Written By: SaJorden Miller Lake Buena Vista, FL – KeVaughn Allen had twenty-one points, and six rebounds to lead the Florida Gators to a 81-76 win over Seton Hall Pirates on day one of the 2016 Advocare Invitational. It was a close one up until the final minute as a steal and a score from Allen with 1 minute to go, was the true dagger. Florida’s Kasey Hill opened up the scoring with a jumper and KeVaughn Allen followed suit with a jumper of his own to give the Gators a 4-0 lead with just a minute and five seconds expired on the clock. After that is was a back and forth game as Seton Hall and the Gators traded buckets. As we reached the first media timeout, the Pirates had the 10-9 lead with 15: 09 left in the first half. Florida regained the lead quickly with a triple from Chris Chiozza to make it 12-10. This was a start of a 9-2 run for the Gators as they extended their lead 18-12 with 12:26 left in the first half. It then took Seton Hall just 3 minutes to tie the game up with 9:22 left on the clock as Desi Rodriguez slammed home a dunk. Over the next three minutes were 4 lead changes before both teams were tied up 29-29 with 5:55 left in the first half. Then a dunk from Justin Leon and two free throws from Allen put the Gators up 33-29. Then continued the back and forth affair that had gone through the first half with two ties and lead change as Seton Hall went up 40-38 with just 20 seconds left in the first half. The Gators would add a free throw before the final whistle, going into the locker room 40-39 trailing Seton Hall. At the half, KeVaughn Allen was leading the way for Florida with 10 points in 18 minutes. For Seton Hall, it was Khadeen Carrington and Angel Delgado with 11 points each to help lead the Pirates into the locker room with the lead at the half. The first bucket to begin the second half did not come until 2 minutes and 8 seconds, Seton Hall’s Carrington put up a three-pointer to lead the Pirates 43-39 over the Gators. Florida did not get their first basket of the game until the 16:34 mark as Allen hit a triple to cut a 6-point deficit to just 3 points. Less than 30 seconds later Seaton Hall had worked their lead back up to 5. However, then it was the Gator show as they went on 14-2 run to take a 56-49 lead over the Pirates with 10:17 left in regulation. However, the Pirates would not go quietly and with 7:47 left to play it was once again a one-point game with the Gators on top 60-59. Then the Gators took back over again going on a 9-2 run to make it 69-61 with just 5 minutes left to play. Seton Hall continued to fight, and they again cut the deficit to just 2 points with 1:54 left to play. As the Pirates fought until the bitter end, they could not conquer the Gators. The Gators were able to take the 81-76 victory over the Pirates. Written By: SaJorden Miller Lake Buena Vista, FL – Nigel Williams-Goss had 9 points, eight assists, and six rebounds, while three other starters scored double digits in points, for an all around team victory for the Gonzaga Bulldogs. It was an 82-62 victory over Quinnipiac on day one of the Advocare Invitational. Quinnipiac opened up the scoring as Phil Winston had a layup to make it 2-0 just 18 seconds into the game. Gonzaga quickly answered back going on a 6-0 run over the next minute and a half. The Bobcats did not get their second bucket of the game until 16:41 mark in the first half. After trailing 10-6, the Bobcats went on a 7-2 run to take a 13-12 lead with 12:54 left in the first half. The Bulldogs answered right back, connecting on 3 free throws and a jumper from Zach Collins taking a 17-13 lead in the back and forth affair. This was the start of a 12-4 run that saw Gonzaga go up 24-17. With a 3 pointer from Andrew Robinson, Quinnipiac was able to put a stop to the run making it 24-20 with 8:05 left on the clock, as they did everything they could to keep this game close. With 6:42 left in the half the Bobcats had pulled within one at a 24-23 deficit. Then it was Zags show as they went on a 14-2 run over the next 4 minutes and 20 seconds to extend their lead at 37-25. The Bobcat’s Peter Kiss was able to score the last two buckets of the half to cut their deficit to just eight points making the score 37-29. At the half, it was Zach Collins and Przemek Karnowski leading the way for Gonzaga combining for 14 points and 8 rebounds. For the Quinnipiac Bobcats, it was Peter Kiss and Reggie Oliver leading the way in scoring with 15 total points, while Chaise Daniels took care of the boards with 8 rebounds. The Bobcats open up the second half with a block from Chaise Daniels that led to a 3-pointer from Peter Kiss to make it 37-32 just 29 seconds into the second half. However, the Zags answered right back with two 3-pointers coming off the hands of Silas Melson and Josh Perkins to extend their lead 43-32. In fact, after the Kiss 3-pointer for Quinnipiac, Gonzaga went on 13-3 run over the next 6 minutes and 9 seconds to take a 50-35 lead. Quinnipiac was not able to clot the bleeding as the deficit continued to increase. With 7:56 left in the half Gonzaga’s Jonathan Williams connected on a layup to extend the Bulldog’s lead to 20 points. The Bobcats were unable to cut the deficit, and Gonzaga captured the 82-62 victory. Written By: SaJorden Miller (July 22, 2016, Charlotte, NC) Just like every other team in the Atlantic Costal Conference, Clemson University’s head coach Dabo Swinney and the rest of the Tigers are excited about this 2016 season. Swinney showed his love for his team and staff going into this season at this year's ACC Kickoff.
