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Virginia
West Virginia makes critical plays down the stretch in UCF win
The first half that West Virginia put together against UCF is exactly what the Mountaineers want to do. The second half was a different story.
After building a 47-25 advantage and leading by as much as 27-points in that first game, the game got tight down the stretch as the Knights cut the edge to just three points with a little over two minutes remaining.
And while West Virginia was able to close things out, it’s something that this team must avoid as the regular season concludes and the calendar flips to tournament time.
“We keep it interesting that’s for sure,” head coach Darian DeVries said.
In that first half, the Mountaineers played terrific on both ends of the floor. On offense, they were able to get into transition and move the basketball while playing unselfishly. The defensive end also was critical as West Virgia held the Knights to just 29-percent while forcing 9 turnovers.
However, as the Mountaineers struggled to put the ball in the basket in the second half it allowed UCF to get out and run while they also were able to get the ball to the rim. That allowed them to trim the lead down and get back into the game before West Virginia closed things out.
And credit to the team for being able to do just that. While it’s easy to get tight in those types of situations, the Mountaineers were able to stay in attack mode despite their struggles.
“That’s hard when you have a big lead like that and it dwindles all the way down to almost nothing to still stay composed enough to find a way to make the plays,” DeVries said.
The head coach highlighted a pair of offensive rebounds on missed free throws. The first resulted in a Jonathan Powell three-pointer to stretch the lead to six, while the second a pair of free throws. In total, the Mountaineers had 16 offensive rebounds and were +10 in second chance points.
“None bigger than the two off the missed free throws tonight,” DeVries said.
Powell hit a pair of threes when the offense struggled to find its way in critical moments in the second half which is a testament to his confidence despite being a true freshman.
“What I love about him is he continues to stay confident in himself and we stay confident in him like we’ve talked about all year,” DeVries said. “He’s put in the work and you get that next one go ahead and let it fly. And he did that tonight.”
Powell finished the game with 15 points, while Amani Hansberry added 18 points to go along with what Javon Small gave the team with 25 points, 9 assists and 7 rebounds. And that’s exactly what the Mountaineers need in order to open their offense up further which is what unfolded in the first half.
“Good teams find a way even when you give away a big lead like that. Good teams find a way to make sure to come out on top and I was certainly glad they did that,” he said.
The win puts West Virginia in the eighth seed in the Big 12 Tournament while essentially locking up their place in the NCAA field as well at 19-12 and 10-10 in the league. It was a goal for the players to reach that mark, especially those like Small and Eduardo Andre who had never played in the Big Dance in their final seasons.
Now, the focus is to play their best basketball when it matters.
“It’s certainly an accomplishment to get there but like I told our team that’s not the end game. We want to finish the job and that means we want to play as long as possible,” DeVries said.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — In this world of college football, with the transfer portal and recruiting battles, bad blood is present more than ever before between head coaches.
That’s not the case between the Virginia Tech head coach and Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney, however. In fact, Franklin revealed at ACC Kickoff on Thursday that the two are actually close friends, dating back to their time at the Nike trip that various coaches take over the summer.
“Dabo’s my guy,” Franklin said on Thursday. “We go way back. We’ve been on the Nike trip for a long time. His wife and my wife are friends.”
The long-time Penn State head coach is making the move to the ACC after being fired from the Nittany Lions in October. 12 seasons of being with the program had Franklin hold a 44-21 record against top 10 opponents, an impressive record for a new conference foe of Swinney’s.
But when that trip comes around, there’s a camaraderie between Swinney and Franklin and both of their wives. In fact, the two hang out with each other instead of the other coaches at times. It simply comes to an “edgy” time in college athletics that raises tempers.
“I’m going to be honest, I wouldn’t say we’re necessarily like the type of people that love a lot of other coaches and a lot of other programs,” Franklin said. “It’s hard when you just compete year-round.”
On Swinney’s end, there are a few who could immediately come to mind among Clemson fans. Perhaps the most recent would be Ole Miss coach Pete Golding, who played the most significant role in the tampering of former linebacker Luke Ferrelli.
It’s a select list of coaches who make the good side of the Tigers’ head coach, and Franklin is certainly on that list. On the other hand, Hokies’ head coach has Swinney on his own shortlist.
“Obviously, tremendous respect for what he has built at Clemson and what he’s done at Clemson, and what he’s done for the ACC,” he said.
