NSU’s Johnson gains national HBCU award
Norfolk State guard Diamond Johnson has been named the BoxToRow HBCU Player of the Year, while Larry Vickers received Co-Coach of the Year honors, announced by the organization Thursday afternoon.
Johnson and teammate Kierra Wheeler also received HBCU All-America first-team honors.
Vickers has led the Spartans to a 30-4 record this season, earning the program’s highest seed in the NCAA Tournament, No. 13. He also coached his team to NCAA.com Team of the Week honors following a 63-57 win at Auburn on Dec. 29.
Johnson received the MEAC Player of the Year honor by averaging 19.0 points, 6.1 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 3.6 steals per game. Johnson is on the watch list for the Dawn Staley Award and Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year.
Wheeler received All-MEAC first-team and All-Defensive team honors. She averages 15.6 points, 9.0 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game, ranking ninth in the nation in total blocks.
COLLEGE MEN’S LACROSSE
No. 1 Tufts edges No. 5 CNU in OT
Christopher Newport, ranked fifth in Division III, took No. 1 Tufts to the limit Thursday afternoon but fell 17-16 in sudden-victory overtime at Jennings Family Stadium.
CNU pulled to a 10-3 lead in the second quarter, only to see the Boston-based Jumbos (5-0) pull to 11-7 by halftime and move ahead 16-14 with 5:23 left in the fourth quarter. The Captains (9-1) forced overtime with goals by Logan Shassian with 1:56 to go in regulation and by Fred Fulkerson with 25 seconds remaining.
In overtime, CNU took a shot that some Captains, on the field and on the sidelines, believed was a goal. But officials ruled otherwise, and a few seconds later, Tufts’ Max Ettinghausen scored in transition to end the game.
HIGH SCHOOL BOYS BASKETBALL
Area players take state Class 4 honors
Hampton Roads had several players earn all-state honors in VHSL Class 4, including Churchland High senior and Virginia Tech signee Sincere Jones, Hampton junior Gavin Kay and Smithfield senior Jayden Wiggins, who were named to the first team.
Hampton’s Abraham Taft and Denbigh’s Kevin Parker were named to the second team.
Atlee senior Will Hopkins, who led the Raiders to their first boys basketball state title, was named the Class 4 State Player of the Year. Raiders coach Rally Axselle was named the Coach of the Year.