Newspaper Page Text
6A
_JANUARY 8, 1998
Timeout With Tony C
Who is the best point guard in Augusta?
BJosey’s Sherika
Wright and ARC’s
April Steele are top
schoolgirl prospects.
On Saturday, January
10, they square off
once and for all to
settle the great debate.
Who’s the best?
Trying to analyze and compare
the talents of ARC’s April Steele
and T.W. Josey’s Sherika Wright
is as difficult as choosing between
apples and oranges (both are filled
with vital nutrients and vitamins,
but choosing between the two is
usually based solely on personal
taste and preferences). The ex
ploits of both young ladies on the
prep hardwood is well-known
throughout the Garden City. Both
Steele and Wright are listed on the
recruiting “Wish List” of a num
ber of top college basketball pro
grams throughout the southeast.
April Steele
Steele helped lead the Lady
Musketeers to a (27-2) record last
season and the Georgia Class AAA
State Championship. The crafty
5’6" Steele is a tremendous dis
tributor and ballhandler who truly
understands the “team concept”
that has been in place at the Acad
emy of Richmond County for the
past 18 seasons. Steele directs the
ARC offense with a sense of pur
pose, much like a world renown
conductor would direct a sym
phony orchestra. Steele is just as
satisfied in tossing the “no-look”
pass toan open teammate (usually
resulting in a easy hoop), as she is
in scoring off one of her clutch 15-
foot jump shots. Head coach Pat
Rivers may sit on the bench, but
her thoughts are echoed clearly on
the hardwood through Steele. She
istheultimate “coach on thefloor.”
Once again this season, Steele has
repeatedly displayed great pa
tience on the fast break. Defen
sively she is one of the best in the
Peach State when pressuring op
posing guards and forcing
tumovers that often result in easy
transition baskets for the defend
ing state champs. Look for Steele
toimprove on her 12 ppgand 9 apg
average from a year ago during the
‘97-'9B season.
Sherika Wright
T.W. Josey’s 'Wright, on the
other hand, simply has a style all
A. R. Johnson teacher wins master’s degree scholarship
AUGUSTA
Ellen Underwood, a teacher at
A.R. Johnson High School, was
awarded a master’s degree schol
arship in educational technology
leadership on Tuesday, Jan. 6,
during a special ceremony at the
school. Educators in middle and
high schools served by Jones
Intercable were eligible for the
scholarship. Students in these
schools were asked to nominate
their teachers for the scholarship
and explain in an essay how their
teachers use cable television, com
puters, the Internet and other edu
cational technologies in the class
room.
Rick Heaton, one of
Underwood’s students, nominated
her for the scholarship by writing
an essay explaining how
Underwood uses technology in the
classroom. For writing the essay,
Heaton was awarded a new, multi
media PC. Excerpted from the
essay, Heaton wrote: “Mrs.
Underwood comes in early each
morning to help prepare the
school’s daily Roar in the AM live
TV school broadcast. The show
incorporates computer graphics
(that are) designed by the students
in graphics application packages,
music, sound effects, birthday
grams, talent challenges, and is
totally student-produced and di
rected. She would benefit from
training and would utilize it to
help others benefit from what she
learns.”
Valued at more than SIO,OOO,
AUGUSTA FOCUS
Wright or Steele
i;‘ P %”
w. LR .
Sherika Wright: Fans cheer wildly for her.
her own on the hardwood. Wright
plays with a “no-fear” type atti
tude with a flair similar to a great
modern artist. Her canvasis truly
the basketball court. Her tem
perament on the floor changes with
every Eagle possession. One trip
down the floor she may decide to
go coast to coast utilizing her de
veloping cross-over dribble pen
etration move. The next, Sherika
may recognize an opponent play
ing off of her anticipating another
drive to the hoop. As soon as that
happens, Wright has the court
savvy to pull up for the jumper or
spot her ever present backcourt
mate (Kellie Holland) lurking
along the baseline always search
ing for the easy hoop. Wright's
adoring patrons are the faithful
Lady Eagle fans who cheer wildly
each time she dazzles the crowd
with a “behind-the-back” pass or
an electrifying “one-on-one” move
to the rim. The 5’6" slasher is
simply explosive off the dribble.
