The Lady Demons, with the help of certain newcomers, are hoping to start the conference season off on the right foot Thursday night against Texas State.
NSU is 7-6 on the season and has won three-straight (four if you count last Saturday's exhibition win).
The continued improvement has a lot to do with the play of newcomers Renotta Edwards, Brooke Shepherd, Brittiany Houston, and Jessica McPhail along with returners Tena Matthews, Ashli Barnum, Courtney Shead and Lyndzee Greene.
The future looks even brighter with how NSU's three signees have been play at their respective schools so far this season.
Demetria White, the two-time defending Class C MVP from Calvin High School, has her team at 32-0 so far this season.
KeKe Goodson out of DeSoto (TX) High School, is averaging double-digits in scoring while her team sits at 26-0 and ranks third in the country according to espn.com.
Finally, Sherrion Thomas of Pearl River Community College, has helped her team run up a 9-3 record.
All three players will add to what is proven to be the return of excellance of the Lady Demon basketball program.
- Matthew Bonnette, Assistant SID
Wednesday, January 09, 2008
Heading to the Big Dance?
According to ESPN.com's "bracketologist" Joe Lunardi, the Demons are heading back to the NCAA Tournament. Before you get too excited, realize Lunardi typically looks hard at the league standings when he fills out his weekly 65-team NCAA bracket projection, which was posted Monday.
The Demons were the only SLC team with a league win. Granted, it was an impressive win over a surging Texas-Arlington team, but Lunardi's projection is still a pretty big leap of faith -- to date. Or perhaps he has a hunch. After all, the Demons have played in the last 3 SLC championship games and 5 of 8 under coach Mike McConathy, so if you look over the long haul, it's not inplausible at all that NSU might make its third NCAA appearance in eight seasons.
According to Lunardi's weekly projections, the Demons will go into the Opening Round Game in Dayton, Ohio, and will meet down-state rival Southern, the SWAC champ. The winner of that game will battle No. 1 seeded North Carolina in Raleigh, N.C.
So, with 15 regular season SLC games and hopefully 3 more SLC Tournament games to play, just file that one away hopefully for future reference!
It was the latest in a little ESPN.com love for the Demons. Columnist Andrew "Andy" Glockner featured Patrick Netherton's stirring call of Jermaine Wallace's NCAA Tournament game-winning shot in 2006 as his first NCAA Tournament thriller clip in a recent column. Glockner provided a link to the YouTube blend of the game footage and Patrick's call. He promised a similar bracket-busting highlight weekly leading to this year's tournament, but of all the ones he had to choose from, he picked ours first. Thanks, Andy!
Doug Ireland, SID
The Demons were the only SLC team with a league win. Granted, it was an impressive win over a surging Texas-Arlington team, but Lunardi's projection is still a pretty big leap of faith -- to date. Or perhaps he has a hunch. After all, the Demons have played in the last 3 SLC championship games and 5 of 8 under coach Mike McConathy, so if you look over the long haul, it's not inplausible at all that NSU might make its third NCAA appearance in eight seasons.
According to Lunardi's weekly projections, the Demons will go into the Opening Round Game in Dayton, Ohio, and will meet down-state rival Southern, the SWAC champ. The winner of that game will battle No. 1 seeded North Carolina in Raleigh, N.C.
So, with 15 regular season SLC games and hopefully 3 more SLC Tournament games to play, just file that one away hopefully for future reference!
It was the latest in a little ESPN.com love for the Demons. Columnist Andrew "Andy" Glockner featured Patrick Netherton's stirring call of Jermaine Wallace's NCAA Tournament game-winning shot in 2006 as his first NCAA Tournament thriller clip in a recent column. Glockner provided a link to the YouTube blend of the game footage and Patrick's call. He promised a similar bracket-busting highlight weekly leading to this year's tournament, but of all the ones he had to choose from, he picked ours first. Thanks, Andy!
