SAVANNAH, Ga. – Armstrong Atlantic State University will host the 2006 Chatham Orthopedics Holiday Classic on Friday, December 15 and Saturday, December 16, featuring four games each day - two women’s contests and two men’s contests.FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 12-14-06
AASU Hosts 2005 Chatham Orthopedics Holiday Classic
SAVANNAH, Ga. – Armstrong Atlantic State University will host the 2006 Chatham Orthopedics Holiday Classic on Friday, December 15 and Saturday, December 16, featuring four games each day - two women’s contests and two men’s contests.
The men’s field is unusually strong for a second consecutive season as the host Pirates (5-1) – receiving votes in the latest NABC Division II Top 25 poll – will face undefeated and No. 25-ranked Eckerd (8-0) and region foe Lenoir-Rhyne (4-2), who was a preseason Top 20-ranked squad. Fellow PBC school Francis Marion (3-4) rounds out the field.
Lenoir-Rhyne and Francis Marion will meet on Friday afternoon at 3:00 p.m., while the Pirates will face the Tritons at 8:00 p.m. AASU will be looking for its first win over Eckerd in 10 tries. Saturday, the Tritons will face Francis Marion at 3:00 p.m., while the Pirates will take on the Bears at 8:00 p.m., trying to avenge a 64-53 loss to Lenoir-Rhyne suffered back on December 2.
Individually, AASU senior Bryan Taylor looks to continue his strong play in the early going this season as the two-time All-PBC selection leads the Pirates with his 14.8 points per game and ranks second on the team in rebounding, averaging 6.2 per contest. Eckerd’s offense is led by the hot-shooting Matt Cenatus, a senior guard who is averaging 13.8 points per game and is hitting 56 percent of his shots from the floor. Lenoir-Rhyne is led by junior forward Josh Kindred (14.7 ppg, 7.2 rpg) while Francis Marion’s Rodrick Burton paces the Patriots with a 14.6 scoring average.
The women’s side of the tournament features three Peach Belt Conference schools and one CIAA foe in what could be an important weekend of South Atlantic Region action. Host AASU (4-3) will take on fellow PBC foe Lander (4-2) and Fayetteville State (4-2), while Columbus State (4-3) rounds out the field. The Lady Cougars will open the Classic action against Fayetteville State on Friday at 1:00 p.m., with the Lady Pirates then facing Lander at 6:00 p.m. The matchups switch on Sunday with Columbus State facing Lander at 1:00 p.m. and AASU hosting Fayetteville State at 6:00 p.m.
Reigning PBC Player of the Week Kaneetha Gordon leads the Lady Pirates into the Classic, averaging a double-double a game with 12.6 ppg and 10.7 rpg, while the three-point shooting of sophomore Tana Griffiths (13.0 ppg) has AASU on a record-setting three-point pace this season. Lander is led by Wake Forest transfer Tiara Good, who has been better than good this year so far, averaging 20.3 points, 8.0 rebounds and 6.3 assists per game for the Lady Bearcats. All-PBC post player Cherwonna Walker (13.3 ppg, 7.1 rpg) leads the Lady Cougars this season, while Fayetteville State has gotten its wins via a pressure defense that is forcing 37.5 turnovers by its opponents this year. Chelsea Jeter (10.2 ppg, 7.0 rpg) leads the Lady Broncos individually.
Fans can follow along with all the action this weekend with live statistics of all the games and webcasts of the AASU contests at the official website of the 2006 Chatham Orthopedics Holiday Classic at http://www.athletics.armstrong.edu/basketball/bk2006classic.html.
-Pirates-