BASKETBALL All-Memphis Match-Ups Highlight D2 State Tourney JOHN VARLAS Consistent Team Throughout the Season
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SPORTS 1C THE COMMERCIAL APPEAL » THURSDAY, MARCH 2, 2017 COMMERCIALAPPEAL.COM/SPORTS HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL All-Memphis match-ups highlight D2 state tourney JOHN VARLAS consistent team throughout the season ... "From top to bottom, they're probably USA TODAY NETWORK – TENNESSEE and they're at home. We're fortunate to the No. 1 team in our conference. But be here." we've beaten them before. Harding coach Kevin Starks has his Harding along with Lausanne and St. "More than anything, I'm concerned finger on the pulse of Division 2-A bas- George's will comprise 75 percent of the about what our team is going to do. ketball around the state. So when he says field when the boys tournament gets un- That's the main focus; if we do what it means a lot for Shelby County to have derway Friday at Lipscomb University's we've been coached to do, we have a three of the four semifinalists in this Allen Arena. The Lions and Lynx will chance." week's boys state tournament, you can meet in an 11:30 a.m. semi, guaranteeing Harding is the defending champion be sure he's not just being a cheerleader. at least one Memphis team in Saturday's following a memorable victory over "You look at the Middle/East teams 3p.m. championship game. FRA in 2016, a game that saw the Lions like FRA with (coach) John Pierce and Lausanne and Harding have met trail by 31 early in the third quarter be- Webb with Ricky Norris, they always three times this year, splitting in the reg- fore rallying to win in overtime. play well," he said. "But (to have three of ular season before the Lynx won 55-44 in But the Lynx present a different chal- NIKKI BOERTMAN/THE COMMERCIAL APPEAL the four) says it all really. That's huge. the West Region semifinals. The Lions lenge altogether. With sophomore Schyl- Harding Academy's Antoinette Lewis defends "And you look at Rossville, they gave didn't play particularly well in that one er Forest leading the way, Lausanne has Northpoint’s Ashtyn Baker. Both teams play in FRA all they could handle (in last Satur- and Starks is hoping for a better result atremendously talented group of under- the Division 2-A West Regional basketball day's sub-state round). Then you look at this time around. tournament Tuesday night. FACS, which was maybe the best, most "They are really talented," he said. See BASKETBALL, Page 2C U OF M BASKETBALL GRIZZLIES Parsons misfires again in Griz win RONALD TILLERY USA TODAY NETWORK – TENNESSEE Grizzlies coach David Fizdale said veteran Vince Carter’s role this year would be akin to a Swiss Army knife. Carter, 40, could be a utility player. In a130-112 win Tuesday night over the Phoenix Suns, Carter let go a sharp el- bow to Suns guard Devin Booker. Carter was ejected but the show of force sparked the Grizzlies' Grizzlies, according to several team- next game mates. Who: Memphis vs. “I thought he Dallas Mavericks should have stayed When, where: 7:30 in the game. It got us p.m., Friday, THOMAS B. SHEA/USA TODAY SPORTS fired up,” forward American Airlines Memphis Tigers guard Jake McDowell is defended by Houston Cougars forward Bertrand Nkali (13) in the first half at Hofheinz Pavilion Zach Randolph said. Center earlier this season. “(The Suns) are a TV, radio: Fox good, young team. Sports Southeast; They have a lot of WMFS 92.9 FM/680 great talent. It was AM just a good fight for us.” Said Fizdale: “It was going to be one of those games and our guys understood MCDOWELL PUTS that.” Even Booker sounded as though he knew he’d get a lesson in NBA physical- ity. “People know basketball. I knew I was going to get a hard foul at a point in the game,” Booker said. “I just wanted a MEMPHIS FIRST chance at getting somebody back. That’s just how it goes. Anybody who knows Tigers’ guard ‘wants Tigers' next game McDowell will likely be one of three basketball, that’s how it goes, especially Who: Memphis (18-11, 8-8) vs. Tulane (5-23, seniors in the starting lineup today for Vince. He’s played back in the day. He’s program to succeed’ 2-14) the Tigers’ final regular-season home been through that.” When, where: 8 p.m. today; FedExForum game, along with guard Christian Kessee Carter and Booker didn’t provide the regardless if he plays TV, radio: ESPNU; WREC-AM 600, WEGR-FM and forward Chad Rykhoek. But those only fireworks in FedExForum. 