Doug Ireland, SID
Tuesday, January 08, 2008
Kenya "closer to returning to normalcy" but still tense
The latest update from former NSU assistant basketball coach (1999-2001) Joe Peterson, now a missionary and teacher in Kenya, on the civil unrest there:
"Written by Joe Peterson, Sunday, January 6, 2008, 12:24 PM PST
It is impossible to make sense of it all. I can't comprehend what I have seen and heard over the last 9 days. My emotions got the best of me this morning at Christco church as I prayed and worshipped with my Kenyan brothers and sisters. Out of nowhere, I found myself weeping. Why do the innocent have to suffer so much? How can people hate someone who has done them no wrong? What would possess someone to set someone's house on fire or loot a shop or take someone's life? I don't know. We live in a fallen world where the evil desires in people explode to the surface in difficult times.
Kenyans, though, are a resilient people. In the midst of the tragedy I see the church rising up to meet the challenge of bringing unity. There are many leaders and even the media calling out for peace and love. This evening all the Kenyan television stations shared an hour long program dedicated to prayer for Kenya. This country is literally being refined by fire and I see God using it to teach the younger generation how to love one another and accept people from all tribes, colors and nations. I can envision many examples in the coming months of young people in secondary schools, colleges and universities showing the love of Christ to different tribes.
Every day brings us a little closer to returning to normalcy. After the entire country came to a grinding halt for the past week, the wheels have finally begun moving. Transportation throughout the country is slowly beginning (though not in or out of Mbita). One of the biggest hindrances is roadblocks set up by armed youth. They demand money for them to move the roadblocks or they result to violence. Most cases of violence are reducing, but the long term consequences will be felt for quite a while. The over 100,000 displaced families are being assisted through relief organization for their immediate needs, but they will still need homes and jobs in the future to support themselves.
Our deputy school manager, Willis, and I today had the opportunity to share the gospel, bring food supplies and Gideon bibles to the more than thirty displaced people at our local police station. These people have been staying there for over a week now after they were chased from their homes and businesses because of their tribal affiliation. It was the only place to go that could give them security from the mobs. It is a sad situation being homeless, sleeping under the stars and passing the time until the roads are safe for them to evacuate. Their faces showed their desperation and hopelessness. There are other places where thousands of displaced families are staying, but I imagine there are small groups like this one in almost every town throughout the country.
Many of you may know Beatrice Ollimo, a former CGA teacher who has been to the U.S. for schooling. Last year she moved to Eldoret and God has used her in a mighty way during this time. Eldoret has been one of the cities most affected by the violence. It is the place where thirty people died in a church that was burnt to the ground. Ever since the election results were released several families have taken refuge in her home. She and her sisters have willingly put themselves in danger trying to extend a helping hand by meeting these refugees' basic needs and protecting them from the mobs. It is not easy to have so many people stay in your house for an extended amount of time. It is a strain on them, but the love of Christ has been shining through Beatrice's servant heart. Many Christians throughout the country are looking for ways that God can use them to make a difference during this time.
The opening of the school year for Christ's Gift Academy has been pushed back a week because of the situation in the country, so we will not begin until the 14th. That leaves another week of sitting and waiting.
For those of you interested in the political side of things, below I have included an e-mail written by another ex-patriate living in Kenya. I agree very strongly with her point of view on the current situation. She is able to express it much better than I can.
1) Pray for peace and unity to prevail in this land as people from all tribes come together and can learn to love one another.
2) Pray for truth and justice to come to pass in the political situation.
3) Pray for the thousands of displaced families. Pray that God would daily meet their needs. Pray that they would feel the arms of Jesus wrapped around them and would feel his love and concern for their situation. Pray for their long term futures as they search for new homes and jobs.
4) Pray for the international aid and relief organizations that are trying to coordinate together to provide the basic necessities for these people. Pray for safety as they transport it so that they can get it the people that are most affected and in need.
5) Pray that those causing the violence and blocking the roads would stop. Pray for a conviction on their heart and for them to repent and turn from their wicked ways.