Dabo is looking forward to his 8th year as head coach at Clemson and plans for a special season. “We feel like we're one of those teams that have a chance to have a special season. But we all know there's a lot of work to be done. So this is kind of that pathway to the next step. This means that we're going to be back on the grass here soon. We're looking forward to it.” Clemson Junior quarterback Deshaun Watson is more than just a remarkable athlete, he also exceeds expectations academically. Watson will be graduating in December from Clemson, which is a top-20 academic institution. He is just five hours short of graduating in two and a half years. Coach Swinney had nothing but positivity when talking about Watson and senior linebacker at Clemson Ben Boulware; “But two great leaders. We talk in our program about being three-percenters. These are one-percenters. These are two young men that represent everything we want our program to be about, in every year of their life.” Over the summer Watson went to Oregon for training at The Opening finals. He was eager to learn from some of the vets in Oregon as well as extend some of his experiences and knowledge to the high school athletes. “It was a great time to learn from the vets that's been there to where I want to go one day. Trent Dilfer won a Super Bowl, played 14 years in the NFL. Picked his brain. Then learn from guys like George Whitfield, quarterback guru. Jordan Palmer, who played 19 years in the NFL. His brother is Carson Palmer. There's a lot of great knowledge up there. Not just be closed in for what I think or what I assume. Just a great experience to be able to teach the high school kids show my experience, what I went through, what I'm going through now, to get those high school kids ready and prepared for the next four or five years of their lives.” Watson had an exciting time in Oregon; he learned a lot and he will surely put his new-found knowledge to the test this upcoming season. Boulware impressed the media with his fashion showing in light blue capris that were just dress pants rolled as he said to the media after the press conference. With the capris, Boulware wore a floral dress shirt with a pink tie and a tan suit jacket. Aside from his sense of style Boulware has impressed on and off the football field being selected to the Academic all-ACC team last year. Coach Swinney has had an impact on the players not only as athletes but as well as citizens and students. Boulware said it best how the coach is more than just a football coach by coaching these boys into men “I think it's being mature enough and knowing your role. Coach Swinney preaches us to us every day about being a good student, a good citizen. Coach Swinney has done a great job of instilling in us those values, the benefit of hard work. It was going to be a tough season playing 15 games. I know football is only going to last so long. I know my education is going to carry me for the rest of my life. I think that's the great thing about our program, it's really education first. Coach Swinney knows football will take care of itself. He's recruited great talent, great athletes to this program. He's also recruited, great men. I think he knows we're going to take care of business on the field and off the field.” Being Boulware's last season at Clemson, we can expect to see great things coming from him once again. The players and coaches are excited about this 2016 season and plan to have a successful season yet again after coming up just short in the 2016 College Football Playoff National Championship game. The players and coaches continue to grow every day together making the team stronger. Saturday, September 3rd the Clemson Tigers get their season kicked off against the Auburn Tigers in Auburn, AL at 9:00 pm being streamed by ESPN.
Written By: SaJorden Miller
The ACC season is only a few weeks away with camp officially starting on August 7th. The University of Pittsburgh had a good season last year but is looking ahead to making greater things happen this year. The Panthers have an experienced team that is expected to take Pitt far with 20 seniors and 12 of them being fifth-year seniors. Head Coach Narduzzi is excited to lead these men out of the tunnel to a high season. Narduzzi sees that the team chemistry is there and in football team chemistry is a strong piece to the puzzle.
James Connor is stepping back on the field this year as junior being 100% cancer free. Connor is expected to start this 2016 year at full force. Narduzzi is expecting no less of Connor he is expecting him to give that much more this season. “…I expect nothing but his best performance. When you look at what James has done, what he's been, what he's been through, the size of that heart inside his chest cavity, you know, I think you're going to get his best effort. …” Connor is looking healthy and ready for this season coach said that Connor is looking to lose a few pounds but other than that he is willing to go for this season his strength and stability is there to take this season in full force. Quarterback Nathan Peterman is excited for Connor to step back on the field being fully healthy this year. “It's going to be awesome. Just seeing his work ethic while he still had cancer and was beating it, as well as fighting to be the best player he can still be while he's got cancer, to now where he's completely recovered, trying to get back in shape. It's been awesome to witness that. I know it will be a special moment once he gets that first touch, and for all of us to get inspiration from him that first day, really throughout the summer with how great a competitor he is.” Connor has been an inspiration to his fellow teammates but as well as his fans. Connor along with the rest of Pitt plans to excel this 2016 season. Ejuan Price is one of the 20 seniors this year. Price has had a rough college career thus far. His freshman year, 2011, was the only season he was able to play in all 13 games of the season until the 2015 season. In 2012, Price was redshirted due to a pectoral injury. He came back in 2013, only able to play six games, after a season-ending back injury occurred. He also had to sit out all of 2014 season due to chest muscle injury, which was sustained in the off-season. Price had a strong 2015 season but he plans to have a more active 2016 season Price is not worried about any injuries this year he is just playing the game, “…Any injury I have or could potentially have is completely out of my mind, and I'm just playing full tilt. …” Price was getting down but with the help of Coach Narduzzi and his fellow teammate's Price has been able to keep his head up and see the light at the end of the tunnel. Being Price's fifth season for Pitt, he is starting it out healthy and planning to end his college career not only healthy but rememberable. With having many players back and so many being veteran players the Panthers look to take this season far in hopes to win the ACC, Costal, or even both. Narduzzi is confident in his staff as well as players and expects this to be a good season. The Panthers are excited about this season. Even though the coach is excited about the season he still plans to take each game one at a time, learning from the previous game to improve throughout the season. Still over a month to prepare for the first game of the season which will be on September 3 against the Villanova Wildcats in Pittsburgh, PA at Heinz Field. |
SaJorden MillerSaJorden has been with The SkyBoat since February of 2016. She received her Bachelor of Science degree from Full Sail University in Sport Marketing and Media. She is our Vice President also working as a photographer, videographer, writer and editor. Archives
March 2018
Categories |