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:- orter
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PLAY HARD HAVE FUN ENJOY ITHE GAME
F R OM T H E :*
Since I've watched seemingly a thousand basketball
games in the last six weeks, here are a few of my thoughts
on the NBA Playoffs.
1.) The Golden State Warriors are headed for a second
straight NBA crown despite merely playing quality
basketball in spurts. Golden State, which remains loaded
with four of the 20 or so best players in the league,
mostly sleepwalked through the regular season finishing
seven games behind the No. I seed Houston Rockets.
Instead of raising their effort level in postseas0n pla); the
Warriors have continued the same lethargy, only rising
to the occasion once it is necessary. In Games 6 and 7
of the Western Conference Finals against the Rockets,
Golden State fell behind by 15
points or more in each game only
to rally and win going away with
second-half offensive explosions.
Against an overmatched Cleve-
land Cavaliers team featuring
King LeBron James and his many
subjects in the Finals, expect more
of the same from Golden State.
The Warriors will fall behind early
in most Finals games as Cleveland
outscraps them only to overcome
the deficits with the usual three-
point explosions from Steph Curry
and Klay Thompson. Meanwhile,
the second-most talented player
on planet Earth, Kevin Durant, will likely do his usual
disappearing act for long stretches simply because he's on
the most stacked team in the history of basketball. Not a
great time to be a fan of competitive balance.
2.) Over the past six weeks, LeBron James has put on
the most jawdropping one-man performance in the
history of the NBA playoffs. James has taken a Cavs team
that in an almost unprecedented set of personnel moves
virtually reshaped itself entirely at mid-season all the
way to the Finals. By reaching his eighth straight Finals
series, James became the only player outside of the Red
Auerbach 1960s Celtics' dynasty to achieve the feat. Now
James will have to perform his most extraordinary feat
yet to dethrone the heavily factored WarriOrs,IfJai eA: :
is up to gargantuan task, he is without questioh' e ':
greatest basketball player 9f all time, surpassing even my
childhood idol Michael Jordan. But since even James has
no chance of topping these Warriors, the James/Jordan
debate will rage on with no end in sight. Here's my two
cents. There are multiple factors in pla) Jordan leads the
championship count 6 to 3, but James leads the Finals
appearance count 9 to 6. Then in the individual race,
Jordan leads LeBron in most regular season statistical
categories (but the gap is closing quickly) while LeBron
already leads Jordan in most playoffstatistical catego-
ries (but the gap is widening quickly). It's impossible to
compare which player was more dominant thanks to
rule changes like the elimination ofhandchecking, whim
was prominent in Jordan's era, and the allowance of zone
defenses, prevalent in LeBron's era. However, James'
statistical lead over Jordan will likely be so great in every
important category by the time he's finished that it will
be rendered impossible to deny he's the GOAT. At this
point, honestly it's only a matter of time.
~'1111111111111
! !!!
P
Mary Persons High School hosted the Region 2-AAAA All-Star soccer game on Saturday, May 19 and had a number of
players participating. ,(Above) Participating from the MP boys team were; from left, Brock Hulsey, Jacob Anthony, William
Atkins, coach Allen Luton, Alex Rivera and Dawson Daniel. (Below) MP girls coach Dallas Hall, left, coached the girls
team, which included his MP playersl from left, Abbie Davis, Kennedy Finch Taylor Buffing ton, Sidney Bruner, Annie Giles
and Lori Smith. The Mary Persons girls soccer team celebrated a 12-6-1 season and Sweet 16 state playoff appearance
with awards at a year-end banquet at the Georgia Forestry Association on Thursday, May 17. Lauren Hamm was named
Newcomer of the Year. Morgan Lawson won the Iron Dawg award. Annie Giles won Best All Around. Taylor Buffington
was named Player's MVP and Sidney Briner was named Coach's MVP. Scholar Athletes were Lori Smith, Lauren Hamm,
Sidney Briner, Meredith Hamm, Mara Emami, Morgan Lawson, Naomi Sanders, Annie Giles, Abbie Davis, Hope Brooks,
Taylor Buffington, Kennedy Finch and Anmol Patel. All-Region First Team were Taylor Buffington, Lauren Hamm, Annie
Giles, Kennedy Finch, and All-Region Second Team was Abbie Davis. All-Region Honorable Mentions were Sidney Briner
and Morgan lawson.