102.7 two only came to Memphis over the past Chandler Parsons heard jeers from year as graduate transfers. McDowell fans for his general inactivity on the MARK GIANNOTTO had been dreaming about being a Tiger court. He’s hesitant to shoot, dribbles USA TODAY NETWORK – TENNESSEE text messages back from his wife, Carol, since birth. without purpose and continues to mis- alerting him that Jake is “actually very The tale is well-told at this point, now fire from the perimeter. When Parsons The latest twist in senior Jake Mc- pissed off that they lost,” Hank wasn’t that the 6-foot-5 McDowell earned a made his only basket – a 3-pointer – the Dowell’s unlikely career at Memphis, surprised. scholarship and the title of team captain crowd wildly cheered. when he logged a season-high 18 minutes This, though, may have been the best as a senior. After playing at Christian Then he took a bow – literally. out of nowhere last Sunday, didn’t have a way to sum up why Jake McDowell will Brothers in high school, he eschewed op- Meanwhile, the Grizzlies’ offense lit perfect ending. While the congratulatory be remembered long after he takes the portunities at smaller colleges at the urg- up the scoreboard with 130 points. messages and phone calls rolled in, the court at FedExForum for senior night to- ing of former Memphis walk-on Preston The point total and 55.8 percent shoot- recipient stewed. The Tigers lost to day against Tulane. Laird and elected to join the Tigers under ing were season highs. The Grizzlies’ 75 Houston, their fourth-straight defeat, so “It’s just hard because we’re going on former Coach Josh Pastner. He never ex- second-half points marked the third- celebrating didn't feel right to McDowell. alittle bit of a losing streak right now and pected to be anything more than an un- highest total for either half in franchise His father, former Tigers forward people ask me, ‘Would you rather play dersized practice player only to become a history, falling just two points shy of a Hank McDowell, hadn’t been in the build- and lose, or not play and win,’” McDowell semi-regular contributor last year, ap- franchise-high (77 vs. Golden State on ing to watch it all unfold because of his said in an interview Tuesday. “I’d much pearing in 24 games with Memphis short- Jan. 3, 2007). job as a color analyst for Memphis Griz- rather play zero minutes and win. I just handed in the front-court after the sud- Memphis also amassed a season-high zlies radio broadcast. He could only fol- want this program to succeed because low along on Twitter. But when he got a I’ve been around it my whole life.” See MCDOWELL, Page 3C See GRIZZLIES, Page 4C COLLEGE BASKETBALL Lynx make long, long trek to NCAA tourney PHIL STUKENBORG three-hour bus ride from Spokane to USA TODAY NETWORK – TENNESSEE Walla Walla, will give the team ample time to appreciate the magnitude of Another frenetic mid-week basket- what it has accomplished. ball practice had concluded at Mallory Or to wonder why it didn’t draw a Gymnasium on the Rhodes College cam- more favorable opening-round assign- pus and coach Mike DeGeorge huddled ment. his team together for something this pro- “Logistically, it’s been a nightmare,” gram hasn’t received in 24 years. DeGeorge said. “There’s no easy way to DeGeorge delivered the group a de- get from Memphis to Walla Walla, Wash- tailed itinerary on its travel plans to the ington.” NCAA Division 3 Tournament. DeGeorge wasn’t really complaining Rhodes (17-10) will be making its first as much as he was marveling, with a trip since 1993 — before anyone on the smile, at the long and winding road to a Lynx roster was born — so, perhaps, it’s postseason berth. DeGeorge, in his sev- fitting the team will make a lengthy trek enth season at Rhodes, led the Lynx to to Walla Walla, Washington, to play un- the Southern Athletic Association tour- JIM WEBER/THE COMMERCIAL APPEAL beaten and top-ranked Whitman (27-0) at nament title last weekend, the program’s The Rhodes basketball team erupts from the bench after scoring late in their game against 9:30 p.m. CT in Friday’s opening round. Birmingham-Southern to win the SAA Conference Championship Saturday afternoon. The Lynx The multi-stop flight, followed by a See RHODES, Page 2C won 98-95 at Mallory Gymnasium to qualify to the NCAA Division III basketball tournament. 2C Thursday, March 2, 2017 The Commercial Appeal In the news COMMENTARY Top angler Rose to speak at wild-game din- ner: Professional bass angler Mark Rose of West Memphis, who recently made Fishing League Worldwide history by winning back-to-back tourna- ments, will be the guest speaker at 6 p.m.