Thanks, Tom

Tom Berry, 48 of High Point, NC, died last Sunday after battling a serious infection. Berry wrote for the High Point Enterprise for over 20 years as a beat writer and columnist.

The reason I bring this to attention is because I learned a few things here and there from Berry. He was the beat writer for High Point University sports. We bumped into each other here and there. Sometimes we were fighting over interviewing players after games, other times we were sharing a table as we ate in the hospitality room of a tournament.

I really never spent a lot of time talking to Berry. Sure I knew who he was. He always got first pick of players and coaches after games. By the time I got to the head coach, the gym had cleared out and Berry probably had written half of his copy.

When I learned of Berry’s death, I remember two instances of interaction with Tom, the reporter.

The first was after HPU played Winthrop at the Millis Center. This was the second time High Point had beaten Winthrop this year and second time in a row at home. The series record stands with HPU only winning four games.

Earlier in the week Gene Harris, active career points leader, was suspended from the team for the game. The whole school population knew why. Harris was mad he lost the starting job to a freshman. Still, a reporter had to ask head coach Bart Lundy for the reason.

After the game, Tom and the beat reporter for the Rock Hill, SC newspaper grabbed the star players from the game. I really lucked out because that left Lundy available. I got the first crack at asking the burning question, “You won without Harris, why?”

I started with the basic questions about how he felt about the game, what were his thoughts down the stretch, etc. Then when I got to the burning question, the other reporters all were done with the players. So there I was, conducting the impromptu press conference.

“Coach, what is your comment on Gene Harris? Why did he not dress?”

Tom stood on my left, the Rock Hill Herald reporter on my right. They quickly jot down the answer. When I was done, I stood nearby to hear if they asked any follow-ups that I missed. Tom didn’t. He had the answers he needed. It was like he gave me a pat on the back. A vet in the industry thought I did the job well. (Read my article here)

The second instance of Tom putting a mark on my journalism career came at the Big South Tournament Quarterfinals. HPU, the last seed, played at Radford, the first seed. It was a blow out. (Read my article here) I think Tom, me and a few fans could have put up that performance. While High Point fell 20 points behind, Tom started writing his column for the paper.

We struck up small talk about the season. We discussed the problems the team had. The Harris incident came up along with a few other player problems during the year. I would add a thing or two that Tom didn’t know. He asked, “What happened with [player x]?” I asked him, “You want the story the team says or what I heard through the grapevine?”
“The grapevine.”

I told him all the dirty secrets that weren’t supposed to get out. I just thought we were having general talk. I am a moron!

The next day I went to compare how Tom’s article was to mine. I noticed his column in this search. The “grapevine” suddenly extended to the High Point Enterprise readership. (Read Tom’s column here)

I learned something, “When you speak to a reporter, he is always a reporter. It never turns off.” I used that same logic when a sandwich maker made small talk with me about the Oak Hollow Mall being for sale. She told me insider information. I broke the story, a week before any daily had it. I sat on the story for two weeks before that too.

When I was writing it all I thought about was Tom and mine “grapevine” talk. It gave me the ok to write the article.

Thanks, Tom. May God give comfort to his wife and daughters along with the many professionals that remember Tom Berry, 48 of High Point, NC.

Lundy fired after 9-21 mark

Only six days after the season ended, Bart Lundy has been dismissed as head coach of the men’s basketball program.

“Our desire and commitment to build a successful and championship-caliber basketball program are very strong,” said athletic director Craig Keilitz in a press release on www.highpointpanthers.com. Read more

HPU ends season at Radford

High Point University’s men’s basketball team fell to top-seeded Radford University 82-58 in the quarterfinals of the Big South Tournament.

HPU (9-21) could not stop the inside presence allowing Radford (19-11) to score 38 points in the paint. In the second half, High Point also shot a dismal 11-for-35 from the floor for 31.4 percent. Read more

HPU to play in March despite loss

Despite losing Saturday night, HPU clinched the final spot of the Big South tournament.

VMI (22-7, 13-5 Big South) won their first contest in High Point, 81-76.  HPU (9-20, 4-14) had four players finish with double figures.