Thank you for all your prayers and your notes to encourage me.
JOe Peterson
Email from Anja Oussoren, Saturday, January 5, 2008 from Kenya
In addition, Nairobi is calm today. Eldoret is calm today. Kisumu is calm today. Several businesses opened today in all of these cities. Life seemed to have regained some sense of normalcy today. We expect the same calmness tomorrow and Monday. We might go to church tomorrow and I might even make it to the office on Monday. But on Tuesday, there will be another attempt by the Opposition to stage a rally in "Freedom Park" in the city. And so the uncertainty of life and increased tension will return that day. And the children will not be able to start school on that day, the 8th. The opening of their school has been postponed to 15 January. Most schools, public and private, have postponed their opening date by a week.
It takes courage for the Opposition to attempt yet another rally. As much as it is inconvenient for all of us, and dangerous for some, it is necessary. It is necessary because as much as the world's attention is drawn to Kenya, and offers to help resolve the crisis are coming from church leaders and international leaders alike, no one is publicly speaking the truth. No one, except the Kenya Human Rights Commission.
The truth is that the election was stolen. Everyone knows it. Evidence is plentiful. No one from the local and international community has been able to declare the recently concluded polls in Kenya as free and fair, except, ironically, the "President" himself. This is the bone of contention. This is the wrong that needs to be corrected. The truth about what happened behind the scenes during the tallying process is what we want to know. Whether one or the other presidential aspirant won the election is not the issue; it is knowing that our new president, whoever he is, won the election fairly through the ballot. Neither the international media nor church leaders address this gross injustice.
The church leaders are calling for peace and reconciliation. How can there be reconciliation when the truth has not been admitted and forgiven? How can there be genuine peace when the people's need for the truth has not been addressed? Don't be fooled by the calmness in the country today and tomorrow; we have calm, but we don't have peace.
The international media is drawing simplistic conclusions that the unrest in Kenya is due to tribalism. How can a crisis brought about by the disregard and theft of the people's last right - their vote - be simply due to tribalism? Why is it not understood that the ruling elite, from the colonial masters to the ruling masters of today, have been stealing from the Kenyan common people - no matter what ethnic group one comes from - all these years? The peace in Kenya to date has been maintained because the Kenyan populace are indeed a peaceful, hopeful, and very tolerant people. Our last hope to change the incessant raping of the country by the ruling elite was through the vote. Five years ago, voters voted for change, only to have their high hopes dashed by broken promises by the then-newly elected President. Another opportunity in 2007 to vote for real change: patiently we cued for hours to cast the votes - votes for change. Only to have that hope destroyed again, because the ruling elite not only steals the country's resources, it also steals the people's right to vote. This is unjust, and now we are fighting for justice. Enough is enough. Isn't this understandable?
During the hastened swearing in of the illegitimate and illegal Dictator we now have on our hands, the Kenyan national anthem was not sung as is normally done. It goes as follows:
Oh God of all Creation
Bless this our land and nation
Justice be our shield and defender
May we dwell in unity, peace and liberty
Plenty be found within our borders.
Such powerful words. But such disregard for its words: justice surely is not our shield and defender now. Perhaps it was a good thing it was not sung during the swearing in ceremony. It would have made a mockery out of this anthem.
And yet, truth and justice must roll like a river in Kenya. We should not and can not live with anything less. The way forward, if it had been done within 48 hours of the election results announcement, would have been to re-tally the vote. But the government thwarted that. The power sharing arrangement that the "president" is now suggesting would be tantamount to ignoring the fact the election was stolen and to join the thieves! The Opposition would rather function as an Opposition so that it can uphold justice for the people.
The underlying and often unspoken truth is: the ruling elite has so much stolen wealth to protect and keep hidden from public scrutiny. And it seems they will do anything to do just that, including throwing the country into chaos and snuffing out lives. It has already cost about 1000 lives and about 500,000 people displaced from their homes. How can such hard hearts of stone be softened? Only when the chaos hits them close to home might hearts begin to soften. Does that remind you of Pharaoh of Egypt? There is, after all, nothing new under the sun.
