Highly-rated combo guard picks 49ers

One visit to Charlotte and a few hours of basketball were all Ge-Lawn Guyn, one of the top-rated combo guards in the Class of 2010, needed to make the 49ers his college home.

Guyn and his parents drove to Charlotte over the weekend and after participating in Sunday’s Elite Basketball Camp at Halton Arena returned home, but not before giving Charlotte coach Bobby Lutz a commitment he would join the 49ers.

Guyn, a 6-foot-3, 165-pound guard who plays at Scott County in Georgetown, Ky., is ranked the 143rd best player in the Class of 2010 by recruiting Web site Rivals.com and the 33rd best shooting guard.

“I really didn’t know a lot about Charlotte but after they expressed interest in me, I began to do some research of my own on the Internet,” said Guyn, 18. “Then when I came for a visit Sunday, I really bonded with some of the players and the coaching staff.”

Guyn had already made a visit to Western Kentucky and had planned a visit to Oregon State, but has canceled that trip. He said he also received recruiting interest from Cincinnati, Indiana and Xavier and Dayton, both rivals of Charlotte in the Atlantic 10.

“Charlotte has an up-tempo style that I like,” he said. “I’ve watched some film of some of their games. They get up and down the floor, shoot the 3. That certainly fits my style.

“Unlike a lot of players, I like to play defense. I think I can contribute immediately and hopefully get Charlotte back in the NCAA Tournament.”

As a junior last season, Guyn averaged 15.4 points, 3.7 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 2.8 steals a game. He shot 49.6 percent from the field, including 39.8 percent from 3-point range.

Guyn said he has no second thoughts on his early commitment and he and his parents think the 49ers are the best choice.

“I remember on Sunday looking up to all the (NCAA) banners while I was in Halton Arena,” Guyn said. “I just said to myself, ‘I’d like to help add a few more.’ ”

Niners add another to 2010 class

The Charlotte 49ers men's basketball team received a commitment Sunday from one of the top rising high school seniors in the country.

Following Sunday's Elite Basketball Camp on Sunday at Halton Arena, Ge-Lawn Guyn, a 6-foot-3, 165-pound combo guard from Georgetown, Ky., made a verbal commitment to join the 49ers in their 2010 class.

Guyn is ranked the 143rd best player in the 2010 class by recruiting web site Rivals.com and the 33rd best shooting guard.

Guyn had received a scholarship offer from Western Kentucky and had also been recruited by Cincinnati, Xavier and Dayton, among others.

I hope to get in contact with Guyn sometime on Monday for a more comprehensive interview.

49ers land high-scoring transfer from N.C. Central

Jamar Briscoe earned plenty of recognition and accolades for his stellar performance in his freshman season as a point guard with N.C. Central.

What he didn’t have, and craved, was a chance to compete for postseason conference titles and NCAA berths.

That will change.

Briscoe, a 5-foot-10, 155-pound point guard from Baltimore, is transferring to the Charlotte 49ers. He will spend his first season as a walk-on paying his own way, then have three seasons of eligibility remaining during which he will be on scholarship.

Briscoe is expected to arrive in the Charlotte area by the middle of next month and will enroll as a student for the fall semester in August.

“I was looking for the opportunity to go to a school and compete for championships and face better competition on a regular basis,” said Briscoe, who averaged 17.8 points a game for the Eagles, second-best in Division I among freshmen.

Only Charlotte native Seth Curry, who played at Liberty, scored more as a freshman last season. Curry has since transferred to Duke.

Briscoe said he picked the 49ers after also considering N.C. State, Virginia Tech, Duquesne, La Salle and Niagara.

“I decided I wanted to play in the Atlantic 10. I did some research and although Charlotte and a lot of the schools in the A-10 are not necessarily close to home, the league has produced a lot of good guards,” Briscoe said.

“This is the first step in a long journey. It will be a challenging and new experience sitting out next season, but I will use the time to become a better player and focus on my academics.”

At N.C. Central, Briscoe’s awards were numerous: He was named to the Black College Men’s Division I All-America Basketball Team, named the Division I Independent Newcomer of the Year, named to the CollegeInsider.com Freshman Mid-Major All-America Team and the N.C. Collegiate Sports Information Association All-State Team.

