Sitting here in Charlotte, reporting on Duke – Carolina when I received a series of Text Messages from our friend who is listed in my Cellphone as Sweet Home Alabama. Others know her as Debbie Odum. She is describing an event that took place on The Hill and involved seven of our Softball players.
We pick it up with Debbie describing her Kiddo, Bayleigh Allen.
Her and 6 others went to eat at the Barn Cafe after practice this a.m. so 7 total girls. She said there was an older man and his wife sitting near them. The girls thought they were annoyed because,well…7 teen girls being teen girls lol…
After they ate and were ready to pay…they were told their bill had already been taken care of! The man and his wife had enjoyed seeing them together, hanging out…so he paid for all of their food!! They didn’t get their names but all the girls hugged them and had to fight back the tears! I wish they had gotten a pic! What an amazing random act of kkndness!!
Bay said it was her, Carlie, Madison, Natalie, Holly, Laynie-Jo , and Brooke.
Who doesn’t Love our Softball players ??
Kudos to the Mothers 👩 of these seven for raising them well. Father’s too, if they are equally proud !!
Shortly after 5pm today, Duke released the injury report that everyone was expecting. Both Maliq Brown and Cooper Flagg will not be playing tonight against UNC.
What does this mean for Clemson, Louisville and Carolina ? Clemson and Louisville both have a legitimate opportunity to bring home 🏡 the ACC Men’s Basketball 🏀 trophy 🏆for the first time in School history. The Tar Heels have a shot at the much needed Quad 1 victory that will take them to the Big Dance 💃.
1 vs 5 & 2 vs 3 are set to get underway at the Spectrum Center in just over 60 minutes.
Duke wins the next four minutes 10-4, leads 27-17 @ 7:10 (1)
Under 4:00 TO – Duke 32-24 with free throws coming for Foster. 3:56 left in 1st half….
Halftime score – Duke 45, Tar Heels 24 as Blue Devils close out the Half 13-0. Proctor with a great look at a 3-pointer at the horn but it bounced off.
Now – 7:59 pm
Under 16:00 media TO, Duke 52-30 at 15:42. Duke wins 7-6 in first slot.
Under 12:00 – (11:35), Heels making a run, now 56-43. 13-4 run 🏃♂️ for UNC. 8:38pm
Under 8:00 – (7:41)… Duke 65, Tar Heels 51. Duke takes it 9-8. Free Throw coming for UNC
At 6:12, Heels finally cut ✂️ it to 10 at 66-56, Duke TO…
Under 4:00 – (3:41), Duke 70, UNC 64. 8-4 spurt cuts ✂️ it to six points.
Duke TO at 0:50.8, up 3 with the ball. What a funish…
Carolina calls 📞 a TO at 0:32.0, Duke Ball up 72-71. UNC 12-2 run 🏃♂️
Proctor misses front of 1+1, Carolina ball with 0:17.6
In a play that will be talked about as the Lane Violation Game, Duke holds on 74-71….WHAT A GAME….
Game #2 of 2 in 25 minutesOpening TapGame 2 of 2 included another crazy comeback that fell just short…JMU player making it happen at Louisville. Edwards was the Sun Belt Player of the Year last season.
For those of you who might use the Parkway as a means to get to and from, please 🙏 note that the road, East of US-52 is still in rough shape as of this morning 🌄.
The wind storm that blew through the area has a multitude of large trees 🌳 and branches down. Enough of them that the gate blocking the road is hidden in the photo 📷, above.
We have roughly six or seven stories that are partially done and while we wait on the availability to finish them up, let’s add one more to the pile.
Early February is the time frame and Carroll County High School 🏫 Basketball 🏀 had just finished their latest victory.
Tuesday Night, February 4th on The Hill, Carroll County hosted and dismantled our neighbors to the East, Floyd County. It might have been the most complete game, start to finish as it ended with the Cavaliers up by almost 30 points(84-55).
Isaiah Easter played at another level that night, on both ends of the floor. The Junior appeared to finish up with a double – double, getting into double digits in both Scoring and rebounds against the Buffaloes.
It wasn’t until CCHS Varsity Baseball Coach Casey Burcham went through the game film the following day that we realized exactly what Easter had accomplished. The hardest stat to keep in Basketball 🏀 is the assist and that’s because unlike other Stats, the assist is in the eye of the stat keeper.
A player scored or they didn’t, grabbed a rebound or they didn’t but with an Assist there is a grey area. There’s never a question about who touched the ball last before a player scores, the question is how much did the player making the pass set up the scorer. The rule of thumb is two dribbles being the limit in regards to setting up the shot.
Casey Burcham texted, Easter had 15 points 15 rebounds 12 assists and 6 steals.
The triple double is a mainstream stat in the National Basketball Association with players like The Joker in Denver racking them up on a regular basis. At the Collegiate level they’re far and few between and justified in being celebrated. In High School, it just doesn’t happen as guards collect Assists and Bigs collect rebounds.
Easter recorded a Triple Double in a contest with our biggest rival in the Three Rivers District. A disciplined team led by a veteran Coach who later led his squad to the Class 2 State Tournament.
The reference to going from wearing our Mascot costume at his Sister’s Softball game during his Freshman year, shows the humble beginnings to Easter’s time on The Hill.
To complete this story it would be very beneficial to add some thoughts from Easter, his Parents, his Coaches and / or his teammates about the accomplishment.
We also need to say Thank You 🙏 to Casey Burcham for taking the time to count the Assists !
If you are out there and would like to contribute to this story, please 🙏 reach out !
A.S.P.N on The Hill 