Perhaps now the way forward is an interim government which prepares for a re-run of the presidential vote within the next three months. This voting process would be overseen by a completely independent body. In addition, increased international pressure by revoking visas to countries either the ruling "president" and the Opposition leader and their families want to travel to, until this crisis is resolved, would bring the effects of this crisis closer to them. This is what the Kenyan Human Rights Commission is suggesting, and I believe rightly so.
Anja Oussoren"
"Written by Joe Peterson, Sunday, January 6, 2008, 12:24 PM PST
It is impossible to make sense of it all. I can't comprehend what I have seen and heard over the last 9 days. My emotions got the best of me this morning at Christco church as I prayed and worshipped with my Kenyan brothers and sisters. Out of nowhere, I found myself weeping. Why do the innocent have to suffer so much? How can people hate someone who has done them no wrong? What would possess someone to set someone's house on fire or loot a shop or take someone's life? I don't know. We live in a fallen world where the evil desires in people explode to the surface in difficult times.
Kenyans, though, are a resilient people. In the midst of the tragedy I see the church rising up to meet the challenge of bringing unity. There are many leaders and even the media calling out for peace and love. This evening all the Kenyan television stations shared an hour long program dedicated to prayer for Kenya. This country is literally being refined by fire and I see God using it to teach the younger generation how to love one another and accept people from all tribes, colors and nations. I can envision many examples in the coming months of young people in secondary schools, colleges and universities showing the love of Christ to different tribes.
Every day brings us a little closer to returning to normalcy. After the entire country came to a grinding halt for the past week, the wheels have finally begun moving. Transportation throughout the country is slowly beginning (though not in or out of Mbita). One of the biggest hindrances is roadblocks set up by armed youth. They demand money for them to move the roadblocks or they result to violence. Most cases of violence are reducing, but the long term consequences will be felt for quite a while. The over 100,000 displaced families are being assisted through relief organization for their immediate needs, but they will still need homes and jobs in the future to support themselves.
Our deputy school manager, Willis, and I today had the opportunity to share the gospel, bring food supplies and Gideon bibles to the more than thirty displaced people at our local police station. These people have been staying there for over a week now after they were chased from their homes and businesses because of their tribal affiliation. It was the only place to go that could give them security from the mobs. It is a sad situation being homeless, sleeping under the stars and passing the time until the roads are safe for them to evacuate. Their faces showed their desperation and hopelessness. There are other places where thousands of displaced families are staying, but I imagine there are small groups like this one in almost every town throughout the country.
Many of you may know Beatrice Ollimo, a former CGA teacher who has been to the U.S. for schooling. Last year she moved to Eldoret and God has used her in a mighty way during this time. Eldoret has been one of the cities most affected by the violence. It is the place where thirty people died in a church that was burnt to the ground. Ever since the election results were released several families have taken refuge in her home. She and her sisters have willingly put themselves in danger trying to extend a helping hand by meeting these refugees' basic needs and protecting them from the mobs. It is not easy to have so many people stay in your house for an extended amount of time. It is a strain on them, but the love of Christ has been shining through Beatrice's servant heart. Many Christians throughout the country are looking for ways that God can use them to make a difference during this time.
The opening of the school year for Christ's Gift Academy has been pushed back a week because of the situation in the country, so we will not begin until the 14th. That leaves another week of sitting and waiting.
For those of you interested in the political side of things, below I have included an e-mail written by another ex-patriate living in Kenya. I agree very strongly with her point of view on the current situation. She is able to express it much better than I can.
1) Pray for peace and unity to prevail in this land as people from all tribes come together and can learn to love one another.
2) Pray for truth and justice to come to pass in the political situation.
3) Pray for the thousands of displaced families. Pray that God would daily meet their needs. Pray that they would feel the arms of Jesus wrapped around them and would feel his love and concern for their situation. Pray for their long term futures as they search for new homes and jobs.
