8—THE VOICE, March 4,1982 SPORTS trophy for the second time in three McNeil Selected CIAA years. Coach Ford’s strategy and disciplined style have continued to pay Player-Of-The-Year off as his squad honored him recently with his 100th collegiate career victory with a 81-69 triumph over coach Dave is currently leading the Fayetteville Robbins’ NCAA Division II top- State University team in ranked , scoring (20 hoops per game) and giving them their first collegiate set­ assists, with seven. back of the season. Third year mentor, Jake Ford is highly complementary of his 5-7 Coach Ford is the primary reason dynamic point-guard who he calls the senior five-foot-seven point-guard “ best guard in the entire country— Bonny McNeil has blossomed into a pound for pound.” Despite giving a fine free-throw shooter and was the decided advantage in height to most of NAIA’s fourth best free throw percen­ r his opponents, McNeil performed like tage shooter in the nation last year. a magician on the court, bewildering 4k- “ I consider Bonny McNeil, pound the taller opponents with his Houdini- for pound, the best guard in the entire like moves. country,” said Ford. “I also think “I am very happy for the young Dino Russell is a tremendous player man,” began Ford who captured his but he is just too unselfish and needs to lOOth collegiate victory this season. Jake Ford shoot more instead of passing the ball “ Bonny has been very consistent for us off.” this year and I feel that he is very McNeil, a physical education major deserving of the honor.” from Durham, is Ford’s floor leader How does “ Super B,” as he is called When Ford Speaks... and leading scorer for the Broncos (18 by his fans and classmates, feel about ppg) and possesses more moves than a the recent honors bestowed upon him? ...His Players Listen “ belly dancer.” “ I feel very honored and I know that “ My mom told me to be more By John B. Henderson my family is gonna go crazy when they careful after watching me play recen­ tly,” said McNeill with a wide grin. Bonny McNeil, a name familiar to find out,” said McNeill who is from a By John B. Henderson close-knit family. “ I know my dad’s Says coach Ford about his star Central Intercollegiate Athletics When it comes to the game of Association (CIAA) opponents all year really gonna go crazy when I tell him guard: “ Bonny is not afraid to go to “round ball,” commonly known as the basket for a shot over the taller long, has been named, along with for­ this,” said McNeil with a wide grin. He basketball, head basketball coach Jake guys. I explained to him starting last ward Julius Norman of Virginia State, further stated that he feels that the Ford of Fayetteville State University year that he will be getting a lot of CIAA “ Co-Player-Of-The-Year’, ac­ coach and his teammates deserves believes in team discipline and shots from the free throw line and he cording to information released by the some of the credit. “ Without them I execution. has developed this skill (shooting free- CIAA Office at Hampton, Virginia. couldn’t have done it.” throws) and done exceptionally well.” McNeil, last year’s NAIA free-throw Point-wise, McNeill’s highest Ford, a native of Georgetown, South McNeil is the first to give coach Ford leader at the national level, was also production was 35 points against St. Carolina, and a former National the credit for his success. selected to the ALL-CIAA squad for Augustine’s College. “I wanted to Basketball Association star with the “ I believe that coach Ford has the 1981-82 campaign in a poll by the make ALL-CIAA when I came here,” Seattle Supersonics, is in his third helped develop me more as a team conference coaches. season in the tough Central Inter­ said McNeil. “ And now this is really player and team leader,” he said A native of Durham, N.C., McNeill something.” collegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) conference. He is currently enjoying seriously and is known to his team­ his best start at the Bronco helm (12-3 mates and fans as “Super B” at Lady Broncos Finish Atop CIAA overall and 7-2 in the league) winning FSU. “ As a player you must listen to six straight CIAA contest recently over him because I feel that he wants us to do our best and he has our best interest By John B. Henderson Bowie State (54-39); North Carolina Central (82-61); Virginia Union (81- at heart.” The Lady Broncos of Fayetteville 59); Livingston College (56-48); St. There is no doubt that coach Ford State University finished the regular Augustine College (65-53); and knows about winning and how to win. season of play with a perfect 12-0 Elizabeth City State (72-67). Ford played collegiately at Maryland record in the Central Intercollegiate State (now Maryland Easter-Shore) Needless to say, the Palmetto state Athletic Association’s (CIAA) and is accustomed to winning. Southern Division and an overall mark native and his 1981-82 edition of the At Maryland State, he was named of 23-3. FSU Bronco hardwood-men are Coached by second-year mentor currently making a strong bid for con­ ALL-CIAA twice and during the 1970 Yvonne Edwards and ranked 7th in the ference honors although coach Ford CIAA Tournament at Greensboro, Ford set a tourney record by connec­ NAIA national polls, the Lady Bron­ says he really does not have a “ talen­ ting on 19 free throws. cos reeled off 12 straight triumphs in-a- ted” squad. Ford’s other plaudits while playing row after suffering a loss in early Whether this is the case or not regar­ guard at Maryland State Included January (90-73) to non-conference op­ ding talent, coach Ford’s players have “Player-of-the-Year” in the CIAA ponent UNC-Wilmington whom the confidence in him. conference; an All-American for two FSU club had defeated earlier at the years; team leader in free throw per­ holiday break, 97-71. Says Dino Russell, 6-2 guard and junior college transfer from Gastonia, centage (four years); and was selected “ Most Valuable Player” at the NAIA The Lady Broncos were the top seed North Carolina: “The coach (Ford) Tournament. at the CIAA Women’s Tournament has been there (championships) before held recently at Druham’s North and he knows what it takes to win. After receiving his master’s degree Carolina Central University. Therefore, we listen to him and what from the University of Indiana, he ser­ The Lady Broncos triumphed over he instructs us to do.” ved at Vorhees College in Denmark, Johnson C. Smith on the road, 78-60 Russell, who possesses tremendous South Carolina and was named con­ and traveled to for All-CIAA forward Dianthia Morris ference “ Coach-of-the-Year.” (Photo by John Henderson) jumping ability for his 6-2 frame at 162 the regular season finale, 80-61. pounds, is one of the main cogs in the Last year, he was honored by his The Fayetteville State women’s club is paced by junior Norfolk, Virginia native Bronco Machine this season averaging fellow coaches in the Central Inter­ Concetha Smith who poured in 23 points in the win over Livingston. Smith, over 15 baskets an outing. collegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) named the NAIA District 26 “ Player-of-the-Week” recently, is averaging 19 conference as “Coach-of-the-Year” points per contest. She is an ALL-CIAA point-guard and is practically a shoo-in Coach Ford’s “firm but gentle” and is making a strong bid currently to for the all-conference honors again this campaign. coaching tactics paid off in great repeat his coveted award. dividends earlier in the season (in fact, All-American candidate and ALL-CIAA forward senior Dianthia Morris is With about half the Bronco schedule the third game of the season) when his second in scoring at a 17-point clip while pulling down 12 rebounds. The Lawren- completed and his Bronco-men ranked ceville, New Jersey native is sure to take ALL-CIAA honors for the third time in Bronco squad won the coveted “ Bull 10th nationally in a radio network poll, her collegiate career at Fayetteville State. City” Invitational Tourney at North the players at Fayetteville State will stili Last year the Lady Bronco squad finished 24-6 and were eliminated in the first Carolina Central over the Eagles, 63- be listening when coach Jake Ford round of the CIAA women’s tourney by Virginia State, 98-70. 50, garnering the championship speaks.