Ex-Riverside star makes NCAA mark

Hodge wins volleyball title and award

Durham Riverside graduate Megan Hodge was voted the most outstanding player in the NCAA volleyball championships this past weekend in Omaha, Neb.

The 6-foot-3 junior led the Nittany Lions to a 25-20, 26-24, 25-23 title-match victory over Stanford. She had 16 kills and 14 digs in the championship, as Penn State repeated as national champion.

The Lions finished 38-0 and had a 114-2 individual game record. Penn State has won an NCAA-record 64 straight matches.

Hodge was the national Gatorade high school player of the year as a senior at Riverside in 2006.

Starry field

This year's 37th annual GlaxoSmithKline Holiday Invitational basketball tournament has another star-filled field. Three of the top 20 seniors in the country, as ranked by Scout.com, are in the boys field.

SENIORS

NO. 2, JOHN WALL: Raleigh Word of God, 6-4, senior point guard, unsigned.

NO. 11, RYAN KELLY: Ravenscroft, 6-10 1/2, senior forward, signed by Duke.

NO. 19, MASON PLUMLEE: Arden Christ School, 6-10 senior forward, signed by Duke.

NO. 33, LORENZO BROWN: Alpharetta (Ga.) Centennial, 6-4 senior guard, signed by N.C. State.

NO. 46, NOLAN DENNIS: Richland (Texas) Richland Hill, 6-5 guard, signed by Memphis.

NO. 95, LAKEEM JACKSON: Arden Christ School, 6-5, senior forward, signed by South Carolina.

JUNIORS

NO. 8, REGGIE BULLOCK: Kinston, 6-6 junior guard, committed to North Carolina.

NO. 16, C.J. LESLIE: Word of God, 6-8 junior forward, committed to N.C. State.

NO. 73, MELVIN TABB: Enloe, 6-8 junior forward, uncommitted.

The field also includes Earnest Ross of Panther Creek (signed by Auburn) and Garrius Adams of Middle Creek (signed by Miami).

More basketball

SOUTHERN DURHAM CHALLENGE: Southern Durham is the host school for a series of boys tripleheaders on Saturday, Monday and Tuesday.

Southern, Durham Jordan and Northern Durham will rotate games against Orange, West Charlotte and South Granville.

GREEN HOPE DOUBLEHEADERS: Green Hope is the site of the Cap Seven-Tri-Eight Challenge boys event Monday and Tuesday.

On Monday, Athens Drive plays Broughton, and Green Hope plays Wake Forest-Rolesville.

Athens and Green Hope swap opponents on Tuesday.

ATHENS DRIVE GIRLS: Athens Drive is holding a four-team girls tournament Monday and Tuesday.

Athens is scheduled to play Wake Forest-Rolesville, and Wilmington Hoggard is scheduled to play Southeast Raleigh on Monday.

HIGH SCHOOLS