Gilliam starting well in 2013

UNC Greensboro sophomore right-hander Lee Gilliam tossed a career-high 7.0 scoreless innings, leading the Spartans to a 9-0 shutout Saturday afternoon over Albany at the UNCG Baseball Stadium. He only allowed three base runners and limited the Great Danes to three hits while striking out two batters.

The shutout was the first of the season for the Spartans and their first since blanking Penn State last year.

An alum of Chapel Hill High School’s 2010 and 2011 conference champions, Gilliam turned in the best pitching effort so far into his collegiate career to pick up his first win of the season. He bettered his previous high of 6.0 innings, set a week before against Dayton.

Meghan Smith making the grade(s)

East Chapel Hill swimming alumna Meghan Smith had a big week for Duquesne University, where she’s now a junior and a nominee for the Atlantic 10 Conference’s 2013 swimmer of the year.

Smith was the high point winner for the Dukes in the recent Atlantic 10 swimming and diving championships in Geneva, Ohio. She won the 400 IM with a time of 4:21.69, took third in the 200 butterfly in 2:01.72 and fifth in the 200 IM with a time of 2:03.71. She also swam in four relays as Duquesne finished seventh overall at the meet.

Shortly after that, Smith, the daughter of East Chapel Hill swim coach Lyn Smith, received the news she was being named to the Dean’s List in Health Sciences for her academic performance in the fall semester.

Carly Smith earns all-ACC honors

Chapel Hill High alumna Carly Smith earned all-conference honors last weekend at the annual Atlantic Coast Conference swimming championships at the Greensboro Aquatics Center, where she helped the Tar Heels surge to a third-place finish.

Smith, a red-shirt junior who’s on her way back from last year’s ankle surgery, represented herself and her school well Friday with a second-place finish in the 100-yard backstroke in a time of 53.05.

Saturday, she was one of three Carolina swimmers who finished 3-4-5 in the 200-yard backstroke. Freshman Annie Harrison led the way in 1:54.79, followed by Smith at 1:54.91 and Rebecca Brooks at 1:56.88. Harrison’s time makes her the second fastest performer in UNC history behind only Smith, who still holds the school record.

A hard fall for Tigers

No doubt Oxford Webb is a good team even without 6-8 Carolina recruit Isaiah Hicks, but an almost unstoppable one when he’s “on.” Still, Chapel Hill seemed to have found the formula for beating Webb in two previous meetings — a combination of intense defense inside the paint, good outside shooting to make Webb chase the Tigers man-to-man, and meticulous control of the tempo.

The precise balance of ingredients was disrupted last Friday early in first period, when Chapel Hill’s Anthony Vanhook hit the floor after swatting away a Webb shot from the paint.

Vanhook, one of nine seniors on the experienced CHHS team, is one of those veteran players who’s been good at everything — especially shooting accurately, ball-handling and defense. He was a virtually indispensable part of the Tigers’ plans for handling Hicks.

After his hard fall, Vanhook was on the bench for long enough for Hicks & Co. to regain its footing. Had he been 100 percent for the whole game, it could have changed things.

The Warriors were down by as much as 21-10 before Hicks scored seven of Webb’s 12 points in the third period. He finished with 17 points in helping Webb to its 57-41 win, which sent it onto the NCHSAA regionals.

SCENES

Former Chapel Hill Tiger DENZEL ROBINSON, now a member of the University of North Carolina varsity basketball team, returning to Alumni Gym to watch future Tar Heel ISAIAH HICKS and his Webb teammates take on CHHS. … Former East Chapel Hill basketball player and student body president ROB JONES among those squeezing into a packed gym to watch the Webb-CHHS game. … Carrboro High athletics director APRIL ROSS bundled up to sell game tickets on a long, late and downright cold afternoon. … Chapel Hill coach SHERRY NORRIS and husband RONNY NORRIS watching their son, Capt. JASON NORRIS take over command of the Alpha Company of Blackhawks in a ceremony at Ft. Bragg. … LILLIAN LEE visiting with UNC basketball coach ROY WILLIAMS, who was with golfing buddy TED SEAGROVES in the stands to watch a Chapel Hill-Webb boys’ basketball game last week. … Sportscaster PAUL O’CONNELL of WCHL handling the public address duties for the Carolina-6 basketball tournament finals at Chapel Hill High School.

W.E. Warnock