With the ASUN championship game tied 66-66, and Terrell Burden heading to the free throw line with 0.7 seconds on the clock, Kennesaw State coach Amir Abdur-Rahim had a simple message for his senior point guard.
"I love you," he said.
The feeling was mutual. Burden was the first player signed once Abdur-Rahim became coach four seasons ago. That first year they suffered through a 1-28 season.
Sunday, with a simple made free throw, Burden had a chance to beat Liberty and send the Owls to their first NCAA tournament. The first of two shots swished through the net to give KSU a 67-66 lead.
What did Abdur-Rahim say before Burden's second attempt?
"Miss it high," he said.
Burden, who finished with a team-high 19 points and was named ASUN tournament MVP, did exactly that. He had the ball bounce off the back of the rim and go straight up. By the time the ball was rebounded, the final moment ticked off the clock and the celebration began with the Owls and the sell out, boisterous KSU Convocation Center record 3,805 fans.
Now, the Owls will have to wait for a week before they find out who they will be playing and where. In the latest Bracketology on ESPN.com, KSU is penciled in as a No. 15 seed and playing Baylor in Denver. CBSSports.com has the Owls as a 14-seed, also playing Baylor, but in Columbus, Ohio. KSU is the first team since BYU in 2001 to advance to the NCAA tournament less than five years after a season with one or zero wins.
People thronged to Marietta Square for a full day of games, laughter and revelry during Marietta the Gathering’s inaugural festival celebrating the geek community Saturday.
A geek, according to Merriam-Webster dictionary, is “an enthusiast or expert who is obsessively interested in a particular subject.”
The term “geek” has been used as a derogatory word in the past, stereotyping certain people or hobbies. Today, it is seen as a badge of honor to gamers, pop culture enthusiasts and others who follow their creative passions.
There wasn’t a cloud in the sky to obstruct the sun as revelers walked by tents, looking at goods and interacting with people plying their wares in the shade.
Nevin Marshall, a woodworker from Marietta, was out enjoying the weather with his 4-year-old daughter, Julie, teaching her chess moves on an oversized chess board. Jorge Maldonado, a retail worker from Marietta, was out sharing his passion for all things “Star Wars.” He’s a part of the 501st legion, a charity group that spreads the joy of Star Wars by visiting children in the hospital and other kind deeds. Maldonado was showing off his remote-control droid he built to eager fans stopping by and asking questions. He said it took him 18 months to build the droid, and that it always brings smiles to children’s faces when he brings it to the hospital.
The Cobb County High School Coalition and Smyrna-based Habitat for Humanity of NW Metro Atlanta hammered the first nails in the affiliate’s first home build of the year.
The one-story house will soon be a home for single mother Laurelle and her two children.
This is the 26th Habitat home built by the students of the Habitat clubs of the Cobb County High School Coalition. The four Cobb high schools participating in this year’s coalition are Campbell, Hillgrove, Pope and Walton High School Habitat for Humanity student chapters.
Even though she spends 46% of her income on housing costs, Laurelle’s current apartment makes her concerned for her family’s health. The electrical wiring in the apartment is substandard, mold is on the ceiling and stray cats’ nest in the HVAC vents.
Laurelle’s looking forward to being able to provide her 14-year-old daughter and her energetic 11-year-old son separate bedrooms.
She says she heard about Habitat for Humanity’s international work where she grew up in St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands, but she decided to apply when her son’s therapist told her about the homeownership program. Now, she’s on her way to building a new home in Marietta, with an affordable, zero interest mortgage. For more information head over to habitat NWMA dot org.
Smiles and laughter abounded as the Cobb County NAACP celebrated its annual “Profiles in Black” program at Turner Chapel AME Church on the final day of Black History Month Tuesday.
More than 50 people gathered to recognize African-American men in the community who have made significant strides in American society. The Cobb County NAACP will celebrate African-American women who have impacted their community during Women’s History Month in March. The evening’s celebration serves as a reminder that the struggles and progress of the past are essential to the present, Blackburn said. In between songs and award presentations, Blackburn peppered the audience with famous quotes from Black Americans such as Ava DuVernay, John Lewis, Serena Williams, Harriet Tubman and Alice Walker, trying to see if the audience could identify the source.
The honorees gave brief speeches thanking the NAACP and emphasizing the importance of the organization.
For a full list of honorees, please head over to MDJ Online dot com.
Grown-up spellers should be buzzing: The 6th annual Adult Spelling Bee, a fundraiser for the Cobb branch of Communities in Schools, will take place Friday at the Strand Theatre.
Last year's event raised over $60,000 for Communities in Schools of Marietta and Cobb, a school dropout prevention and intervention organization that offers resources to students throughout both districts to fund such programs as career fairs and book distributions. This year's goal is $75,000, according to Jennifer Lynch, who leads the group's fundraising efforts.
Participating teams, which this year include different police chiefs around Cobb, young professionals, lawyers and judges and Kiwanis Club members, dress up in costume and imitate characters for the event. The event begins with a VIP program at 5:30 p.m., followed by the start of the general program at 7 p.m.
Tickets for this year's bee are available at the Strand's website. General admission tickets are $20, and VIP tickets are $75.
Want to better ensure your fishing success at your local waterway?
No need to consult a crystal ball to get the fishing outlook, just check the updated Georgia Fishing Forecasts.
Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ Wildlife Resources Division (WRD) fisheries biologists and technicians annually update the fishing forecasts for 31 Georgia reservoirs and 19 rivers, and they are available in one convenient location at Georgia Wildlife dot com slash fishing dash forecasts. Over forty five lakes and rivers are included in the forecasts. To get started on your fishing adventures today, go to Go Outdoors Georgia dot gov to purchase your Georgia Fishing license.
#CobbCounty #Marietta #LocalNews
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