Briscoe started in 30 of 31 games for N.C. Central, which completed its second season as a Division I independent. He also led the team in assists (2.6) and steals (1.8) per game.

He scored 20 or more points 11 times and had five games with 30 or more. Among his highlights: 28 points, four assists and four steals in a loss to N.C. State and 34 points and three assists against Duquesne.

“I have no doubt we will be competing for championships while I’m playing at Charlotte,” said Briscoe, who was recruited by 49ers associate head coach Rob Moxley. “Coach (Bobby) Lutz lets his guards play in a controlled, open system.

“I’m a scoring guard for sure, but I never expected the opportunities I got my first year. It was a good year and I worked hard and I hope the best is yet to come.”

49ers to face Louisville, Tennessee in 2009-10

The Charlotte 49ers men’s basketball team will face a difficult non-conference schedule in 2009-2010, particularly on the road.

The Observer, through sources and information from various schools involved, has confirmed nine of the 49ers’ non-conference opponents for next season, not including the four games Charlotte is guaranteed by playing in the NIT Season Tip-Off Tournament.

A pair of road games against national powers highlights the non-conference schedule. The 49ers will play at Big East champion Louisville on Saturday, Dec. 5 and at SEC power Tennessee on Wednesday, Jan. 6. Charlotte will also play at local rival Winthrop on Saturday, Dec. 19.

Charlotte will open the 2009-10 season with a home game against UNC Asheville. The 49ers will also play Georgia Tech of the ACC, Gardner-Webb, East Carolina, Mercer and Winston-Salem State all at Halton Arena. The dates of those games have not been confirmed.

Charlotte will get at least four games in the NIT Season Tip-Off and could add one more non-conference game before the schedule is officially complete.

The 49ers will once again play 16 Atlantic 10 Conference games. Unless there are last minute changes, Charlotte will once again play home-and-home series with Xavier, George Washington and Richmond.

Coley drafted by Harlem Globetrotters

The acrobatic dunks by senior forward Charlie Coley that excited Charlotte 49ers basketball fans the past two seasons could soon be featured on an international stage.

Coley, who finished second all-time in school history with 102 dunks, was among five players selected by the famous Harlem Globetrotters in the team’s third annual draft.

Coley, a 6-foot-7 forward who averaged 8.9 points and a team-high 6.8 rebounds this past season, won back-to-back slam dunk contests during the 49ers’ annual Basketball Madness. He also finished as runner-up in the 2009 ESPN Slam Dunk Championship.

Oddly enough, one of the other four players drafted by the Globetrotters, New Mexico’s Taylor Danridge, beat Coley in the finals of the ESPN dunk contest.

“Globetrotters must be great athletes, great entertainers and outstanding citizens," said Globetrotters coach “Sweet” Lou Dunbar. “We believe each of these individuals possess enough of those unique dynamics to merit our consideration to wear the red, white and blue.”

Each of the drafted players have been extended an invitation to fall training camp during which they will compete for a spot on the Globetrotters, which will begin their 84th season. The Globetrotters, featuring their entertaining brand of basketball, have played in more than 120 countries in front of more than 130 million fans since their inception.

Murphy hits trouble in Open's third round

Former Charlotte 49ers standout Trevor Murphy shot a seven-over-par 77 in the third round of the U.S. Open at Bethpage Black in Farmingdale, N.Y., to fall out of contention in his first major championship.

Murphy, who made the cut with the help of consecutive birdies on the 16th, 17th and 18th holes in Round 2 managed just one birdie in Round 3. He started the round with bogeys on four of the first five holes and added a double-bogey on the difficult 15th hole.

The round of 77 dropped Murphy from a tie for 16th to a tie for 42nd entering the final round, which got under way Sunday evening.

Murphy, who helped the 49ers to consecutive top 10 NCAA finishes in 2007 and 2008, has been playing on the Gateway Tour in Arizona. He competed in the PGA Wachovia Championship as an amateur in 2008, but missed the cut by two strokes.

