Catawba’s Caleb Robinson

From staff reports

GREENEVILLE, Tenn.  — The big news was that Catawba’s men’s basketball team was able to return to the court on Saturday at Tusculum.

Catawba lost 85-73, but the first game for the Indians in 21 days was mostly positive.

Catawba had been a surging team when COVID protocols shut things down in December.

Catawba (5-7, 4-6) shot extremely well from long range early and led 26-16 in the South Alantic Conference game.

Tusculum turned things around with an 11-0 run shortly before halftime. Tusculum led 40-37 at the break.

After Catawba moved back in front in the third quarter, the home team answered with a decisive 8-0 run to take control.

Caleb Robinson had 23 points and eight rebounds to lead the Indians.  while  Michael Hueitt scored 15 and had six rebounds. Trevion Lamar added 11, while Bernard Pelote scored 10.

Trenton Gibson scored 20 and Inady Legiste had 19 for Tusculum (9-4, 9-2).

Catawba plans to make up a game at Anderson on Monday and is scheduled to be at home Wednesday against Carson-Newman.

Catawba    37   36  — 73

Tusculum  40   45  —  85

CATAWBA — Robinson 23, Hueitt 15, Lamar 11, Pelote 10, Washington 7, Gerald 4, Bowen 3.

TUSCULUM — Gibson 20, Legiste 19, B. Mitchell 18, J. Mitchell 13, Vedder 8, Crump 3, West 2, Crowder 2.

LC women win

SALISBURY — Livingstone’s women’s basketball team was strong in overtime Saturday, and that was enough to take a 65-56 CIAA win against Virginia State at New Trent Gym.

Both teams sputtered down the stretch. Both squads scored seven points in the fourth quarter.

Livingstone shot 34 percent for the game, but won the rebounding battle and forced 25 turnovers.

Alexis Lake had 13 points, 16 rebounds and three blocks to spark LC (3-7, 2-0).

Daijah Turner scored 16 for the Blue Bears, while Andresia Alexander scored 14 and made key shots in the overtime period to put the Blue Bears ahead.

Kaaliya Williams led Virginia State (7-7, 3-1) with 16.

Va. State       11 13  19   7  6   —   56

Livingstone 18 12  13   7  15 —  65

VA STATE — Williams 16, Blakemore 12, Leaks 12, Sweeney 12, Samuel 4.

LIVINGSTONE — Turner 16, Alexander 14, Lake 13, Onozie 7, Boyce 6, Papakonstantinou 6, Carter 2, Ferrell 1.

College volleyball

HICKORY — Vice President for Athletics Kim Pate announced the hiring of Nicole Barringer as the new head coach of Lenoir-Rhyne volleyball.

Barringer becomes the 11th coach in L-R Volleyball history  after a  successful four-year stint at William Peace in Raleigh.

Barringer was 81-29 at William Peace.

Barringer was a standout athlete at South Rowan in softball, basketball and volleyball and made all-county teams in all three sports.

Barringer was a volleyball standout at Averett University. She earned a masters in business administration in 2017 while serving as a graduate assistant coach. Barringer was the USA South Conference Woman of the Year in 2015 and earned the Don Scalf Award which is given to the top female in the league.

Barringer was an AVCA All-American in 2014 and a four-time all-conference setter.

Barringer is second in Averett history in  assists with 4,654. She was elected to the Averett Athletics Hall of Fame in 2020.

Barringer was an assistant coach at Catawba before hired by William Peace.

HS football

Salisbury linebacker Jalon Walker was named to the High School OT All-State first team.

Walker is now at the University of Georgia, where he’ll be starting classes this semester.

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West Rowan offensive lineman Josh Noble and A.L. Brown linebacker Torren Wright were named to High School OT’s  All-State second team.

North Rowan receiver Amari McArthur, Salibury quarterback Mike Geter, Salisbury kicker Wade Robins  and A.L. Brown punter Ty Woods were Honorable Mention.

Pro basketball

Former Catawba College basketball standout Larry McLeod has signed a professional contract to play in Argentina.

McLeod becomes the fifth former Catawba men’s basketball player to sign a pro contract in the last three seasons. He follows Malik Constantine (Iceland), Daquan Lilly (Germany), Marcell Haskett (Germany), and Devin Cooper (Sweden).

College baseball

The American Baseball Coaches Association named former Catawba assistant Michael Lowman as the Assistant Coach of the Year for Division II baseball.

Lowman starred at East Rowan and was a standout at High Point University. He was an assistant coach at Catawba from 2005-07 and from 2009-21.

First Pitch

The First Pitch Field of Dreams fundraising event to benefit Catawba Baseball will be held on Saturday, Jan. 22.

A social will begin at 5 p.m. behind the baseball outfield wall at the Tailgate America Picnic Area.

At 6:30 p.m., there will be a sneak peek of the renovations of Newman Park, followed by speakers, including keynote speaker David Bennett, and a presentation in the park.

All proceeds support the 2022 spring season for Catawba baseball.

HS track

In the HOT New Year Meet at the JDL Fast Track in Winston-Salem, Davie’s Monica Long (32 feet) won the girls shot put.

Davie’s Andrew Brown placed second in the  3200 (10:21). Davie’s Bryson Robinson won the high jump (6 feet). Davie’s Spencer Williams won the shot (55 feet, 8 inches).

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A.L. Brown’s Daunte Marshall ran a PR 6.84 in the 55 meter high hurdles on Saturday in the Just Don’t Lose High School Classic held at the Fast Track.

Pfeiffer Hall of Fame

Five  former student-athletes will be inducted into the Pfeiffer Sports Hall of Fame during a banquet held at the Stokes Student Center on Jan. 28.

Inductees will include  Brittnay Beltran-Cross (golf),    Brittany Cox-Hudson (women’s basketball),  Julian Domenech (coach and administrator), Rachell McDonald- Pruett (soccer) and Bob Schuck (soccer and baseball, high school administrator).

Tickets to the 2022 Pfeiffer Sports Hall of Fame Banquet can be purchased for $20 online by visiting https://community.pfeiffer.edu/HOF2021 or  calling the Advancement Office at 704-463-3034.

Alumni may attend the banquet at no charge but will need to register online or via phone.

HS basketball

Rockwell Christian’s boys basketball team won 49-45 against Union Grove Christian on Friday.

Senior Noah Aistrop is averaging 17.1 points per game for the Chargers (12-9). Senior Landon Hall averages 16.9. Sophomore Chasen Hall averages 12.7.

Salisbury Academy

The Salisbury Academy jayvee boys basketball team used smothering defense to take a 29-0 halftime lead and defeated Faith Charter Academy 45-7.

Ryan McCoy led the Jaguars with 16 points. Henry Walser scored eight, and Luke Fowler had six.

The Jaguars will take on conference rival  Tabernacle Christian School on Monday.

Parks & Rec leagues

The Salisbury Parks and Recreation Department is accepting registrations for girls basketball (ages 7-15) and coed youth basketball (ages 5-6).

Cost is $30 per participant.   Register through Jan. 15 at Hall Gym or online at www.salisburync.gov/play.   Practices begin the end of January and games start in February.  Call 704-638-5289 for information.