Experts say arm wrestling is a battle of the mind as much as physical strength. It’s almost as if psyching out your opponent is just as important as the actual battle.
With that said, what better photo for the front of this year’s prep basketball tabloid than arm wrestling between the two biggest — and two best — basketball players in Rowan County?
Donte Minter, the 6-foot-8 mass of muscle from West Rowan and Bryan McCullough, the smooth 6-6 slasher from North Rowan, sat at the table and clenched fists. Behind them, Terris Sifford cheered on Minter. Dre Byrd cheered on McCullough.
In the few moments it took to snap that picture, the four grinned and cut up, then became very serious.
It was the first confrontation of the year between Rowan County’s greatest rivalry in any sport.
And it did not matter one bit that it was arm wrestling.
This was North Rowan vs. West Rowan.
And that’s pretty serious stuff.
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The two schools are not in the same conference (North is in the Central Carolina and West in the South Piedmont). The two schools are not in the same classification (North is 2A and West is 3A). But there is a bond that holds these programs together — unbelievable talent. Talk about getting the most for your entertainment dollar.
Last season, they played three times. West won in North’s gym 82-81 in what will go down as one of the greatest basketball games ever played in this county.
North coach Kelly Everhart won’t soon forget it.
He’d like to, but he can’t.
“That’s one of those you never get out of your mind,” he said. “We were up 11 with two minutes to go. We gave them that one.”
Actually, they gave that one to Scooter Sherrill. The McDonald’s All-American went wild in the final seconds and eventually hit the winning foul shots.
The two teams met in the semifinals of the Sam Moir Christmas Tournament at Catawba College. In front of a crowd numbering 3,500, Byrd quicked his way around and through the West defense and led the Cavs to a very sweet 74-65 win, one that West coach Mike Gurley won’t soon forget.
The other game was a West win but that was overshadowed by the other two nail-biters.
And now, it’s all about to start again.
“It’s the greatest rivalry in the county right now,” Everhart said. “When you get that many people in a packed gym like North’s or West’s and everybody is whooping and hollering ... it doesn’t get any better than that.”
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This year, Scooter is taking his shots in Raleigh for a team called the Wolfpack. That leaves the two big guys to take center stage here.
At West, Minter served notice in the very first game of his junior season. He was a one-man show against Salisbury, scoring a highlight-reel 44 points.
Minter has lost weight. He is quicker. His game is better. No one disputes that he can be a big-time college player like Scooter.
Gurley expects to use him like the megastar he is.
“You’d have to be lost in the woods with Eric Rudolph not to think we’re going to get the ball to No. 55,” smiled Gurley.
When Everhart picked up the paper and saw the totals, his eyes didn’t bug out. As a matter of fact, he didn’t seem surprised at all.
“I expect he’ll average in the upper 20s,” Everhart said. “He has a great touch around the basket and great moves around the basket.”
McCullough is not the bruiser Minter is. He won’t try to dominate you inside, although he can. The senior will simply step outside and drill it in your face.
“Bryan is more of a finesse player,” said Everhart, who added that a summer of playing in the national limelight of AAU has gotten McCullough some looks from colleges.
Wingate, The Citadel, Charleston Southern and UNC Greensboro have already offered scholarships. Appalachian State is interested. Binghamton University of New York came down and offered McCullough a chance to go north.
“A lot of scouts saw him,” Everhart said. “But Bryan is so even-keel. Nothing really fazes him.”
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And then, there are the two guards, so unlike (Sifford is a 6-4 defensive whiz and Byrd a 5-8 whirling dervish) but so much alike (they are winners who combined to lead their teams to 49 victories last year).
Gurley has said that at least one basketball team has offered Sifford a college scholarship. With Byrd, you worry about his height. But then again, recruiters notice him simply because he is like the road runner: Beep-beep and he’s gone by you for a
layup.
It will take a coach who appreciates his skills and overlooks his height. One interested party is Pfeiffer’s Dave Davis, who coaches the
runningest, gunningest group of ballplayers this side of the Dream Team. AndDavis gave Terrence Baxter a chance. Baxter is 5-8, too — and a preseason All-American in Division II.
Byrd says basketball is his favorite sport, but Everhart laughs.
“Dre’s just an athlete who enjoys whatever he’s doing at that time,” he said. “On Friday nights, when the lights come on in the football stadium, I’ll guarantee you there’s no other place he’d rather be.”
Byrd has terrorized his opponents so much that you’d think he’d been wearing a Cavs uniform forever.
“I’m sure there are teams that are saying, ‘Is he back again?’ said Everhart. “It’s the same thing we felt about Scooter.”
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There has already been a downer with this county rivalry. The first game of the season series, scheduled for tonight, was postponed because both schools had football teams driving in the playoffs.
But the schools want it made up for obvious reasons. It will be the biggest gate of the year.
These are two clubs who can go a long way. Not only does North have McCullough and Byrd, but you have to defend guys like sharp-shooting Marcus Reddick and quick-as-a-cat Chris Phillips.
Gurley likes that team.
“North Rowan is a state championship-caliber team,” he said. “They have a lot of weapons and they don’t have a weak spot. They have super, super starters back and a lot of quality.”
West has more than Minter and Sifford (currently out with a knee injury). Gurley can put the tallest team in the state on the floor at any time.
Everhart thinks that even though West lost its All-American, the Falcons can be better.
“I felt a lot of times last year, their players would stand around and wait for Scooter to take over the show,” he said. “People will find out they’re better because players are going to have to step up.”
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Mark the calendars. They are scheduled to battle at West’s Gurley Dome Dec. 20 and they could meet again in the Christmas Tournament (Dec. 26-31).
West has always had the mightier reputation around here. This year, it appears they have to share it. And the only way to decide who is best will come out on the hardwood.
“Our guys are excited about playing anybody,” Everhart said, “but certainly, there’s a little added spark with West Rowan because the games have been so close and the gyms are packed. It adds more fuel to the fire.”
Want to add fuel to the fire? Get them together for a little photo shoot. You know it’s an intense rivalry when players seem focused to arm-wrestle.
North Rowan and West Rowan are expected to strong-arm their competition this season.
But the best moments of the year will come when they try to strong-arm each other.
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Ronnie Gallagher is the sports editor of the Post.
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