Check out the newest Charlotte 49er

Jamar "Deuce" Briscoe, the nation's second-highest scoring freshman in NCAA Division I this past season while playing at N.C. Central, is transferring to the Charlotte 49ers.

Briscoe, who averaged 17.8 points a game second only to Liberty's Seth Curry (who has since transferred to Duke), will join the 49ers as a walk-on next season and pay his own way.

After sitting out his mandatory year because of the transfer, Briscoe will have three years of eligibility remaining and will pick up a scholarship beginning with his sophomore season of eligibility.

I will have more on Briscoe in a week or so. He is out of town and currently unavailable for an interview but his family members sent me a YouTube video of some of Briscoe's highlights.

Check out the video here

Lyerly signs with NY Yankees

Charlotte 49ers junior Rob Lyerly has signed a professional contract with the New York Yankees organization. The terms were not disclosed.

Lyerly, a former standout at Piedmont High in Union County, will not return to the 49ers baseball program for his senior season. He was drafted in the sixth round by the Yankees last week.

Lyerly has been assigned to the Staten Island Yankees of the NY-Penn League to start the 2009 season. The team begins play this Friday at Mets-affiliate Brooklyn. The two teams play at Staten Island on Saturday and at Brooklyn again on Sunday.

The two-time first team All-Atlantic 10 selection is just the eighth player in school history to hit .400 or more for a single season (.401). He also led the team in batting average, doubles (18), slugging (.725) and on-base percentage (.493).

Nagy finishes fourth at Sunnehanna Amateur

Charlotte 49ers rising senior Corey Nagy, a three-time all-America, shot an even-par 70 in the final round on Sunday to finish in a tie for fourth in the prestigious Sunnehanna Amateur.

Kevin Foley won the event at 13-under par after shooting a two-under 68 in the final round. Nagy finished with a four-round total of four-under par, 276.

Harris diagnosed with bad ankle sprain

Charlotte 49ers junior point guard DiJuan Harris suffered an ankle injury last weekend during a pickup basketball game but testing this week shows nothing more serious than a bad sprain.

Harris had a MRI earlier this week on his ankle the test showed no internal damage and nothing that would require surgery, said team spokesman Tom Whitestone.

Harris will do about six weeks of rehabilitation on his ankle and should return to full strength. After point guard Michael Gerrity quit the team before the season started, Harris was the only scholarship point guard available on the team throughout the 2008-09 season.

Bray drafted by Houston in 27th round

Charlotte 49er third baseman Aaron Bray, a former standout at Independence High, was drafted in the 27th round by the Houston Astros.

"It’s like it’s not even real yet,” said Bray. “I was watching the draft online and was about to shut it off. I saw another player that I know get picked then I looked away. The next thing I know, I see my name on there. I didn’t even notice who picked me at first.”

Bray was taken by Houston with pick 821, a surprise to him and his family, since he had no contact with Houston during his senior season at Charlotte.

“Houston was the last team to ask me to fill out a questionnaire. Another team told me they were picking me at the end of day two, but this was a surprise," Bray said.

In addition to being Charlotte’s all-time career hits leader, with 293, Bray is only the second player in school history with over 200 hits and 200 runs. Bray finished with 212 runs. Bray is a three-time All-Atlantic 10 selection, the A-10 rookie of the year in 2006 and was named a Collegiate Baseball Freshman All-American that season.

N.Y. Yankees take Lyerly in sixth round

Talk about an impact player.

Two seasons after transferring to the Charlotte 49ers following a disappointing freshman season at Campbell, junior Rob Lyerly is moving again. This time, however, it’s up to the professional ranks.

Lyerly, a former standout at Unionville Piedmont High, was selected in the sixth round of Wednesday’s Major League Baseball amateur draft by the N.Y. Yankees and barring any unexpected hitches his next assignment will be somewhere in the Yankees organization.

“It was a crazy morning talking to all these different teams. I was on the phone with another team that was interested in me when my name showed up in the sixth round,” said Lyerly, who was named first-team all-Atlantic 10 in his only two seasons in the league.