4) Pray for the international aid and relief organizations that are trying to coordinate together to provide the basic necessities for these people. Pray for safety as they transport it so that they can get it the people that are most affected and in need.
5) Pray that those causing the violence and blocking the roads would stop. Pray for a conviction on their heart and for them to repent and turn from their wicked ways.
Thank you for all your prayers and your notes to encourage me.
JOe Peterson
Email from Anja Oussoren, Saturday, January 5, 2008 from Kenya
In addition, Nairobi is calm today. Eldoret is calm today. Kisumu is calm today. Several businesses opened today in all of these cities. Life seemed to have regained some sense of normalcy today. We expect the same calmness tomorrow and Monday. We might go to church tomorrow and I might even make it to the office on Monday. But on Tuesday, there will be another attempt by the Opposition to stage a rally in "Freedom Park" in the city. And so the uncertainty of life and increased tension will return that day. And the children will not be able to start school on that day, the 8th. The opening of their school has been postponed to 15 January. Most schools, public and private, have postponed their opening date by a week.
It takes courage for the Opposition to attempt yet another rally. As much as it is inconvenient for all of us, and dangerous for some, it is necessary. It is necessary because as much as the world's attention is drawn to Kenya, and offers to help resolve the crisis are coming from church leaders and international leaders alike, no one is publicly speaking the truth. No one, except the Kenya Human Rights Commission.
The truth is that the election was stolen. Everyone knows it. Evidence is plentiful. No one from the local and international community has been able to declare the recently concluded polls in Kenya as free and fair, except, ironically, the "President" himself. This is the bone of contention. This is the wrong that needs to be corrected. The truth about what happened behind the scenes during the tallying process is what we want to know. Whether one or the other presidential aspirant won the election is not the issue; it is knowing that our new president, whoever he is, won the election fairly through the ballot. Neither the international media nor church leaders address this gross injustice.
The church leaders are calling for peace and reconciliation. How can there be reconciliation when the truth has not been admitted and forgiven? How can there be genuine peace when the people's need for the truth has not been addressed? Don't be fooled by the calmness in the country today and tomorrow; we have calm, but we don't have peace.
The international media is drawing simplistic conclusions that the unrest in Kenya is due to tribalism. How can a crisis brought about by the disregard and theft of the people's last right - their vote - be simply due to tribalism? Why is it not understood that the ruling elite, from the colonial masters to the ruling masters of today, have been stealing from the Kenyan common people - no matter what ethnic group one comes from - all these years? The peace in Kenya to date has been maintained because the Kenyan populace are indeed a peaceful, hopeful, and very tolerant people. Our last hope to change the incessant raping of the country by the ruling elite was through the vote. Five years ago, voters voted for change, only to have their high hopes dashed by broken promises by the then-newly elected President. Another opportunity in 2007 to vote for real change: patiently we cued for hours to cast the votes - votes for change. Only to have that hope destroyed again, because the ruling elite not only steals the country's resources, it also steals the people's right to vote. This is unjust, and now we are fighting for justice. Enough is enough. Isn't this understandable?
During the hastened swearing in of the illegitimate and illegal Dictator we now have on our hands, the Kenyan national anthem was not sung as is normally done. It goes as follows:
Oh God of all Creation
Bless this our land and nation
Justice be our shield and defender
May we dwell in unity, peace and liberty
Plenty be found within our borders.
Such powerful words. But such disregard for its words: justice surely is not our shield and defender now. Perhaps it was a good thing it was not sung during the swearing in ceremony. It would have made a mockery out of this anthem.
And yet, truth and justice must roll like a river in Kenya. We should not and can not live with anything less. The way forward, if it had been done within 48 hours of the election results announcement, would have been to re-tally the vote. But the government thwarted that. The power sharing arrangement that the "president" is now suggesting would be tantamount to ignoring the fact the election was stolen and to join the thieves! The Opposition would rather function as an Opposition so that it can uphold justice for the people.
