Feb. 14, 2008

By Ben Baden

CHAPEL HILL - Louisburg College and Hargrave Military Academy handed the Tar Heels (9-3) two more double-digit loses last week, and the junior varsity team now finds itself in a slump.

Louisburg and Hargrave are both post-graduate schools with strong basketball programs. Louisburg sent two players to Division I schools last year and Hargrave is renowned for their consistent Division I placements. It sent 11 players to Division I schools last year including Indiana University, Ohio State University, the University of Virginia and Virginia Tech.

Hargrave currently has six players signed with Division I schools and the other six are expected to sign with schools later this year. The academy's most well-known graduates include Josh Howard and Lonny Baxter who played in the ACC and are now in the NBA, and David West who is currently playing for the New Orleans Hornets.

"We knew it would be a big time stretch with big time teams," head coach Jerod Haase said. "I knew we wouldn't match their athleticism and skill level, and we weren't able to make up for it using our hearts and brains."

Louisburg College gave the junior varsity team their worse loss of the year, 85-67, while Hargrave defeated the Tar Heels 88-72.

Louisburg only had a small lead at halftime, and then slowly ran away with the game in the second half.

"We played well for a half then they made a run and we didn't answer," said starting guard James Gallagher, who finished with 11 points in that game. Ford Tanner led the Tar Heels with 15 points against Louisburg.

The Tar Heels had a strong start against Hargrave as they began the game on a 13-2 run then Hargrave immediately went on a huge run of their own outscoring the Tar Heels 20-0. Hargrave then held on to a double-digit lead the rest of the game.

"It's a life lesson that we have to be more in the game," Haase said.

Hargrave was led by Damier Pitts, who finished with 19 points and has signed with Marshall University, and Dee Bost, who finished with 18 points and will play for Mississippi State next year.

The Tar Heels were lead in scoring by James Gallagher, who finished with 15 points, and Ford Tanner, who finished with 14 points.

"We looked and said, `Wow, they're bigger, stronger and faster," Gallagher said.

The road ahead doesn't get any easier for the Tar Heels. They play Montrose Christian, Kevin Durant's former high school, in their next game on Saturday morning.

"Montrose is one of the top high school teams in the country," Haase said. "They'll be a big time challenge again."

The Tar Heels play Montrose Saturday at 10 a.m.