Why not cover CIAA like the ACC?

Each week, I'll answer some reader questions about the CIAA tournament. Here are a few of them:

QUESTION: Hey, here’s an idea, why not cover the CIAA like it’s a sporting event. The Observer leaves me cold with it’s coverage of the CIAA. It’s more than a party. Are you all going to cover the ACC the same way as you all cover the CIAA? Anonymous

ANSWER: True, it is more than a party. The games are the reason the tournament exists. And we do cover the games. But you must admit the CIAA is an experience that no other tournament can match. The fellowship, the cultural events, the $27 million it brought in last year.Meanwhile, the ACC is all about the games. UNC and Duke are national powers. When they lose, their fans go home too. Not so at the CIAA.In fact, most of the e-mails I get about the CIAA are about the parties and events surrounding it. Haven’t gotten one yet asking about an ACC party.

QUESTION: I find it interesting that on the (charlotte.com) sports page, both UNCC and Davidson have team pages, but JCSU does not... I think it would not only draw more attention to Smith, but also to your website as people who went to Smith can easily read about what’s going on sports wise... What would it take to get Smith a link on the Sports page? Lance Albright

ANSWER: Good question. We set up team pages as the interest level and coverage of the team grows. For instance, we just started the Davidson team page 3 months ago because of all the national interest and stories about Stephen Curry. News coverage dictates a lot of it because you wouldn’t want a team page and not have lots of stories on the page. That would look skimpy. By those standards, I agree it may be time to start a JCSU and/or CIAA page year-round. So stay tuned.

QUESTION: How about going to a JCSU game and actually write about something you know?!?! It’s really sad how you’re being pimped by this paper. Anonymous

ANSWER: That’s cold. I’ve been following the CIAA standings for much of the season. Myself and the guys at the McCrorey YMCA talk CIAA hoops all the time. And I plan to go to the JCSU vs Livingstone game this Saturday.
I would go to more games, but I work weeknights at the paper. You know, it’s hard out here for a pimp.

Tickets go on sale at JC Smith on Feb. 1

A limited number of ticket booklets for the CIAA basketball tournament will go on sale at Johnson C. Smith University at 7 a.m., Friday, Feb. 1 in the Jack S. Brayboy Gymnasium on the university campus.

Tickets must be purchased in person at the gymnasium or by calling one of four telephone numbers set up for ticket sales - (704) 378-1087, (704) 378-1278, (704) 378-1083, and (704) 378-1145. Once allotted tickets are sold, the telephone sales lines will be closed.

Entrance to the gymnasium parking lot for ticket purchasers is restricted to the Martin Street gate, which will open at 5 a.m. on Feb. 1. Gymnasium doors will open at 7 a.m.

Prices for the tournament booklets are $275, $175, and $100. Individual game tickets are not available. Cash, credit card, or debit card payments only will be accepted. For more information, check the JCSU Website at www.jcsu.edu for more information.

CIAA players to watch as tournament approaches

When the CIAA tournament starts, make sure you check out Bowie State because they tell me point guard Carlos Williams is worth the admission.

He's the spark that's got Bowie State breathing down the neck of perennial CIAA power Virginia Union, who's holding on to first by a thread in the Eastern Division.

Williams was recently named one of six Division II finalists for the Bob Cousy Award, which honors the nation's top point guard. The list includes point guards from all NCAA levels.

Williams, a senior from Louisville, Kentucky, leads the CIAA in Assists per Game (6.4), ranks second in CIAA Assist/Turnover Ratio (2.17), first in team Free Throw Attempts (52), Free Throws Made (39) and Steals (19). The finalists will be announced on Feb. 1 and the winner will be presented with the award at the NCAA Men's Final Four in San Antonio Texas on April 7.

Mens' Player of the Week
Anthony Hilliard, ECSU, Jr., Guard, 6-3, 205, Fayetteville, NC.
Notes of interest: With his career high 42-point performance against Lincoln, Hilliard became the first Viking since 2004 to score 1000 career points. He followed that with 23 points, 16 rebounds and 5 assists against Fayetteville State, helping the Vikings remain undefeated at home this season.

Womens' Player of the Week
Celeste Trahan, ECSU, 6-2, Center, Senior, Stockton, CA.
Notes of Interest: Besides her 32-point, 16-rebound, 4-block performance in a two-point loss to Fayetteville State, Trahan registered a 25-point, 24-rebound, 4 block game against Columbia Union College on January 16th. She now has 76 career double-doubles and is 74 points and 90 rebounds shy of 2,000 points and 1,500 rebounds in a career, which would make her the first ever to do so in NCAA Division II women's basketball history.

Read more about other CIAA players, coaches and team standings at http://www.theciaa.com/

It's official: CIAA is here through 2011

The CIAA will indeed be in Charlotte for another three years.

That came straight from CIAA commissioner Leon Kerry Thursday during a press conference at the Convention Center. Watch the video.

"The next three years it's going to be Charlotte. We're working on that. Will we put it up for bids in the next few years, I don't know, probably... Things you gotta watch for is hotels. We're trying to get great rates from the hotels. Fans drive here, gas is high, you gotta pay tipping, you gotta pay for parking. But the good thing about Charlotte is the new rail system, you can ride in... Sometime in February we'll submit a deal to be in Charlotte through 2011."

Kerry also said ticket sales are going well.

"We still got about 2,000 upper-level seats, 100 box seats... They're still selling tickets at the individual schools. My office has sold over $1 million in tickets already. So ticket sales are ahead of schedule, compared to last year."

Other highlights from the press conference:

- Entertainment will feature gospel great CeCe Winans and rapper Chingy.

- The Steve Harvey Morning Show will return. (Big hit last year).

- Golf tournament at Ballantyne.

- The CIAA's official Web site will show tournament game highlights.

For the complete list of events and dates, go to http://www.ciaatournament.org/

Comments, questions: Post them below. Thanks

News about CIAA Tournament Thursday

The CIAA tournament will be here before you know it, back for its third straight year in the Queen City.

And so am I, back to provide a running dialog with the fans about all things CIAA.

I know it’s a little early, but I’ve already gotten questions from some of you about this year’s tournament, which runs Feb. 25-March 1.

For instance:
Question: Did Charlotte get the CIAA tournament for 2009-2011??
Gail A. Hoggard, Atlanta.

Answer: Not yet, but CIAA Commissioner Leon Kerry said in September that he wants to make Charlotte the CIAA’s permanent home. It won’t be official until other cities are allowed to bid on it.

The answers to some of your questions may be answered Thursday when CIAA and city organizers hold an 11 a.m. news conference at the Charlotte Convention Center.

The press release says they’ll discuss ticket sales, new CIAA events, national artist appearances and an MLK community event, among other things.

So stay tuned. I’ll keep you posted.

If you have questions or comments, you can put them in the comments section below. Thanks.