“My dream has always been to play professional baseball. I don’t know any details of the financial aspect of it yet, but I expect I will probably sign. I want to play.”
Lyerly said he received a call from the Yankees organization Wednesday congratulating him. He expects to get additional details from the within the next few days.

“I just feel really blessed right now,” Lyerly said. “There were so many people who thought I wouldn’t have a chance, that I wasn’t good enough to make it. It’s just all surreal right now. The coaching staff at Charlotte, especially (head) coach (Loren) Hibbs, worked with me and kept telling me I could do this.”

Lyerly was the eighth player in school history to bat .400 or more for a single season (.401). He led the team in batting average, doubles (18), slugging (.725) and on-base percentage (.493). He missed 12 games due to injury and finished second in RBI and third in hits.

He played first, second and third base due to injuries on the team, committing only two errors in 364 chances.

Lyerly is highest drafted 49ers player since pitcher John Maine was taken in the sixth round of the 2002 draft by Baltimore.

Pry named 49ers golf coach

Adam Pry has finally lost his "interim" title.

Charlotte 49ers athletics director Judy Rose today announced Wednesday Adam Pry has been named the 49ers head men’s golf coach. Pry, the 2009 Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year, had been serving as interim head coach during the spring 2009 semester. He led the 49ers to the A-10 championship and a fifth consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance.

"After completing a national search, I am convinced that we have the perfect candidate for the golf coach position right in our midst,” said Rose. “Adam Pry served as interim coach this season and did an excellent job during a somewhat difficult time.

"Losing a head coach mid-year is tough and Adam stepped right in and made the transition much smoother for our student-athletes."

Pry said it has been his dream to be a NCAA Division I golf coach. "What makes it even better is that I get to do it at a place I feel so strongly about," he said. "What UNC Charlotte is as a university, what the Charlotte athletic department represents and the principles which Charlotte’s golf team has been built upon make this opportunity so fantastic.”

As interim head coach, Pry oversaw the 49ers late-season rally that produced an 11-stroke victory at the A-10 championship and a seventh-place finish at the NCAA Southeast Regional. Although the 49ers did not advance to the NCAA Championship, A-10 medalist Corey Nagy did qualify as an individual.

Pry, a 2004 graduate of Ohio Wesleyan, was a graduate assistant at Miami of Ohio (2005-07) and an assistant coach at Oglethorpe (2004-05). He was a two-time team captain at Ohio Wesleyan, where he competed at four NCAA national championships.

Former Niner Murphy will play U.S. Open

Former Charlotte 49ers golfer Trevor Murphy has qualified to compete at the 2009 U.S. Open Championship June 18-21 at Bethpage Black Course in Farmingdale, N.Y.

Murphy was one of four players to advance out of sectional qualifying in Purchase, N.Y., on Monday. Murphy shot a 70-68-138 to tie for second at the site.

Murphy lettered four years with the 49ers from 2005-2009 and was part of an historic class that participated in four straight NCAA Tournaments. In his last two years, Murphy was part of a Charlotte team that finished tied for third (2007) and tied for eighth (2008) in the NCAA Tournament. The 49ers also won three Atlantic 10 championships during his tenure.

In addition, Murphy qualified for the 2008 PGA Wachovia Championship at Quail Hollow Country Club in Charlotte in his senior year. Murphy, competing as an amateur, shot +3 at the event to narrowly miss the cut by two strokes. Murphy turned pro following his senior season.

Charlotte rising senior Corey Nagy advanced to US Open sectional qualifying but failed to advance out of the sectional at Ball Ground, Ga.

Steedley named to all-star team

The Florida State League recently announced its All-Star rosters and the Fort Myers Miracle placed seven players on the team, including former Charlotte 49ers standout Spencer Steedley.

Steedley, a Minnesota Twins prospect, has been very impressive this season. The 24-year-old southpaw is 3-0 with a 0.74 ERA. The former 49ers starter has a 25:7 strikeout to walk ratio and has a 1.07 WHIP in 24 1/3 innings pitched this season.

A report by the Bleacher Report said Steedley likely will be promoted after the All-Star game. The game will be held at Hammond Stadium, home of the Fort Myers Miracle on June 20.