Melvin Crowder shined in his final home game in front of 1,642 in attendance.  Crowder finished with a career best 14 points, including four 3-pointers.

Read more

HPU sweeps Winthrop this year

            High Point University won a home men’s basketball game on a night where HPU honored the all time winningest coach in program history.

            HPU defeated Winthrop University for the second time this season 63-58 in front of a raucous 1,449 in the Millis Center.  The win marks the first time HPU has swept WU in program history.

            “We are humbled to get any win.  I’m glad to get any win and hopefully we can spring board for this,” head coach Bart Lundy said.

            Leading the way for the Panthers (7-17, 2-11) was freshman guard Nick Barbour with 31 points on 50 percent shooting from the floor. Freshman guard Jacob Iati played a career high 31 minutes finishing with six points, four assists and five rebounds.  Four other HPU players were tied with six points apiece.

            Winthrop (6-18, 5-9) relinquished the lead 2:18 into the game and never held it again.  HPU stretched their lead to as many as 16 points with a Barbour fast break lay-up with 15:42 left in the game.

            WU slowly chipped into the deficit and brought it down to four points on a three-point play from Cameron Stanley to cap a 10-0 run for the Eagles with just under three minutes left.  Barbour made two free throws and Iati chipped in one of his own to finish the game for the Panthers.

            Following his second consecutive 30+ point scoring performance, Barbour said, “It was nice to know we can win the games if we can just do it.”

            Barbour and his teammates have had many close games this year.  HPU have gone 3-7 in games decided by eight or less points.

            “I’m proud of those guys.  The plays we haven’t been making we made down the stretch especially in the last 1:20 in this game,” Lundy said.

            Iati saw more time on the court because of foul trouble for freshman guard David Singleton who played 16 minutes compared to Singleton’s usual 28 minutes per game average.

            “I’ve been doing [late game situations] all day in practice.  I play against one of the best point guards in the conference in David Singleton [in practice].  He prepares me for stuff for this,” Iati said following the game.

            The Panthers were without the service of Gene Harris who did not dress for the game but was seated on the bench in street clothes.

            “[Harris not playing is] just an internal team deal. He’s great with the team, great with the coaching staff.  It was an internal suspension,” Lundy said about the absence of the junior guard.  Harris is averaging 12.3 points per game this season.

            The victory gives High Point its first victory against an NCAA Division I team at home and ends a six game home losing skid.

            At halftime, HPU honored Jerry Steele with the unveiling of a banner with his likeness on it.  Steele stood at half court with his wife Kitty and HPU athletics director Craig Keilitz.  During a standing ovation from the crowd, Steele blew kisses to the audience.  Steele is HPU’s all time winningest coach with 458 victories at HPU.  He is in the top 50 all-time winningest coaches in NCAA history with 609 victories from his time at both HPU and Guilford College.

            HPU travels to Boiling Springs, N.C. to play Gardner-Webb University on Feb. 14 at 2 p.m.  The game can be seen on MASN.

Yelling at the TV Syndrome

Recently ran in the Campus Chronicle!  Enjoy:

“Why’d he do that?!” We have all been to a sporting event and seemed to have that reaction at least once a game. The only difference might be to make the expression gender appropriate.

Sporting events seem to be the one time when a person who shouldn’t have made the little league team becomes an expert in the sport. You never see a person with a high school diploma second guess a brain surgeon and seem intelligent doing so.

This could be the single reason why sporting events are quite possible the best thing we attend. Don’t take that out of context or blow that up, but think about it. What can change your mood so quickly?

I remember two years ago when Arizona Reid missed the game winning shot against Winthrop. When the ball rimmed out, the Millis Center became quiet and we stood in disbelief. My friend and I split a pint of strawberry ice cream from the Point.

Rewind earlier in that year and I was at a women’s soccer game against Francis Marion. It was the Saturday of fall break, campus was empty and the stands at the game were worse. The game was 0-0 and went into double overtime. With less than 10 seconds left in the second overtime, Francis Marion scored the golden goal. I proceeded to go back to my room to eat a box of Mac and Cheese by myself.

After both games I found my spirits down and my emotions out of check. Food seemed to satisfy me. During my indulging meals I questioned the games. I relived the games while my ice cream melted and my macaroni cooked.