She hasthe vision of a “true” eagle,
the quickness of a cheetah and the
fleetness of a gazelle. Her defen
sive skills are fueled by her innate
sense of anticipation. Quite wisely,
Josey head coach Lynn Brantley
has not put the brakes on Wright’s
free-wheeling style of play. The
27-year coaching veteran has al
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Ellen Underwood (teacher) and Rick Heaton (student).
the full-tuition scholarship will be
used toward the 13-course, 36-
credit master of arts degreein edu
cational technology leadership
from The George Washington
University (GWU). The program
covers the design and implemen
tation of educational software, the
application of educational media
and technology, and a variety of
other dynamic educational com
ponents. Earning the degree from
home, Underwood will enroll
through the JEC College Connec
Sports
lowed Wright to create when oth
ersmight have foolishly demanded
she conform to a more regimented
offensive set. Wright is a very
emotional player despite the stoic
emotionless prose she often dis
plays when the Lady Eagles are in
action. Wright plays with heart
and contrary to comments made
at the end of last season, the loss to
ARC last March in the Class AAA
title tilt weighs heavily on her
mind. Wright is a true competitor
that desperately wants another
shot at a state championship ring.
Sherika has already proven that
she can score against the best de
fenders in the state (21 ppg aver
age last season). Her next hurdle
is find an avenue to use her talents
to make “every player” on the
Josey squad better. That’sa lot to
expect from an “ordinary” high
school student-athlete, but not
from an extraordinary player such
as Sherika Wright.
Summary
The above analysis of both play
ers talents and attributes is offered
inahumble attempt to assist CSRA
basketball fans in finding a conclu
sion to the never ending debate
concerning which player (ARC’s
Steele orJosey’s Wright) isthe best.
Both are dynamic leaders who can
score, dribble, defend and penetrate.
tion, the distance learning divi
sion of Jones Education Company
(JEC), and will interact with her
professors and fellow students via
the Internet, World Wide Web, and
otherdistance learning platforms.
In addition to the master’s de
gree scholarship, Underwood was
also awarded a scholarship to at
tend an on-site technology train
ing seminar provided through
Cable in the Classroom. The site,
which is tentatively scheduled to
open during the summer of 1998,
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April Steele: Runs top-notch offense.
Both are destined to become impact
players on the college level. Both
players have a tremendous com
petitive spirit and a true love for the
game of basketball. To top it all off,
the two players are great friends
away from the hardwood. So
whether or not you're one of the
thousand or so ARC or T.W. Josey
fans who will be in attendance this
Saturday when the state’s two top
Class AAA teams meet at the Josey
Gymat 5 p.m. sharp (andstill choose
to engage in “The Great Debate”),
remember that the two players in
question aretakingall the hypeand
hysteria in stride. In doing so, both
Steele and Wright are showing ev
eryone that they know how to keep
this “sport” in proper prospective.
After all, Sherika and April realize
better than most that you really
can’t compare apples and oranges
... 50 why try? All the rabid fans (on
both sides) should sit back and en-
Jjoy the talents of both athletes dur
ing exciting basketball action this
weekend.
Let the race for the 1998 Georgia
Class AAA Girls Basketball Cham
pionship begin!!!
Tony Cornish Jr. is a freelance
sports columnist and host of
Sports Talk Live with Tony Claired
weeknights at 10 p.m., exclusively
on WBEK-TV.
educators who wish to implement
technologies in their classrooms,”
said Knowledge TV Affiliate Rela
tions manager Lynda Mobley. “We
hope offering this scholarship will
provide educational technology
training Ellen can incorporate in
her classroom.”
Jones Intercable serves more
than 87,000 subscribersin the com
munity of Augusta. It is among
the 10 largest cable operators in
the United States, serving nearly
1.5 million customers in 17 states.
will be based in the
Washington, D.C.
area.
“Through this
Teachers and Tech
nology Scholarship
program, cable com
panies like Jones
Intercable continue
their commitmentto
future educational
leaders by offering
technological train
ing to educators in
our communities,”
said Jones Intercable
general manager
Ben Blackmon. “We
are delighted to
award Ellen this
scholarshipand hope
her peers and stu
dents will benefit for
years to come.”
“Teacher training
is the most challeng
ing obstacle faced by
Augusta’s sth Annual Bench
Press and Deadlift Championship
The World National Powerlifting
Gil et s S A
present n
Augusta “Drug-Free” Bench Press
and Deadlift Championships on
Saturday, Jan. 17, at the
Hephzibah Community Center,
beginning 8 a.m. Weigh ins will be
held 8 - 9:30 a.m., rules meetingat
9:45 a.m. and the contest will start
at 11 a.m. sharp. Early weigh ins
will be held on Friday, Jan. 16,
froms- 7 p.m.
New weight classes for WNPF
has been in effect as of January 1,
1998. Women: 110, 120, 130, 152,
174 and Super. Men: 125, 140,
165, 170, 185, 205, 225, 250, 280
1998 East Coast Silver Boxing
Championship to be held in Augusta
The Boys Club of Augusta and
the Augusta-Richmond County
Recreation Department and the
Augusta Boxing Club will present
the 1998 East Coast Silver Gloves
Boxing Championship onJanuary
9 and 10, 7 p.m. each night. The
event will be held at the Boys Club
of Augusta, 1903 Division Street.
