Converse to Play Three Games This Week
Alex Smith
The Converse Valkyries will start the new year by finishing up a long stretch of games on the road, with a contest at Emmanuel on Tuesday. The Valkyries have struggled on the road so far, but several of those games were against Division I opponents in exhibition play. They are 3-4 in conference play on the season and they’ll have a tough test at Emannuel, who sits atop the standings at 7-1.
Converse guard Sigurd Lorange was the third different Valkyrie player to earn conference defensive player of the week honors last week, and they’ll need to be good on that end to slow down a Lions team that averages just under 80 points per game.
Jimmie Sanders III and Lorange continue to lead the team offensively as they are the only two players averaging double figures on the season. Converse will return home to Spartanburg for two games this weekend, hosting Chowan on Friday, and Barton on Saturday.
Blue Hose Start Conference Play Wednesday
Ryan Clary
The Presbyterian College Blue Hose Men’s Basketball team finished non-conference play over .500 at 8-7. PC knocked off Truett McConnell 91-49 at home last week, a game which saw 4 Blue Hose in double figures. PC has been led all season by Sophomore G Rayshon Harrison, who has consistently averaged over 17 points per game this season.
They’ll begin conference play this week on the road at NC A&T Wednesday night. The Aggies are 5-9, but won 2 of their last 3. Tip off is at 7:00.
PC will host USC Upstate this Saturday at 4pm. Upstate is coming off a short Covid break and is 3-9 overall. These 2 teams split the series last year. PC won 75-65 and 3 days later Upstate won 65-51.
Upstate Sees Cancellations; Plan to Return Thursday
Tyler Shugart
The USC Upstate Spartans Men’s Basketball team saw their final non-conference game against Columbia International cancelled due to positive Covid tests within the Spartans program.
Coach Dave Dickerson told me on Monday he hopes that affected players will clear the protocols and will return to practice this week. The Spartans conference opener has been moved from Wednesday to Thursday at 4:00pm against Radford at the Hodge Center.
The women’s basketball team at USC Upstate saw their scheduled conference opener with Presbyterian cancelled due to COVID concerns in the Blue Hose program. However, the Spartans were able to kick off the conference portion of their schedule on Saturday with an impressive win over UNC Asheville.
In the game vs Asheville the Spartans came out on fire and held at 23-7 lead at the end of the first quarter. The Spartans would cruise to an impressive 66-53 win behind Jada Logan’s career high 26 points.
The Spartans next two games have already been postponed due to COVID concerns with their opponents. The Spartans Women’s basketball team is now scheduled to be back on the hardwood next Tuesday January 11th against Big South foe Hampton at 6pm at the Hodge Center.