The two will see that close relationship face off at Memorial Stadium this upcoming season. Clemson will host the Hokies on Oct. 24 in what could be a potential title-eliminator for the ACC Championship.
Of course, the last game that we’ve seen the Tigers play in was against Franklin’s former team in Penn State at the Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl. That game ended in a 22-10 contest that saw a foundation of Franklin players end Clemson’s season in disappointment.
Swinney will see many of those players once again in October, including starting quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer, in that contest. The anticipated Hokie starter recorded 260 yards and two passing touchdowns on the Tigers in the Bronx that day.
Although friends become foes, another ACC coach has given Swinney his flowers for what he’s been able to do for the conference. In the upcoming moments, Franklin will look to prepare his team to prove itself on one of the biggest stages in the ACC, while Swinney looks to put his team back at the top of a conference he’s dominated for over 15 years.
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MARTINSVILLE, Va. (WSET) — Extreme drought conditions in parts of Virginia have prompted an emergency drought warning for a wide swath of the region, including Bedford, Campbell, Charlotte, Franklin, Halifax, Henry, Mecklenburg, Patrick, Pittsylvania and Roanoke counties, along with the cities of Danville, Roanoke, Salem and Martinsville.
The governor has warned that if conditions worsen, she will activate mandatory nonessential water-use restrictions.
In Martinsville, city leaders have issued a voluntary water conservation notice and are urging residents and businesses to cut back where they can. The request comes as local businesses that rely heavily on water say the drought is already affecting day-to-day operations.
SEE ALSO: Botetourt County residents adjust daily routines as voluntary water restriction continues
John Hughes, owner of John’s Car Wash, said the dry conditions have hit his business hard in recent weeks. “For the last 3 weeks, it’s been hitting pretty hard. We done three yesterday and haven’t done anything today with the drought and hot weather. Yeah, I’m really concerned about it,” Hughes said.
Restaurants are also feeling the strain. David Kitzmiller, an owner of Be Wiched, said water is essential for routine tasks such as washing dishes and preparing some menu items.
“We use a lot of water for washing dishes and some of our recipes if they limit us in anyway defiently can’t produce and its a scary aspect,” Kitzmiller said.
Kitzmiller added that cutting back is not always realistic for businesses that must meet sanitation needs. “Not really feasible for a business that depends solely relies on water to wash their dishes, so that can’t definitely be an impact there,” he said.
City leaders emphasized that the conservation request is voluntary for now, but they are encouraging everyone to do their part by taking shorter showers, turning off the faucet when it is not in use, washing only full loads of laundry, and limiting outdoor watering whenever possible.
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) — Five people were charged after Virginia Beach Police conducted a two-day human trafficking and vice operation on July 3, according to the Virginia Beach Police Department.
The department’s Special Investigations Bureau conducted the operation, which was aimed at identifiying human trafficking victims, reducing the demand for commercial sex and targeting individuals seeking to exploit or recruit children for prostitution.
Detectives used many investigative techniques to proactively identify individuals involved in criminal activity related to prostitution, human trafficking and offenses against children. The operation was conducted in Virginia Beach, involving personnel from all of the bureau’s squads.
As a result of the operation, five people were identified and charged with offenses ranging from solicitation of prostitution to sex trafficking and crimes involving minors. Two vehicles and U.S. currency were seized during the operation. Other people were connected to victim services through Samaritan House.
The operation led to the following people being charged:
- Shane Carter, 28, of Norfolk, was charged with solicitation of prostitution.
- Robert Harris, 64, of Virginia Beach, was charged with solicitation of prostitution and assault and battery.
- Larry Pittman, 53, of Portsmouth, was charged with sex trafficking and use of electronic devices to facilitaate certain offenses involving minors.
- Kenric Frazier, 46, of Portsmouth, was charged with sex trafficking, use of electronic devices to facilitate certain offenses involving minors and solicitation of child pornography.
- Cameron Lewis, 24, of Norfolk, was charged with solicitation of prostitution.
Investigators also developed leads about people who are suspected of trafficking and exploiting others for commercial sex. Those are now active and ongoing investigations. There may be more charges and arrests pending further investigation and consultation with the Virginia Beach Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office.
If you’re a human trafficking victim or know someone who is, you can report it to the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888.
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