The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, November 22, 2004, Page 9, Image 9
I
* I \ I 1 f I 1 Pi GAME SCHEDULE
1 I J ' I ' WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY NCAA Championships
p g I I ■ I \ ■ . at Indiana State, TBA
, , „„_, I 1 f I I ILl MEN’S SOCCER NCAA Second Round, TBA
Monday, November 22,2004 ■ V J U 1^ i TK-S MEN’S BASKETBALL vs. Winthrop, 7:30 p.m.
CHARLIE DAVENPORT
Sophomore guard Tre Kelley dunks in Sunday’s victory over
Western Carolina. The dunk was Kelley’s first as a Gamecock.
Kelley lends
hustle, heart
/-» i »
■ oopnomore guara
proves mettle with
slam-dunk statement
^ By MIQUELJACOBS
THE GAMECOCK
In his first game as the leader of the
men’s basketball team, Tre Kelley
simultaneously put on a show and
demonstrated why the coaching staff
is confident in him.
In addition to displaying the
decision-making needed to succeed in
the SEC, Kelley also did something
that fans never expected to see — a
dunk.
Head coach Dave Odom’s
Carolina teams have been known for
two things — heart and defense.
The Catamounts committed a
season-high 25 turnovers, leading to
30 Carolina points. Of those
turnovers, 15 came from USC steals,
| tied for fourth most in school
" history. In a defensive set mirroring
last season, the Gamecocks began
with a full-court pressure that was
seemingly ineffective, causing Odom
to change styles and break the game
open.
“The biggest thing we talked about
at the half was keeping the pressure
on,” Odom said. “Ironically the game
changed when we took the full court
pressure off and went to the half
court.”
“The full court pressure didn’t
look like it was working, but it was
wearing them down,” Kelley added.
“Once we went to the half-court
defense and put the pressure on, we
were able to get some steals and get
something going on offense.”
The most exciting and unexpected
turnover came when Kelley stole the
ball at mid-court, took his time to the
\ basket and elevated his 6-foot frame
just high enough to slam it down to
give Carolina a 69-51 lead. The
collective roar from the crowd would
have been enough for anyone to
figure out that this was an uncommon
sight, but’ the reaction from his
teammates and Kelley himself spoke
volumes.
“That definitely was my first career
dunk,” Kelley said.- “I don’t think the
crowd knew that I could do that.
Being in front of the home crowd, it
gets you pumped up.”
Taking the reigns from Mike
Boynton, Kelley hopes his hustle and
play do not go unnoticed throughout
the season. Odom called him a
“freshman starter” in that he ha's never
been given leadership over the team
before, but Kelley said he felt he
would live up to the expectations.
“I’m very comfortable. I played a
lot of games last year and played a lot
in those games,” Kelley said. “I don’t
think it’s really a struggle; it’s really
just running the basketball team. I
think I can d<? it.”
He also wasn’t slow to admit that
there is always room for practice. Even
though he tied his career high with
two steals, he lists defense as the one
aspect of his game that could be even
better.
“Locking up guys that’s bringing
the ball up and getting them to
disrupt their own offense,” Kelley
said. “I think I already (established I
could lead). My teammates know that
I’m the guy that runs the team
offensively and defensively.”
For now, Carolina fans will be
anxiously awaiting more spectacular
offensive and defensive plays by the
point guard. While he’s not normally
the guy who spreads his wings, Kelley
still does not want anyone to rule him
out when it comes to high-flying
action. When asked if we should see
more highlights in the future, Kelley
could only smile and say two hopeful
words: “Probably so.”
Comments on this stoiy? E-mail
gamecocksports@gwm.sc. edu
START ME UP
HaKuillNUH f \
_
KATIE KIRKLAND/THE GAMECOCK
Senior forward Carlos Powell pumps up the Colonial Center crowd Sunday in the Gamecocks’ home opener. USC won the game by a final
score of 87-61 and was led by Powell, who scored 16 points in his first'game as a USC senior.
uj ni_i_A i\i l_i_ i
THE GAMECOCK
After a first half marred by turnovers,
break downs and missed opportunities,
USC rallied against Western Carolina to
claim its first victory of the season 87
61.
Tarence Kinsey put the Gamecocks
on the board first with a jump shot on
the teams’ first possession. After that
shot, the Catamounts held their ground
and went score for score with USC, and
actually took the lead early in the first
period on a three pointer with 15:08
left.
Both teams continued poor shooting
and sloppy play for the first half, which
was closed out by a Carlos Powell feed to
Rocky Trice off a steal, giving the
Gamecocks a measly 37-33 lead at the
break.
western Carolina manageu 10 ue tne
game nine times in the first period and
had the half s largest lead of seven.
The second half was a completely
different story.
The closest the Catamounts could
pull within was three early in the second
period of play. From there USC took
control and put the game away.
The Gamecocks forced numerous
turnovers in the second half that lead to
fast break opportunities. The biggest
break away came with Carolina up 67
51 and looking to seal the deal, Tre
Kelley grabbed an arrent Western
Carolina pass and went into total lift off
for the first dunk of his career.
