BOYS NOTES
This is going to be a busy week for King’s Fork.
It starts tonight with a huge Southeastern District match-up with top-ranked rival Nansemond River.
The Bulldogs, ranked second in South Hampton Roads, also play Lakeland on Thursday, No.6 Deep Creek on Friday and Christ the King of New York City on Saturday in the Martin Luther King Jr. Roundball Classic at the Constant Center.
“This week will definitely test their will,” King’s Fork coach Josh Worrell said . “But if we can get through this and come out successful in our minds, then I think it will say a lot about us.”
Unlike last season, when few predicted the Bulldogs’ incredible turnaround, much is expected this season from Worrell and his star players – Jamar Wertz (16.3 points per game) and Jaquon Parker (16.1).
“Last season, we played with a chip on our shoulder each game,” Worrell said. “But now we have to see how they were going to respond when they’re supposed to win. But we still feel we have a lot of people to prove wrong.”
MLK Jr. Classic attracts top high school talent
Old Dominion ’s Constant Center will be rocking Saturday – and that will have nothing to do with college basketball.
Instead, some of the nation’s top high school players and teams will come to Norfolk for the Martin Luther King Jr. Roundball Classic.
The nine-game event features guard Tyreke Evans, considered by some to be the nation’s top high school player. Evans plays for American Christian Academy of Pennsylvania. Last week, Evans played in the Battle of the Beach Classic at Landstown, where he scored 16 of his 26 points in the fourth quarter of his team’s loss.
Other players to watch include John Wall of Word of God Christian Academy in North Carolina, Derrick Favors of Georgia’s South Atlanta High School, Erving Walker of New York’s Christ the King High School and Lance Stevenson of Brooklyn’s Abraham Lincoln High School.
The event begins at 9 a.m. with Indian River playing Word of God Christian Academy. The rest of the boys lineup has No. 7 Landstown playing Benjamin Cardoza of New York at 10:30 a.m.; No. 8 Ocean Lakes plays Chester (Pa.) at
3 p.m.; No. 3 Norfolk Collegiate takes on American Christian at 4:30; No. 2 King’s Fork plays Christ the King at 6 p.m.; No. 4 Norcom meets Abraham Lincoln at 7:30; and Booker T. Washington plays South Atlanta at 9.
There are also two girls games. Third-ranked King’s Fork plays Malcolm X Shabazz of New Jersey at noon, followed by No. 2 Wilson taking on a Notre Dame Academy team ranked No. 1 nationally by USA Today.
For information on tickets, call 1-888-3COXTIX or visit www.CoxTix.com
Around the court …
Bayside coach Martin Russ has the Marlins playing quite well. After a 1-4 start, the Marlins have won six consecutive games, including victories against Atlantic Shores and Salem. …
Lakeland also has rebounded. The Cavaliers started 1-2 but have won four of five. The lone loss during that span was against No. 2 King’s Fork.
GIRLS NOTES
Battle of unbeatens on tap tonight in Suffolk
A showdown between Suffolk schools for the district title?
In girls basketball?
In a rarity, third-ranked King’s Fork and No. 4 Nansemond River – both unbeaten and 5-0 in the Southeastern District – play tonight on the Bulldogs’ court.
King’s Fork is the defending district champ and Nansemond River is eyeing its first title since moving to Group AAA in 1996.
The Bulldogs (8-0) rely on a pair of holdovers from last season in Ta’Shauna Rodgers (23.9 ppg) and Ransheda Jennings (14.8). The Warriors (9-0) got an offseason boost from some newcomers, led by LeCetra Arrington (15.9). Four others are averaging 7.2 or more, including returnee Andrea Jones (10.1).
That balance has helped Nansemond River to its best start in years. Before last season’s 12-13 finish, the Warriors hadn’t won more than four games since 2000.
But Nansemond River won the KSA Holiday tournament in Florida and is coming off a victory against Indian River.
“We’ve got some new kids, so we’re still trying to find an identity,” Warriors coach R. Calvin Mason said. “But one thing they do is, they keep playing hard.”
With freshman injured, Princess Anne turns to a senior
Regular-season play begins today in the Beach District, with Princess Anne vying for its 10th title in 12 seasons.
The Cavaliers, though, begin their latest quest without star freshman Elizabeth Williams, who suffered two broken fingers Saturday against Indian River.
Williams, a 6-foot-3 center, averaged 13.4 points in the first 13 games.
Coach Darnell Dozier originally said Williams would be out for eight weeks, but he expects her to return in about six weeks, possibly in time for the district tournament.
Dozier said Kay Vick, a 6-foot senior, will move to center.
“I don’t think it’s going to be that big an adjustment for us – I’m hoping not anyway,” Dozier said. “Kay played there last year, so I think we’ll be OK.”
Princess Anne (13-0), ranked No. 1 in South Hampton Roads, plays Tallwood today and Kempsville on Friday.
Around the court …
Wilson’s JoNiquia Guilford is 19 points from reaching 2,000 in her career and is closing in on becoming the Presidents’ all-time leading scorer. That honor belongs to T.J. Jordan, who finished with 2,050 points. …
Wilson is hosting a bus trip to watch former star Khadijah Whittington and N.C. State take on UNC in Raleigh on Sunday. Whittington, a senior, is second in the ACC in scoring (18.6) and first in rebounding (11.9). Tickets, which include refreshments on the bus, cost $50. Call Wilson coach Roger Smith at (757) 737-2652.
– Compiled by Larry Rubama
and Jami Frankenberry
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