Karsceal Turner – I Got NEXT!
Unless you’ve been camped out on the moon for over 40 years, you realize the relationship between Bethune-Cookman University and Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University isn’t very cordial, right?
Sure, sure, the presidents of each institution make nice during the Florida Classic each year (which B-CU won). Any fan worth their salt realizes the Rattlers would seek revenge in every athletic contest leading up to the next Florida Classic. Especially on Senior day.
Saturday afternoon was the first installment of vindication as FAMU avenged their football counterparts with a 80-75 win at the Ocean Center. I applauded B-CU’s lone Senior Malik Jackson along with my Kappa brother Reggie Calbert – head manager. I hoped for a win.
After the Lady Wildcats handily blasted the Lady Rattlers 76-62, FAMU fans were really chomping at the bit for some “get back”. I’ll be damned if they didn’t get some.
Mikel Trapp dropped 26 and Clemmye Owens was good for a career-high 24. Owens was 10-13 from the field but FAMU had a tad more with some really balanced scoring.
My feelings were hurt. You see…I am have a healthy dislike of the Rattlers and the Ocean Center happens to be B-CU’s home away from home. They didn’t protect home, now they have to play spoiler but we’ll get to that.
During pre-game warm ups you should have seen me doing my “Hawk” Turner mean mug impression while flexing my out-of-date B-CU hoops gear and my ragetty Black hat tilted the left like we reporters do it, with my 9mm digital camera around my neck and ready for battle. You ask who the hell is “Hawk” Turner? He used to break backboards at Northeast High School in Oklahoma City and happens to be my older sibling. Anyway, back to B-CU hoops action.
FAMU was led with solid contributions from four players in double figures. Jamie Adams had 26 and Reggie Lewis was good for a solid 20 followed by Jomari Bradshaw with 15, and Trey Kellum with 11.
I tell you, there was just enough for FAMU fans to cheer and B-CU fans to shake their heads at.
It didn’t help that there was some afro having beige dude sitting directly behind me yelling obscenities and curses at any call against FAMU. Clearly, he was an island brother but really…dude what the Blood Clot? Please forgive that curse. My patois is a little rusty and shaky but that’s how the dude sounded to me.
The Wildcats (6-23, 4-10 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) pulled out a 71-70 lead late, but consecutive three-pointers from Lewis and Adams put the Rattlers (11-16,7-7) ahead 76-71.
Trapp connected on two free throws with 28 seconds to make it 76-73, but despite a vigorous rally the Wildcats could come no closer. The rattlers shot 42.7 on the night compared to the Wildcats 43.3, equally mediocre but the snakes slithered away with this one.
Next up For the Wildcats is Morgan State, next Saturday. And then, it’ll be a rematch on March 6 on the hill in Tallahassee and it’s going to be ugly. I just might have to travel to Tallahassee and exhibit some obscenities and curses. I Got Next! is the name of the column.
