coach Mac says that game
will certainly play a
part in this year’s
rematch.
“I’m pretty sure last
year’s game will result
in them taking us
seriously,” said
McCarthy. “But at the
same time, it (last
year’s upset win) gave
us a level of confidence
that not only effects
this game but the start
of this season for us.”
Sam Hinnant led the way
in the upset over the
Wolfpack with a career
high 30 points.
Hinnant’s three pointer
with 2:09 left in the
game snapped a 64-64
tie. The Pirates went on
to win the game 75-69.
“Last year, I got really
hot against them,”
recalled Hinnant. “It
was a great night for
me. Hopefully one of us
will have a night like
that this year. It
doesn’t have to be me.
We’ve got so many
weapons to choose from.”
One thing is very
apparent in this 8-1
start. This Pirate
basketball team is very
unselfish. This is truly
a team. It is a young
team, but with leaders
like Hinnant it can
certainly be a winning
team.
“We do have a lot of
chemistry,” said Hinnant.
“Any one of us can score
on any night. We are
really tight. We’re a
family and we love each
other.”
Coach McCarthy likes his
team’s chemistry. He
also says the Wolfpack
appears to have things
moving in a positive
direction.
“They’ve been pressing a
lot,” said McCarthy.
“They’ve only played one
game that was even
close. The game in
Charlotte against
Davidson was the only
game that they’ve let
any team be in. They are
guarding better and they
are really up-tempo on
offense. They’ve got
good chemistry,
something that I think
was missing last year.
This is really a good
basketball team.”
I certainly don’t think
many thought these two
teams would enter this
game with a combined
record of 13-2. That’s
the case, though, and
the way the Pirates are
playing this should be a
most entertaining game!
Happy Birthday to Drew!
My buddy Drew Steele
celebrated his 24th
birthday on Monday. Drew
is the son of former
East Carolina basketball
coach Mike Steele. Drew
is also the star of the
annual Drew Steele-Skip
Holtz Golf Classic,
which in three years has
raised over $500,000,
which will go towards
the Drew Steele Center
for the special needs
population in Pitt
County.
Drew started his day
with a “guys only” lunch
at Hooters in
Greenville. Drew was the
star of the restaurant,
getting birthday hugs
and taking pictures with
the staff. It was quite
an honor to be one of
the “guys” invited to
the occasion.
Drew then hosted his
annual night of birthday
bowling. I couldn’t make
that because of my radio
show, but word is that
it was a great time for
everyone.
I’ve written before that
Drew has taught me more
about life than I’ll
ever realize. He is a
bright light that shines
on everyone he comes in
contact with.
Happy Birthday Drew! I’m
looking forward to your
weekly Saturday morning
call for breakfast this
week!
BB
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12/16/2008 01:25:17 AM |
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