The Replay: Duke-UNC, sure. But here’s what else happened this week in Triangle sports
So, there was a basketball game Saturday night?
We’re pretty sure everyone knows about that one, so let’s take a look here at what else happened this past week that you might have missed.
Keatts gains vote of confidence
These can be looked at in different ways, depending on your lens. But the hard fact this past week is this: N.C. State AD Boo Corrigan gave his men’s basketball coach a vote of confidence this week, on the eve of an ACC tournament in which the Wolfpack will be among the bottom seeds.
“With everything that’s gone on since (Keatts has) been here,” Corrigan told the News & Observer’s Jonas Pope IV this week. “With the NCAA and the injuries, it’s not an excuse, but I think the way he’s performed across the board — academically and socially, and what he’s done with the program, increasing graduation rates — that needs to be considered.
“The play will come,” Corrigan added. “I believe in what Kevin is and who Kevin is from a basketball coaching standpoint and I think he’s earned the right to (coach).”
Unless Keatts’ Wolfpack wins the ACC tournament, the team will finish with more than 20 or more losses this season, the first time in program history it’s hit that mark of futility.
Duke women fall
In the earlier stages of the ACC women’s tournament, one of the more surprising developments of the season came to a crashing close when the Duke women bowed out against Miami.
The Blue Devils had been ranked in the AP Top 25 as recently as mid-January, but then hit a skid that they couldn’t control, going 3-6 in February, and 3-9 in their final 12 games.
Duke appeared to be in good shape to return to the NCAA tournament. But the turn of the new year was not kind to the Blue Devils. The month included a blowout road loss to N.C. State and a 16-point home loss to rival North Carolina.
Duke went 0-4 against its Triangle rivals, both of whom will continue their season beyond the ACC tournament.
The latest NCAA tournament bracketology has the Duke women among the “next four out,” and it’s hard to see a scenario that allows them back in the door.
Thrilling playoffs
The NCHSAA basketball playoffs have provided drama throughout their two-week run, and that drama was on full display this week. Top seeds fell, under-ranked teams shone, and thrilling finishes were par for the course.
Cleveland shot out of the gate Tuesday, led by double digits at the half and cruised to an 83-62 win over No. 1 seed Richmond to reach their first-ever NCHSAA 4A East Region final.
Trey Fields led Cleveland with 22 points. Dylan Wiggins added 20, while Baron Williams and Jayse Barrett chipped in with 12 each in the win.
On the girls’ side Apex Friendship star Indya Nivar eclipsed a rare scoring mark, and did so while helping her team reach a regional final. Nivar, the only 2022 McDonald’s All-American playing in North Carolina, surpassed 2,000 points for her career Tuesday, helping Apex Friendship to a 50-33 win over Green Level in the NCHSAA 4A East Region semifinal.
Meanwhile, Millbrook’s reign in boys 4A came to an end at the hands of upset-minder Panther Creek, but the Millbrook girls picked up the mantle and ran with it, reaching the 4A East final with their own win over Panther Creek.
An icy road
The Hurricanes were riding high with a five-game win streak before hitting the road this past week. But a loss in overtime to Detroit, followed by a tough shutout loss to Metro Division rival Washington put a stop to the good feelings.
In the “at least …” department for the Canes, at least they secured a point in Detroit, though losing to former Canes keeper Alex Nedeljkovic had to sting a little bit.
In Washington, the team ran into a motivated buzzsaw, with the Caos coming off a nine-game home skid, and three-game skid overall that dropped them from contending for the division lead into a wild card position.
The Canes got to finish up the week at home, and will be home all of the coming week to try and get back on track.
