Karsceal Turner – I Got Next! – Special to West Orlando News Online
The atmosphere in Moore Gymnasium wasn’t as electric as I remembered from past games. Maybe I need to take my seat behind the bench and lend my energy. Anyway, Bethune-Cookman certainly did not match NCCU’s intensity and it was evident as the Eagles pulled away to a 75-66 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference victory Monday night.
My vantage-point for photos switched from behind B-CU’s home bench to adjacent to NCCU’s bench. Although I was privy to trash-talk on the bench tween NCCU staff and B-CU fans (even cheerleaders), I had to keep my mouth shut as an objective photographer, who once ran suicides on that very court.
The Eagles (10-7 overall, 3-0 MEAC) were anchored by Ray Willis’s 26 points and Stanton Kidd’s 23. Mainland High School’s Buccaneer Pep Band was in the house blaring familiar B-CU favorites…bless their heart. It didn’t help B-CU’s cause as I saw back to back dunks by the eagles on more than one occasion. Talk about taking a crowd out of the game?
In the first half, B-CU fell behind 14-4, but rallied to take a 27-26 lead on a Kevin Dukes three-pointer with 3:04 remaining. Three Ricky Johnson free throws helped the Wildcats take a 32-28 halftime lead but in the second half, the Eagles shot 61 percent from the field in the second half as they pulled away from a 40-40 tie.
Adrien Coleman led the Wildcats with 18 points, while Javoris Bryant added 10 points and seven rebounds. Alex Smith had nine points, six rebounds and four blocks while Ricky Johnson had seven points, six rebounds and five assists.
B-CU travels to South Carolina State Saturday for 4:00 pm action and an attempt to pull a 2-2 conference record together.