Several 49ers athletes earn recognition

Charlotte senior sprinter Lamarra Currie was honored for her athletic accomplishments and her achievements in the classroom as she was one of four student-athletes to earn an Atlantic 10 Postgraduate Scholarship. Currie’s A-10 scholarship is in addition to the NCAA Ethnic Minority Postgraduate Scholarship she received in February.

Currie was named the Atlantic 10 Female Scholar Athlete of the Year in both indoor and outdoor track and field and is a five-time Academic All-Conference selection. Currie is the only person in A-10 women’s outdoor track and field history to twice be named the Female Scholar Athlete of the Year.

-Following up on a stellar race at the NCAA East Regional Championships, the Charlotte 49ers 4x100 meter relay squad was selected by the NCAA Committee to participate in next week’s NCAA Championships at Arkansas. The squad consists of Currie, Chalonda Silver, Sirrell Butler and Pat Springs.

-Charlotte 49ers Rob Lyerly and Joe Yermal were named to the 2009 North Carolina Collegiate Sports Information Association (NCCSIA) University Division All-State Baseball Team, which was released this week.

The team consists of NCAA Division I student-athletes from North Carolina colleges and universities. The all-state team consists of two pitchers, one catcher, four infielders, three outfielders and one designated hitter.

Pry finalist for 49ers golf coach opening

Interim Charlotte 49ers golf coach Adam Pry, who took over the program last fall when former coach Jamie Green took the head coaching job at Duke, is a finalist for the Charlotte job, athletics director Judy Rose confirmed.

Rose said there were other finalists as well but she declined to name them. She said he hoped to name a permanent coach by next week.

Pry was named Atlantic 10 coach of the year after the 49ers won their fourth consecutive league title and fifth consecutive NCAA Tournament bid this season.

A finalist for the 2008 Jan Strickland Assistant Coach of the Year Award, Pry is now in his second season with the 49ers program. He helped the 49ers on their historic run to becoming the nation's consensus No. 1-ranked team in the fall of 2007 and to their eighth-place finish at the 2008 NCAA Championship.

Mack, Alexander getting NBA looks

Two Charlotte men's basketball players will have the opportunity this summer to get a look from NBA teams.

Lamont Mack, a 6-foot-7 forward who just completed his senior season, has a tryout scheduled with the NBA's Charlotte Bobcats on June 11. He also hopes to schedule tryouts with at least three other teams - Minnesota, Memphis and Atlanta.

Former 49ers standout De'Angelo Alexander, a shooting guard who played last season in Germany, will play for the NBA's Oklahoma City Thunder in the summer league.

Highly touted recruit visiting Charlotte

Noel Johnson, the 53rd ranked player in the country in the Class of 2009 by recruiting service Rivals.com, is concluding a two-day visit with the Charlotte 49ers on Tuesday.

Johnson, a 6-foot-7, 180-wing player from Fayetteville, Ga., is also the 11th ranked small forward in the country and a four-star recruit. He originally signed with Southern Cal but was recently granted a release from his letter of intent.

Johnson is considering several schools, including Georgia Tech, Louisiana State and UNLV, although Charlotte is considered the front runner, sources said.

It is unclear how Johnson would be able to receive a scholarship. As of Tuesday, all of the 49ers' scholarships are taken for the 2009-10 season.

Rivals.com describes Johnson as a wing guard with good size and an excellent jumper.

49ers send 3 to NCAA Track Finals

On the final day of the NCAA East Regional track and field championships in Greensboro, Lamarra Currie, Aja Jackson and Darius Law each picked up automatic berths to the NCAA Championships with top five finishes in the finals.

Law’s finish in the 400 meter dash snapped his own school record in the event. Charlotte’s three automatic qualifiers are the most in program history.

Senior Lamarra Currie qualified for two events - the 100 meter dash and 200 meter dash. Senior Aja Jackson qualified for the 800 meter run and sophomore Darius Law qualified for the 400 meter dash.

Charlotte’s NCAA qualifiers will be back in action June 10-13 when they travel to Arkansas for the NCAA Championships.