See I)UI II Page 2B
By Richard I)umm
forsyth@rnymcr.net
The Mary Persons
boys golf team fin-
ished in 16th place at
the one-day AAAA
state tournament at
Achasta Golf Club
in Dahlonega on
Monday, May 21.
The Bulldogs posted
a team score of 352,
which was 64-over par,
which ranked MP 16
shots behind the next
worst score of 336,
recorded by region
counting scores
were recorded
by Cannon
Newberry, who
finished in a tie
for 69th with
an 85, Carson
Newberry, who
finished in a tie
for 92nd with a
92, and Jimbo
Finch, who
finished in a tie
for 95th with a
94. Other MP
participants who
didn't record
.counting scores
rival Perry. Columbus included: Dylan
Steed, who fin-
captured the boys state The MP boys golf team, including ju- ished in 98th
title with a team score
of 278, 10-under par, nior Dylan Steed, placed 16th at state, place with a
which was eight shots in the AAAA state tournament on May 95, and Calen
better than second21. (File photo) Knight, who fin-
place St. Pius X's total ished in a tie for
of 286. Marist finished in third place 99th with a 98.
with a 291. As a team, MP recorded four birdies
Columbus' Ben Carr was the boys with Proctor birdieing the par-5, 475-
individual champion with a 5-under yard fourth hole and the par-3, 190-
par 67, beating three other players, yard 1 lth hole, Carson Newberry also
Buck Brumlow of Cartersville, Daniel birdieing the fourth hole, and Knight
McKenzie of St. Pius X and Jonathan birdieing the par-3, 162-yard third hole.
Parker of Columbus, by a single shot. The AAAA boys toumament was
Sophomore Gus Proctor posted MP's supposed to be a 36-hole affair, but for
top score of nine-over par 81 to flaX- the second year in a row Tuesday's Day
ish in a tie for 54th overall. MP's other 2 play was rained out.
Meanwhile, the MP girls golf team
finished in 19th place at the one:day
AAAA state tournament at Innsbruck
Golf Club in Helen on Monday.
The Lady Dogs posted a team score
of 409, which was 198-over par; which
ranked MP 22 shots behind the next
worst score of 387, recorded by region
rival Perry. MP finished five shots
ahead of another region rival Upson-
Lee, which recorded a team score of
414. Woodward Academy captured the
girls state title with a team score of 232,
16-over par, which was 10 shots bet-"
ter than second place Central Carroll's
total of 242. White County finished in
third place with a 243.
White County's Catie Craigwas
the girls' individual champion with
a 2-over par 74, beating second-
place Ayanna Habeel of Woodward
Academy by a single shot.
Freshman Molly Poland posted MP's
top score of 50-over par 122 to finish in
a tie for 61st overall. MP's other count-
ing scores were recorded by Carrington
Hughes, who finished in 73rd with a
142, and Isabel Stone, Who finished in
74th with a 145. One other MP
ticipant didn't record a counting score.
Gracie Copeland finished in 81st place
with a 163.
The AAAA girls tournament was
supposed to be a 36-hole affair, but for
the second year in a row Tuesday's Day
2 play was rained out.
Monroe County quartet
captures SAF soccer title
Four Monroe County boys helped lead the 2004 pre-
mier team from the Southern Alliance of Football (SAF)
to win first place in their Classic 4 league this spring.
On Sunday, May 20 the boys beat Concord Fire in
Atlanta 2-1 to take the top spot out of 11 teams on the
season. Monroe County team members are from left,
Tripp Shipman, keeper Adam Hamm and Park Davis.
Not pictured is Evan Miller. Other team members are
Tyrese Pettigrew, Sam Hollifield, Padraig Littlefield, Na-
than Corrigan, Lucas Duke, Josiah Simmons, Jerry Bur-
forte, Gunner Heath, Evan Carr, David Reeves, David
Houghtafing and Slaton Berkner. Coach is Tevin West.