Tickets will be $3 per adult and
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Tire Mileage Ratings From 40,000 - 80,000 Miles
VLRI WHITE LETTERS BLACK WALLS
44,000 MILES BC
P155/80R13....23.99
P165/80R13....26.89
P175/80R13....28.39
PlB5/80R13....29.99
PlB5/75R14....29.99
P195/75R14....30.99
P205/75R14....32.99
P205/75R15....33.99
P215/75R14....36.95
P215/75R15....35.99
P225/75R15...37.99
P235/75R15....38.99
60,000 MILES AC
P155/80R13....25.95
P165/80R13....31.95
P175/80R13....33.50
PlB5/80R13....34.65
PlB5/75R14....35.95
P195/75R14....36.95
P205/75R14....37.95
P205/75R15....39.95
P215/75R14....42.95
P215/75R15....41.95
P225/75R15....42.95
P235/75R15....44.95
60*AB-60,000 MSLES BS
185/70R14......38.26
195/70R14......40.67
205/70R14.....42.27
205/70R15......43.75
215/65R15......51.95
215/70R14......44.95
215/70R15.....45.95
225/70R15......48.95
WIDEWALLS 70,000* MBLES
205/75R14......51.95
205/75R15......52.95
215/75R15......53.95
225/75R15......59.95
235/75R15....59.95¢
Irm ROTATION $:395 UP |
} *k% k% Home of the § Star Service »&& & &
TIRE TOWN
1854 GORDON HW/ - 738-3375
| (1 M 1 WEST OF REGENCY MALL) OPEN Mou-Frl 8.30-5:30 & Sai 9-1
and Super.
Random drug testing will be in
effect. Awards will be given for
first through fifth in every divi
sion/weight class, no formulas.
Three events only: bench press
only, deadlift only and iron man
(bench press and deadlift com
bined).
Divisions will be: teens 14 - 16,
teens 17 - 19, novice, open, police/
fire/military, sub-masters (33-39),
and masters (over 40 yearsin four
year increments).
For more information about en
try fees, clothing restrictions, etc.,
please contact Tee Myers at (706)
790-3806.
$1 per child. Tickets willbe onsale
at: The Partridge Inn of Augusta,
The Augusta Boxing Club, and The
Richmond County Recreation De
partment Administration Officeat
2027 Lumpkin Road.
For more information, contact
the Augusta Boxing Club at 733-
7533.
80,000 MILES AB
175/70/R13....39.95
185/70/R13....41.10
195/70/R'3....42.98
195/70/R14....45.23
205/60/R'3....46.43
205/70/114....47.48
215/70/R14....50.99
215/65/R15....54.38
215/70/R14....49.99
215/70/R15....51.19
225/60/R14....53.65
225/70/R14....52.24
225/70/R15....53.91
235/60/R14....56.53
235/60/R15....57.83
235/70/RR15....55.22
245/60/14....58.99
245/60/R15....60.92
255/60/R15....62.75
2RAI7N/R15....60.73
e PSSI e L SR T
2 Pro-life gathering to be ¢33
held in Atlanta e
2 Together for Life, Georgia’s an- "52' 39
¢ ticipated largest pro-life gather- 9'36
: ing,willbelfxeldonThursday,Jan."4 5
¢ 22, at 11:30 am. at the capito] --44.86
: steps in downtown Atlanta. Con- ..65.99
cerned citizens will hold a respect- ..51.99
- ful memorial service for the esti- ..59.60
~ mated 35 million unborn babies ...65.76.
killed in the lnst 25 years of legal- ..99.99.
izedabortiop. Sponso;-led byGeor- _ 9999
gia Right to Life, the keynote'm 44
speaker will be Ralph Reed, imme- ._23_25.
diate past executive director of " 99.44
Christian Coalition. For more in- """ 83.95
formation, call Georgia Right to """9'95.
Life at (770) 300-0080. e 11T
KRR RK X
GUARANTEE
(R I
186R12...........27.95
45-50,000 MILES
145/R13..........27.95
185/R13..........23.95
165/R13..........28.51
165/R15..........34.95
175/70R13......30.95
185/70R13......31.95
185/70R14......34.95
195/70R14......36.95
205/70R14......38.95
UP TO 80,000 MILES AB
175/50R13......65.95
175/65R15......46.43
185/60R13......44.95
185/60R14......44.87
185/65R14......48.99
185/65R15......50.95
195/50R15......59.99
195/60R14......46.17
195/60R15......47.99
195/65R14......47.95
.Iv'loal VIS u 73.9-51
I 295/50R15......79.95
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