Parkland and West Rowan hook up Saturday night in the 3A state basketball championship game.
It will be the second meeting between these teams this year.
Now, if you check the schedule, you’ll think that’s inaccurate information. But the two schools butted heads during a summer league game at West.
“It’s funny how things worked out,” chuckled Parkland coach Mike Pennington during Media Day in Chapel Hill Monday.
He and West coach Mike Gurley couldn’t think of anyone else they’d rather coach against. Since their state title meeting in 1999 (a Parkland win), it’s amazing how much these two people have in common.
“I gained a coaching friend that day,” said Gurley.
The two not only match up their teams in the summer. They both have attended N.C. State’s basketball camp. They both have players currently in the NCAA Tournament: Scooter Sherrill and Clifford Crawford. And they both love to voice their opinion on N.C. State coach Herb
Sendek.
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While Parkland and West have state championship-caliber clubs, Gurley and Pennington talk more about playing time of their former stars.
“We’ve gone to the same camps and talked about the 1999 game,” Pennington said. “And with Clifford and Scooter in pretty much the same predicament (a lack of playing time), we’ve gotten to know each other well. We sit and criticize
Sendek.”
In fact, it’s not surprising for Sendek to come up in practically every conversation.
When asked if depth perception would hurt the Falcons when they play in the Dean Dome, Gurley simply referred back to 1999.
“Are you going to tell me Scooter Sherrill suffered from depth perception?” he scoffed. “In his
pre-Sendek days, he averaged 30.”
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Ask Scooter and Crawford about the matchup between their high schools and they both start chirping at each other. Throughout Sunday, when N.C. State met Duke in the ACC Tournament title game, both were constantly reminded of it.
“We were eating breakfast together this morning and Coach (Chad Collins) came up to us and was like, ‘West Rowan and Parkland in the championship next week.’ ” Scooter said. “We got all excited and said we were going to the game and (Crawford) was like, ‘You’re not going to the game. We’re going to be playing.’ ”
N.C. State takes on Michigan State Friday in the first round in Washington D.C.
“I wish I could witness it,” Crawford said of the prep championship. “But we’ve got plans. I’d rather be at the NCAA Tournament any day.”
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Both Scooter and Crawford will be with their schools in spirit.
“West Rowan-Parkland II,” mused Crawford. “It shows we come from good programs. There’s two good coaches down there.”
Even with the NCAA Tournament and the bright lights of CBS looming, Crawford, a junior at N.C. State, says he will never forget the experience of his high school championship.
“I remember everything,” he said. “It’s one of those moments in time you never forget. I know those guys are going to enjoy it. They worked hard to get there.”
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Don’t think just because the two Wolfpackers are older, they don’t still talk trash.
At least, they try to spew out some trash.
“Me and Cliff talk,” grinned Scooter. “We kid around about it a lot.”
Crawford responded, “It’s always back and forth between me and him. We always relive the days.”
But when Scooter gets a little too loud, Crawford says he has a way to close that West Rowan mouth.
“I wear the (championship) ring around my neck so it silences all that trash talk right there,” he said.
The teammates acknowledge they have something going on with this year’s title
matchup.
“We made a little bet on it,” said Scooter, who wouldn’t elaborate.
“We’ve got a little wager on the line,” Crawford said. “Something good. I’m looking for Parkland to take it once again. Nothing’s changed.”
Scooter knows his school has to win. It must win. Either that or its months and months of grief lie ahead.
“I’m going to call my boys and Coach Gurley,” he said as he left the Charlotte Coliseum. “I’m going to tell ’em to go get ’em.
“Win it for me!”
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Steve Hanf contributed to this column.
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