The underlying and often unspoken truth is: the ruling elite has so much stolen wealth to protect and keep hidden from public scrutiny. And it seems they will do anything to do just that, including throwing the country into chaos and snuffing out lives. It has already cost about 1000 lives and about 500,000 people displaced from their homes. How can such hard hearts of stone be softened? Only when the chaos hits them close to home might hearts begin to soften. Does that remind you of Pharaoh of Egypt? There is, after all, nothing new under the sun.
Perhaps now the way forward is an interim government which prepares for a re-run of the presidential vote within the next three months. This voting process would be overseen by a completely independent body. In addition, increased international pressure by revoking visas to countries either the ruling "president" and the Opposition leader and their families want to travel to, until this crisis is resolved, would bring the effects of this crisis closer to them. This is what the Kenyan Human Rights Commission is suggesting, and I believe rightly so.
Anja Oussoren"
Monday, January 07, 2008
Alumni contributions
A couple of former Demon basketball stars brought good karma, and more, to the NSU basketball team before and after Saturday's heartening win over Texas-Arlington in the Southland Conference opener.
Last year's point guard, Kennan Jones, talked to the team just before the game. He spoke about playing unselfishly and with the team's success as the total focus. This is a guy who played three seasons behind Tyronn Mitchell at point guard, yet wound up fourth all-time at NSU in assists. There were times when coach Mike McConathy would call for Kennan to sub in for Tyronn, and "Chief" (Jones' nickname) would tell his coach to let Tyronn stay in because he was playing so well. That's unselfish.
Jones is in school working toward his degree.
Back from a little farther away was Chris Lynch, one of the standouts on the Demons' first NCAA team in 2001. Lynch visited with the team after the win, and coach Mike and he explained that they didn't always see eye to eye except in one area -- they were working to win games. It helped coach Mike reinforce the point he made after the lopsided loss at Oklahoma State: he was going to be hard on the players, but he was still in their corner and they shouldn't lose faith in him or each other.
Lynch is playing pro ball in South America after earlier seasons in China, the Middle East and Australia. His time in Melbourne tops his list of experiences.
He stays in touch with NSU teammate Michael Byars-Dawson, who is now playing in Tehran, Iran.
"You go where the money is, while you're young enough to do it," explained Lynch. He said Byars-Dawson is about to go nuts because of the communication barriers, but is doing well on the court.
Lynch said his world travels have definitely made him appreciate America and our standard of living. That's something he does not take for granted any more.
Doug Ireland, SID
Last year's point guard, Kennan Jones, talked to the team just before the game. He spoke about playing unselfishly and with the team's success as the total focus. This is a guy who played three seasons behind Tyronn Mitchell at point guard, yet wound up fourth all-time at NSU in assists. There were times when coach Mike McConathy would call for Kennan to sub in for Tyronn, and "Chief" (Jones' nickname) would tell his coach to let Tyronn stay in because he was playing so well. That's unselfish.
Jones is in school working toward his degree.
Back from a little farther away was Chris Lynch, one of the standouts on the Demons' first NCAA team in 2001. Lynch visited with the team after the win, and coach Mike and he explained that they didn't always see eye to eye except in one area -- they were working to win games. It helped coach Mike reinforce the point he made after the lopsided loss at Oklahoma State: he was going to be hard on the players, but he was still in their corner and they shouldn't lose faith in him or each other.
Lynch is playing pro ball in South America after earlier seasons in China, the Middle East and Australia. His time in Melbourne tops his list of experiences.
He stays in touch with NSU teammate Michael Byars-Dawson, who is now playing in Tehran, Iran.
"You go where the money is, while you're young enough to do it," explained Lynch. He said Byars-Dawson is about to go nuts because of the communication barriers, but is doing well on the court.
Lynch said his world travels have definitely made him appreciate America and our standard of living. That's something he does not take for granted any more.
Doug Ireland, SID
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