By Bob Sutton
Special to The Alamance News
Bartlett Yancey’s girls’ basketball team has folded and that’s impacting the schedules of three Alamance County teams.
The Buccaneers lost all five games they played before suspending the season in mid-December. They’ve been listed as forfeiting games since then.
So that caused the scratching of an originally-scheduled home game Friday against Mid-Carolina Conference co-leader Southeast Alamance.
In games played, the closest margin for Bartlett Yancey came was a 43-30 home loss to Graham. It’s next game – and apparently final outing of the season – came with a 55-19 loss at Cummings.
Graham and Cummings also are Mid-Carolina Conference members in the nine-school league. They won’t have rematches with Bartlett Yancey.
Hammond lands honor
The Burlington School center Kaden Hammond was named to the all-tournament team for the second annual Gate City Holiday Classic in Greensboro.
The Spartans (11-7) defeated Holly Springs 74-69 in last week’s third-place game, with Hammond providing 21 points and seven rebounds and teammate Drew Johnson adding 15 points.
When TBS lost 60-46 to Cardinal Gibbons, Hammond had 15 points and seven rebounds.
Hammond notched 18 points and 11 rebounds in the Spartans’ 64-58 victory against High Point Andrews to open the event.
Greensboro Smith, playing at home, won the tournament, defeating Cardinal Gibbons in the final.
Southern loses top scorer
Chris Epps, who had been the leading scorer on Southern Alamance’s boys’ basketball team, is no longer with the Patriots.
Through seven games, the senior guard posted a team-leading 14.7 points per game (more than twice any other player on the team). He hasn’t been with the team since the final game prior to Christmas.
Ex-Western coach in new role
Michael Graves, who parted from his role as boys’ basketball coach at Western Alamance late in the season last winter, is on the bench as an assistant coach at Eastern Guilford.
Graves is on the staff with veteran Eastern Guilford coach Joseph Spinks.
Graves was in his seventh season with Western when last January’s coaching change took place.
Western defeated host Eastern Guilford 62-44 in last month’s non-conference game.
NCHSAA president watches Williams
Stephen Gainey, who’s serving as the North Carolina High School Athletic Association president for this school year, was in attendance when Williams participated in the SportsTone.net Christmas Invitational in Asheboro.
Gainey, who’s superintendent of the Randolph County School System, had a particular interest when the Williams boys’ team met Southwestern Randolph in the opening round. Gainey’s son, senior Jake Gainey, is on the Southwestern Randolph team, though he was out with an injury during the tournament.
