Trojans look to rebound at Queens

By News-Argus Staff
Published in Sports on February 17, 2004 2:00 PM

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MOUNT OLIVE -- For a team to compete for a championship, it needs talent, it needs to stay free from injury and it needs a little bit of luck along the way.

There's certainly no lack of talent on the Mount Olive men's basketball team. And the Trojans have had some luck on their side on a few occasions, most notably the shot that filled the television airwaves last week. But unfortunately for the Trojans, they can no longer claim to be free from injury.

Mount Olive will try to get back on the winning track as the Trojans travel to Charlotte tonight to face Queens in Carolinas-Virginia Athletics Conference men's basketball. Tip-off is 7:30 p.m.

Mount Olive (17-5 overall, 11-4 CVAC) is coming off back-to-back losses on the road after defeating No. 2 Pfeiffer 108-105 last week, marking the first time this season the Trojans have suffered consecutive losses.

Mount Olive lost 100-87 Thursday at Belmont Abbey, then was stunned 98-86 Saturday at Limestone as the Saints hit 14-of-20 field goals from three-point range.

The Trojans lost more than a ballgame at Belmont Abbey as starting forward/center Sharome Holloway went down with a dislocated carpal bone (wrist) in his left arm barely five minutes into the contest. Holloway, who established career highs three nights earlier with 20 points and 13 rebounds against Pfeiffer, is likely out for the season. In his last 10 games, Holloway was averaging 10.4 points and 7.1 rebounds per contest.

A junior transfer from South Mountain CC (Ariz.), Holloway was named CVAC Men's Basketball Player of the Week for the week of January 12-18.

Point guard Janson Greene has had his foot in a cast for a week after suffering an injury and will have to wear the cast for another two weeks. Greene has missed the Trojans' last five games. Greene, a senior from Virginia Beach, Va., was a major force in the Trojans' 85-81 victory over Queens January 10 in the first meeting between the two teams. Greene scored a career-high 22 points, including eight consecutive free throws in the final 1:21 to seal the win.

Marcus West scored 23 points in the first meeting, going 13-for-16 from the free throw line. Freshman Chris Bartley provided a spark to help turn the game around late in the first half, hitting a pair of field goals, drawing a charge and recording assists on a pair of three-pointers by Greene that put the Trojans ahead to stay just before halftime.

In the four games prior to Mount Olive's win against Pfeiffer, the Trojans had allowed an average of only 59.5 points per game. Last week, Pfeiffer and Belmont Abbey both reached the century mark and Limestone scored 98 points - 62 in the second half.

Queens (16-5, 11-4) had its four-game winning streak snapped Saturday with a 95-86 loss at home to Pfeiffer. Spencer Ross led four players in double figures with 32 points.

Tonight's game will likely play a major role in the NCAA Division II East Region rankings, as well as seedings in next month's CVAC Tournament. Mount Olive is ranked No. 3 in the East Region, while Queens is ranked No. 9. Mount Olive and Queens enter tonight's contest tied for second in the CVAC standings, three games behind Pfeiffer, a game-and-a-half ahead of Barton and two games ahead of Belmont Abbey.

The top five teams in the final regular season standings earn first-round byes in the CVAC Tournament, with the top four hosting quarterfinal-round games. Eight teams advance to the NCAA II East Regional: three conference champions (CVAC, Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference and West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference) and five at-large teams.

Harvey may return

for Lady Trojans

MOUNT OLIVE -- The good news for the Mount Olive women's basketball team is the Trojans won two out of three games last week and the one loss was a two-point buzzer-beater against the second-place team in the conference.

The better news is the Trojans may get one of their starters back tonight -- Latoria Harvey.

Mount Olive hopes to move a step closer to hosting a first-round game in next month's conference tournament as the Trojans travel to Charlotte to take on Queens in Carolinas-Virginia Athletics Conference women's basketball. Tip-off is 5:30 p.m.

Mount Olive (9-13 overall, 5-10 CVAC) is coming off a 79-62 win at Limestone Saturday as Ladora Charles scored a game-high 22 points, while Brandy Smith added 19 points. Freshman Melanie Cobb, in her second consecutive start, scored a career-high 16 points to go with seven rebounds. Teneal Boone came within a field goal of a double-double, scoring eight points and pulling down a season-high 14 rebounds.

Boone and Cobb have had to carry a greater share of the rebounding load in the absence of starting forward Harvey, who has missed the last two games after suffering an ankle sprain midway through the first half of last Monday's win against Pfeiffer. Harvey is listed as probable for tonight's game.

Queens (8-14, 5-10) is coming off a 102-76 win over Pfeiffer as the Royals won their second game in a row after suffering a nine-game losing streak. Tiffany Adkins led Queens with 27 points and 10 rebounds, while Kellie Joplin added 18 points and 15 rebounds.

In the first meeting between the two teams, a free throw with 22 seconds left broke a 58-58 tie and Queens held on to hand Mount Olive its first CVAC loss 60-58 January 10 at College Hall. Charles led the Trojans with 24 points, while Boone, Harvey and Tanika Hudgins pulled down 12 rebounds apiece. Harvey and Hudgins both finished with double-doubles.

The winner of tonight's game moves a step closer to hosting a first-round game in next month's CVAC Tournament. The two teams enter tonight's contest tied for eighth in the CVAC standings. The sixth-, seventh- and eighth-place teams in the final regular season standings play host to first-round games.

Mount Olive also has an opportunity to clear a long-time hurdle. A win tonight gives the Trojans their 10th win of the season, which would mark their first 10-win season since 1995-96 when Mount Olive posted a 14-13 record.

Trojan tennis faces

rival Barton today

MOUNT OLIVE -- Weather permitting, the Mount Olive men's and women's tennis teams open conference play today with one of their biggest match-ups of the year as the Trojans travel to Wilson to face Barton in Carolinas-Virginia Athletics Conference action. Match time is 3 p.m.

On the men's side, Mount Olive (1-0 overall, 0-0 CVAC) is playing its first match since a 9-0 win at home against Johnson C. Smith February 7.

Saturday's match against Francis Marion was postponed due to rain.

Barton (0-1, 0-0) had two matches rained out over the weekend and hasn't played since a 5-4 loss at Francis Marion February 7.

If the Preseason CVAC Coaches Poll is an indication, the two teams should be evenly matched. Mount Olive was picked fourth in the poll, while Barton was picked third. Both teams received one first-place vote.

On the women's side, Mount Olive (0-0 overall, 0-0 CVAC) is playing both its conference opener and season opener after being rained out against Francis Marion Saturday. Barton (1-0, 0-0) is playing its first match since a 5-4 win at Francis Marion February 7.

Mount Olive was picked sixth in the preseason poll, while Barton was the No. 1 pick.

At press time, there was a 40-60 percent chance of showers throughout the morning and early afternoon. For updated information on the status of today's matches, go to the Mount Olive College website at www.moc.edu.