■ The rest was academic as everybody
got in on the action. Dwayne Day came
in to nail a three pointer, but only after
big man Brandon Wallace stepped out
on the top to can a three of his own.
raunus jonenunas s raae away snot
gave USC the 25 point advantage with:
54 seconds left, but Jon Land’s three
point shot with seven ticks left on the
clock brought the crowd into an uproar
as USC handed Western Carolina their
fifth straight loss.
“I felt like we worked extremely hard
in the first half, but we didn’t get
anything out of it,” USC head coach
Dave Odom said.
The Catamounts’ game against USC
was their fifth game in eight days against
opponents like Penn State, Alabama,
and Marquette.
“I felt like if we put pressure on them
they would wear down,” Odom said.
“We just try to wear you down,”
senior Carlos Powell said.
Rebounding was a big issue for the
Gamecocks managed just 19 in the first
half and only 10 came on the defensive
ena or me court.
“Obviously the big concern for us is
rebounding,” Odom said. “When you
go to the locker room at the half and
neither of your post guys have a
defensive rebound, you’ve got a
problem.”
“We’ve got to rebound more, crash
the boards,” Powell stated after the win.
“We’re a team in progress. We’ll be
alright.”
With the absence of Antoine Tisby
due to personal issues, the Gamecocks
will be short handed on the boards and
will have to find a way to compensate for
that lack of presence.
“We’re still kind of finding our
identity,” sophomore Brandon Wallace
added.
Comments on this story? E-mail
gamecockspojts@girm.sc. edu
Soccer bows early in tourney
■ Gamecocks cant
defend home turf
against Cougars
By MATTHEW NAGY
THE GAMECOCK
An underpowered USC men’s soccer
j team fell short against the College of
Charleston Cougars 3-2 on Friday night
after battling tough all game long.
Carolina had plenty of chances early
but dould not get past the Cougars’
stellar goalkeeper Keith Wiggins. Only
18 minutes into the game, junior Ryan
Deter was making a run to the left side
of the box when Wiggins came up and
challenged the forward 5 yards from the
backline. Deter was unable to get the
ball past the extended Wiggins, who
recorded 10 saves on the night. Deter
again had an opening later in the first
period but could not capitalize, missing
wide right.
^Carolina was still reeling from the
loss of forward Sebastian Lindholm. The
freshman from Sweden blew out his
ACL in practice Wednesday and was
lost for the season. Lindholm was the
team’s leading scorer, and the loss hurt
even more on a night when offense was
desperately needed.
The Cougars were able to strike first
when Darren Toby headed the ball into
the back of the net off a Troy Lesesne
free kick. It was the only goal scored in
the first half, but play opened up into a
fast-paced attacking game in the second
half.
Just two minutes into the second
half, Toby again had a chance on a
breakaway to put Charleston up 2-0.
The ground ball just missed the left side
of the net and sailed out of bounds.
Eight minutes later, Carolina had its two
best chances of the night but was denied
again by Wiggins.
“How their goalkeeper saves those
balls, I don’t know. Those were
unbelievable saves,” USC head coach
Mark Berson said. “They were as good a
saves as % have ever seen in a college
soccer game. That’s the difference in the
game right there.”
USC captain Eric Szeszycki took a
thundering shot from 25 yards away
that Wiggins was able to get a foot on.
Unable to control the rebound, the
ball sailed right back to Szeszycki and
he again fired a rocket toward the net.
Almost out of thin air, Wiggins was
able to get enough of his hand on the
ball while lying on the ground to stop
it from getting into the back of the
goal.
Minutes later, the Cougars were
again running on a counterattack when
forward Jeremy Gold was faced in a one
on-one breakaway with USC defender
Daniel Upchurch. The freshman
defender lost his footing and fell, leaving
Gold alone to face goalie Brad Guzan. It
was an easy goal for Gold, and suddenly
the Gamecocks were down two and
looking for an offensive spark.
“We don’t let the score go to our
heads. There are plenty of times this
season when we have gone to two goals
down and sifcl come back,” Szeszycki
said. The Gamecocks did their best to
fight back but came up short in the
end.
Ayo Akinsete was able to bring the
score to 2-1 with 17 minutes left in the
game, and the spark was briefly back
until the sophomore striker from
Tobago put the nail in the coffin for
Charleston. Toby ran the ball down
the right side of the box and served a
quick pass to Gold, who gave the ball
right back to Toby. The ball was nailed
from 12 yards out on the right side and
beat Guzan to the left corner of the
net.
The goal was the second of the game
for Toby. Another glimmer of hope
came for the Gamecocks as Ryan Deter
was able to get a goal with 10 minutes
left to play.
But it was too little, too late for
Carolina, who had the pressure on the
Cougars for the remainder of the game.
With just one minute to play, USC saw
its last chance fade away after a corner
♦ Please see SOCCEt}, page 10
KATIE KIRKLAND/THE GAMECOCK
Sophomore striker Ayo Akinsete was one of the Gamecock’s main
scoring threats this seasor^but could not propel USC to a win. t