Bryant’s 46 points most in the world for that day
For one day at least, a guy from Norfolk was No. 1 in the world.
From his days with Lake Taylor High to his performances as a two-time Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Player of the Year and two-time HBCU National Player of the Year for Norfolk State to the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament, Joe Bryant Jr. made a big name in area basketball.
Now he’s a rookie pro in Poland who’s attracting plenty of attention. Playing for WKS Slask Wroclaw in Polish’s No. 2 league, he rang up 46 points in an 81-76 victory over Kolobrzeg on Thursday.
According to Eurobasket News, he was the world’s high scorer in pro basketball that day. He also had eight rebounds, six assists and five steals in 39 minutes.
Bryant’s team is 10-2, leading the 18-team league, and he is averaging a league-best 23.1 points along with five assists per game.
In his superlative performance Bryant was 16 of 24 from the field, including 3 of 8 from 3-point range, and 11 of 12 on free throws.
Young karting king: Just 14 years old, Sherod Charity of Courtland already is an accomplished racer.
Representing Buddy Tubbs Racing, Charity has won five go-kart championships in three years, including three titles this year.
His father Alfred,credited members of the Hampton Roads Kart Club at Langley Speedway with being instrumental in Charity’s development as a racer. He has taken championships in endurance karting and speed indoor karting.
Charity will be one of 150 teens from the United States to compete in the K1 Speed National/ World Championship in Winchester, California, in 2024, according to his father. That Southern California locale is a winding, challenging circuit.
Field hockey opportunity:
Local standouts have qualified for the 2024 U.S. U-16 and U-18 Women’s National Teams following a three-day training camp in Charlotte, North Carolina.
At a Feb. 2-4 camp, athletes will compete for selection to one of the three traveling squads going on tour in Europe this spring.
“Every drop of sweat symbolized growth,” U-16 head coach Tamara Durante said in a release, one of my favorite quotes in a while.
Among 45 U-16 players invited to the February camp are state Class 3 champion Tabb’s Kira Trader and Poquoson’s Elizabeth Trant.
Gabby Anderson of Bruton High was one of 43 players selected in the U-18 group. Virginia Beach’s Joji Purdy, a Norfolk Academy star, was one of three U-18 players given injury waivers who will be evaluated at the February camp.
“Super”semifinalists: A pair of area teams reached the semifinals before losing at the Pop Warner Super Bowl in Orlando, Florida.
The Portsmouth Bruins’ 9-and-under Division 1 team blanked the Penndel Wildcats of Pennsylvania 20-0 before losing 24-8 to the Westchase Colts of Florida.
In 12U Division II the Bennett’s Creek Warriors edged the Santa Clara Wildcats 14-12 before falling 33-8 in a semifinal to the Maple Heights Saints of Ohio.
In 14U Division 1, the bracket featuring the tournament’s oldest players, the Churchland Tigers fell 38-0 to the North Long Beach Panthers of California and 39-6 to the Colorado Longhorns.
All 88 of the teams at the event won league and regional championships.