The Grimsley girls layed out Smith last night and it might be time to start making claims that this edition of the Grimsley girls basketball team, or at least their starting five is the best ever in the history of Guilford County girls basketball.
This is a bold assertion and I admit that there have been some good girls teams over the years, but has there ever been a better starting five? I doubt we would get many arguements from the young ladies that represent the Smith Golden Eagles since Grimsley ran out to 41-18 halftime lead and then went on to go up 53-21 after three quarters before settling for a 58-35 victory at Smith. You might say, “well that’s just one big game”. The Whirlie girls are (19-0) and they have only lost one game in the past two years and that was in last year’s state championship game.
With the current starting five Grimsley is something in the neighborhood of 45-1 over the past two seasons. Trumae Lucas, Jasmine Alston, Kristin Fields, Nicole Hargraves, Amber Cook. Those are your names and Cook probaby gets the least amount of publicity but she may be the most important player since she is the point guard and she runs the show out front. Alston can nail the three-pointers like there is no tomorrow, Fields is an excellent inside player(a left and right low-block scorer), Hargraves is tall and has the presence in the middle but Nicole may become even a better player when she gets to UNC-Charlotte next year. Trumae Lucas could become the state player-of-the-year if the Whirlies go on to win the State Championship this season. Trumae has a tatoo, I believe it is on her left bicep, but I guess that’s her business and not mine.
There you have it, the best starting five in the history of girls basketball in Guilford County. Any arguements? Bring them on.
I watched the first half last night with Grimsley-Smith and then made my way over to UNCG for EG-Atkins. This will probably be my last trip over there this season, because you have to fight like a dog to find a parking place when all of the Spartan students are back in school. The Eastern Guilford Wildcat girls had no problem with the Atkins Camels and after a sloppy first half the Cats were able to get over the hump and ride the Camels all the way to a 79-52 victory. The EG girls are young but they are now (15-3/6-0 conference). The young freshman point guard Miranda Jenkins lead the way for EG with 15 points and double-digit assists plus she had nine rebounds.
Lashonda Anderson had another strong game inside for the Cats with 21 points and 15 boards but she missed a few easy buckets that will come her way in time, as she gets more and more comfortable taking the entry pass on the lob over the top from Jenkins. Angela Mack had 13 for EG with most of her damage being done in the first half. Amiriah Jamison contributed 12 points to the Cat cause but she was injured and had to leave the game. Later in the evening Jamison was seen leaving the Fleming Gym walking under her own power with her parents. EG should get even tougher during the stretch run when they get Capricia Smalls and Kristin Crosby back from their injuries and the Cats might be looking to give the Graham Red Devils(17-0) a run down the road.
What you have to watch out for here is Jenkins wears a brace around what I believe is her right knee and the college scouts will be asking about that(I know I would if I was working for the recruiters) and you have to make sure that some of the other schools in the County don’t come in and try to grab Jenkins or some of the other up and coming Cats and take them away from the fold down in Gibsonville. EG has some promising talent and they are young.
The EG boys stopped Atkins 64-61 and the shortest kid on the court Tony Rogers lead the way with 14. The Grimsley boys were winners again 55-43 over Smith to go (15-3/5-0 Metro). Grimsley grad and GREENSBOROSports.com reader jamos24 predicted the Whirlies would win 55-48, not too shabby on the forecast. The Page girls picked up a huge win over NWG in OT 64-62 to take over that coveted second place spot behind Grimsley in the Metro. Jasmine Gill had another big night with 23 for the Pirates. The Page boys rattled NWG by 20, 82-62, and the Pirates were bolstered by the return of Jordan Weethe, who had been AWOL lately, but last night he exploded for 19 points.
One of our readers, Mark, said watch out for the Ragsdale boys and last night they maintained, winning over ER, 70-58. Ladarious Canty, Jay Canty, and Wally Jones were again the top Tigers. Mark reminds us that coming up on Friday night it’s, Ragsdale vs. Trinity. Trinity at (19-1), with the only loss coming to RAGSDALE, beat SEG by thirty last night, 79-49. The Ragsdale girls also won over ER, but the SEG girls topped Trinity to keep pace with the Lady Tigers. Ragsdale girls (15-3/6-1), SEG(16-4/6-1. Are the SWG girls for real? The Cowgirls have hit the conference schedule running hard and now have gone (5-0 conference/9-9 overall) after topping a good Glenn team 62-33.
