THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, December 17, 1995 TAG: 9512140184
SECTION: CAROLINA COAST PAGE: 18 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JEFF ZEIGLER, CORRESPONDENT
DATELINE: EDENTON LENGTH: Medium: 63 lines
IT'S HARD competing in the Northeastern Conference, but it's even harder when you've lost much of your experience to graduation.
This is what faces Edenton-Holmes as it prepares to square off against strong teams like Manteo, Southeast Halifax and Plymouth this boys' basketball season.
Gone from the Aces are Torrance Tripp, a two-time, first-team, all-conference player; Bryant White, an honorable mention, all-conference player; and Jim Parrish, a starter.
Two starters will return to the squad: Oras Blount, a guard, and 6-foot-5 Ronnie Bond, a forward. Marlon Trafton is also a starter at big guard.
Other returning players who will see significant playing time are guard Colin Woodley and forwards David Elliott and Aaron Simpson.
Head coach Robert Woodley said the other two starters have not been set. Marquis Boston and Devon Coston have been switching off at small forward, and Jermaine Roulhac and Marcus Simpson both saw time at center as the Aces opened the season at 2-3.
Other players on the roster include point guards Garfield Gilliam and Matt Swicegood, and forwards Cleve Jordan, Karl Bailey and Khalfani Wright.
``At this point, we've played a lot of kids through five games,'' Woodley said. ``Our 2-3 record is a little misleading. We practiced only four times before we played our first game because of the football playoffs.''
The Aces have a varied non-conference schedule and have already shown some inconsistency.
Through the first five games, Edenton lost twice to Tobacco Belt Conference opponent Aurora and once to Columbia, another TBC team. The Aces beat Columbia once and also knocked off Camden County.
The Northeastern Conference schedule will be much more demanding. Woodley said his team has some individual talent but will have to play together to compete for one of the conference's three 2A playoff spots.
``It's just a matter of getting that talent and molding it together into a team concept,'' Woodley said. ``They will have to be patient with it and get on the same page.
``It will be a competitive conference from top to bottom. Manteo, Southeast Halifax and Plymouth already have good teams,'' he added. ``Currituck is going to be greatly improved. I hope we're going to be improved. Roanoke Rapids will be right in the middle of everything. There isn't a weak sister in the conference, but Manteo, Southeast and Plymouth will be top-heavy.''
Woodley has not given his team any unrealistic ultimatums as far as winning.
``I want to win as many games as we can, but I want the kids to work as hard as they can and not cheat themselves,'' Woodley said. ``I want to have a positive work ethic and attitude. Before you can set goals, you have to get your priorities in order. After that, the priority can be to win as many of these non-conference games as we can to get prepared for the conference.
``It's just a matter of time, finding the right chemistry and having some practice time together. The kids have got to be patient. You've got to crawl before you can walk.'' by CNB