The Scotland boys' basketball team came within two minutes of picking up their first win of the season this past Tuesday.

Unfortunately, Jack Britt was able to convert on some key baskets down the stretch. Despite the loss, there were some encouraging things to take away from the game.

For the first time this season, the Scots scored in double figures in every quarter. Along with scoring double figures, the Scots put together a very solid first half, leading for the first time after a half this season.

"We were able to run our offense and you can see what happens," Scotland coach Mike Ritchie said. "We had some easy shots, got good looks at the basket and it made a difference for us."

During an interview that I had with Ritchie following their loss to Pine Forest back on Nov.19, I can remember Coach telling me that he wanted to see one of the seniors step up and take some leadership. During the game against the Bucs, I think he may have found a go-to guy.

Senior Lamont Browne came into the game averaging only six points a game, but surpassed that average in the first quarter, with eight. The 15 points he put up are the most by a Scot in a game so far.

"It's the best that I've seen him play," Ritchie said about Browne. "We need that out of him every night. We've got to find us for seven or eight guys that I know that I'm going to get that same effort and intensity out of them every night."

Another player who has impressed me early off the bench is Isaiah Robinson.

The sophomore has been able to come in an produce right away and hit some big shots, but with his production has come an achilles heel. Robinson has been prone to foul trouble, fouling out of the past two games.

If Robinson can avoid getting early fouls, he could be not only be a great player for the Scots, but an effective player.

"We're a young team and we have the tendency to give you three reps and then rest," said Ritchie. "They've got to understand that we can't do that. We've got to play all-out, full speed every rep."

After Jack Britt's Devin Thompson put 26 on the Scots in their first meeting, the Scots held the Fayetteville State- signee to just two points. Scotland will be in the same situation this time around against Pine Forest's Ryan May.

In their first meeting, the Trojan senior scored 24 points against the Scots. Ritchie believes that his team has gotten better since that game and hopes to use the same play on May that he used on Thompson.

"We got better after this game, but we've still got a long way to go," Coach said. "I've told the boys that we looked a whole different ball team. We're improving everyday and this game was definitely a step in the right direction."

A story of class and sportsmanship

A couple of days ago, a story was published in the Raleigh News and Observer about a high school football game in the State 3-A playoffs between Cardinal Gibbons and Currituck County.

It was a typical match-up in the first round, Cardinal Gibbons, the number-one seed going against a number-16 seed.

Currituck , a team that plays in the split 3-A/2-A Northeastern Coastal Conference and finished the regular season 1-10, knew that the Crusaders could put up 70 points on them.

As a result, Currituck's Athletic Director announced that they would forfeit their game to prevent his team from further embarrassment.



Originally, the Knights did just that, but over the coming days, the boys had a change of heart and decided that no matter how good Cardinal Gibbons (10-1) was, they wanted to play them.

The Knights made the near four-hour journey to Raleigh and instead of being booed and jeered by opposing fans, they were greeted as guests.

Cardinal Gibbons even made fresh baked pizzas as they boarded the bus back home.

In sports, so many times, we get caught up in the score of the game and dominating your opponent. It is always a pleasure to read stories like this, because they teach you that winning is only a miniscule part of the game. Showing class, dignity and respect to your opponent, no matter how good or bad they may be, go alot further than the final score.

That final score, by the way, was 47-0, Cardinal Gibbons.

The Game(s) of the week

With all the basketball tournaments and Thanksgiving Day football being played, there is one set of games that tends to be on the back burner during this time of year.

My games of the week are the Football Championship Subdivision (formerly Division 1-AA) playoffs. For 16 teams, the goal over the next month is clear: win four games and the championship is yours.

The FCS playoffs don't have the glitz and glamour that their bowl-playing counterparts have. They don't get to play on ESPN, Fox, CBS or NBC. If they're lucky, they'll be on ESPN2, ESPNU or Sports South.

My main reason for deciding on these games is simple: at the end of it all, an undisputed champion is crowned.

Unlike with the BCS where there is always debate about who the actual champion is, the FCS playoffs silence that quarrel.

Interestingly enough, one of the top coaches in the nation, Ohio State's Jim Tressel, got his start coaching an FCS team. He led Youngstown State to four national championships from 1991-97.

Georgia Tech coach Paul Johnson, led Georgia Southern to consecutive championships in 1999 and 2000.