What do I know about basketball? I know just as much as the other average Joe who played growing up. I was that kid who shouldn’t have made the little league team. What do I know about soccer? I know as much as I do about brain surgery.

It was still fun to question moves and feel like I had the key both coaches Bart Lundy and Michelle Rayner needed to win the close games. The truth is I have nothing that could help the two except being in the stands.

It is ok to question the moves on the field. That is the beauty of sports. It is the only event that we can come with our shirts off, chests painted and act like we haven’t been civilized.

In addition, we can act like we are the general manager of any team of our choosing. One day I’m the GM of an HPU team and the next day I’m in charge of the New York Mets.

If you are going to join me in being an overprotective fan, then I ask one thing. I ask you stay involved in the programs through reading game recaps and going to games. You can’t expect to be even a little bit knowledgeable without reading and going to the games!

Maybe one day you will fall in the coach’s chair and have us questioning your moves. Who knows? Until then, let’s just raise the bar together…

The ride is over

            High Point University lost to Winthrop University in the Advance Auto Parts Big South Semifinals 61-53.  Winthrop advanced to the finals in which they prevailed against UNC Asheville.

            “I was proud of our guys they didn’t lay down and we kept battling,” Panther head coach Bart Lundy said.

            Arizona Reid led High Point with 21 points and nine rebounds.  Gene Harris scored 21 points on seven three pointers.  Michael Jenkins had 14 points for Winthrop.

            The game started off well for the Panthers who scored the first five points of the game.  After the first three minutes of the game, Winthrop gained the lead and never relinquished it.

            The first half was all Winthrop when they on a 12-0 run over a three-minute span.  The Eagles advanced their lead to as many as 18 before the break.  Winthrop had a 33-18 advantaged heading to the locker room.

The Panthers shot only 31 percent from the floor in the first half.  Reid or Harris scored all of the points.  Senior guard Mike Jefferson only attempted one rushed three in the first half but had four assists.

            The second half Winthrop kept a 10 plus point advantaged for over the first 11 minutes.  The lead came as close to seven points in the final minute.

            Winthrop won their 11^th straight Big South tournament game setting a conference record.  They also won their fourth straight championship on March 8.

            Reid shot 8-27 from the floor and 0-7 from behind the arc.   Reid said, “I had some good looks, I just didn’t make them.  I had some open threes that rimed out.  I guess today just wasn’t my day.”

            “These two guys here with me [Reid and Jefferson], the sad part of it is they leave accomplishing some fantastic individual accomplishments.  We are going to miss them.  It is hard for me to express what they have meant to this program and how much I personally going to miss these guys.  They not only are good basketball players, but great people.” Lundy said regarding his two senior leaders.

            Reid’s final thoughts about looking back on his stellar two-time MVP career, “I had a lot of fun here at High Point.  I had a good career.  I still didn’t get the thing I came here to get.”

            Reid did many things at High Point.  He is the all time leader in steals, minutes played, game started and games played.  He is second in points and third in rebounds.  He is the Big South’s all time leader in rebounds and the only 2,000 point, 1,000 rebound man.  He is the 97^th player in NCAA history to achieve such a feat.

            Jefferson’s final thoughts, “The coach at High Point gave me a chance being I was the last JUNCO player they took.  I’m just grateful for the opportunity to play here and play with the best player I have ever played with in Arizona Reid.  It was a dream and it came and went.”

            Jefferson left with HPU’s all time assist record, three pointers made, third in minutes played, third in games started and a member of the 1,000 point club.  He was in the nation’s top in assists per game this year and set a High Point single season record in assists.

            The season is over but the team has bright spots looking ahead for next year.  Jourdan Morris will be eligible after sitting out a year due to NCAA regulations over transferring.  He played last year for St. Bonaventure scoring 13 points against Syracuse.  <!–[if supportFields]> CONTACT _Con-3F61691828 <![endif]–>Alquan Mendenhall<!–[if supportFields]><![endif]–> will be a redshirt freshman next year.  He scored 24 points a game as a junior.  He scored 40 points in an area tournament game.  Also coming in are two 70 rating guards on ESPN.com.