The Northern Guilford boys(13-6) are calling for a Triad 3-A final with the Dudley Panthers now that the Nighthawks own second place all alone after leaving NEG behind on the new NG gym floor, NG 68-45 over NEG. The Dudley boys are still #1 Triad 3-A with their 82-42 win over Bartlett Yancey taking DHS to (15-2) on the year. The conference tournament will be played at NEG and it looks like Dudley will continue on as #1, NG #2, NEG #3… The NG girls couldn’t find the brooms to create the sweep in the new gym as they fell to NEG 49-34.
The Dudley girls flew past BY 68-31 and our other girls winner last night was HP Wesleyan. The rest of our teams came up short as GDS, Southern, WG, and HPA all lost.
The Greensboro Day School boys were paced by senior Bruce Woodall and his 26 points which included five 3-pointers, and the Bengals beat Burlington Williams 64-56 to go (23-2). Other boys winners were HP Andrews while WG, SWG, SEG, and HPW all were denied a win last night.
45-1 does sound quite impressive. I’m surprised this team doesn’t have a higher National ranking ( #41 on Maxpreps) last time I checked. The Ladies out of Wakefield are in the top 5. Despite the rankings this team should do very well in the playoffs and make another State Championship appearance. The guys team continues to win ( five wins in a row?) and in my opinion deserves to be in the NC top ten poll or atleast have an honorable mention. GO WHIRLIES!
Andy- I believe you forgot Grimsley’s other loss to Page in last year’s Little Four (2006). That would give them two losses in the past two seasons. Coach Luke McKeel (Page) had some very talented teams in the late 80’s and early 90’s. Coach John Primm at Northeast had several years of tremendous talent and I remember several Eastern Guilford teams that were very successful. However, I agree…the best starting 5 players I can remember are at Grimsley this year.
Rusty, you are exactly right. The Whirlies have had so many wins and so few losses that I overlooked the loss that came right after Christmas in the Little Four semifinals. The record for Grimsley should stand at something like 45-2 and does anyone remeber what their record was in 2005/2006? I know that Grimsley had a pretty good run that year in girls hoops too but I believe it was High Point Central that knocked them out of the playoffs in the early rounds that season in a game at Grimlsey.
I remember the days of John Primm and girls hoops at NEG. John had the Ward sisters back then and it was Beth and Amy Ward I believe, and they made a run at the 3-A title. L uke McKeel was tough and had great teams at Page but the Page girls team that I will remember the most was that 1997 team that lost to North Forsyth at Hickory for the right to go to the state championship. Luke wasn’t coaching that Pirate club but the young lady that came to Page from Wake Forest, she was running the show.
Smith had some steady teams under Lou Roshelli. Roshelli was in charge before Hank Bullard took over and Smith did well with Hank as the head coach.
There may have been better teams, but it still looks like Grimlsey may have the best ever starting five.
Andy put the crack pipe away—just a few years ago HP Central girls won back to back State Championships and went undeafted one year—until the Whirlie girls bring home the State hardware they cannot be considered the best ever.
The crack pipe is in the cellar. What we are talking about here is the best-ever starting five. Under this premise Grimsley could lose the state championship this year and still have what we know is the best-ever girls starting five.
HPC had some good teams but they never had a starting five that could match the talent that Grimsley is putting on the floor when the official tossing the ball into the air to start the game.
Grimsley will have to come together even more so as a team if they hope to win their first-ever girls state championship in basketball.
Well said Mr. Andy.
You can never be considered the best until you win it all—until the Whirlies win it all no one will remember who their starting five was—This subject should never have been discussed—I do not think the Whirlie girls can handle the big game atmosphere—IF they win it all then talk about it.
The greatest starting five in college basketball sports history, “The Fab Five” from Michigan, never won it all and they will always be remembered. More people remember Chris Webbe, Juwan Howard, Jalen Rose, Jimmy King, and Ray Jackson than the people that beat them.( UNC, etc.)
The was a lot of talent among the Fab Five that played for Steve Fischer and the Wolverines and the same can be said for the Whirlie girls. Four DI signees among their top five and maybe another on the way.