Green Hope basketball player Tariq Forte said he will not be eligible for the first semester of the 2009-10 season.

Forte, a transfer from Roslyn High School on Long Island, figured to be an immediate impact player for the Falcons this year. Forte, a junior, is a 6-3 forward who starred in the AAU 16U ranks for the Cary Cougars.

 It is not clear why Forte will not be eligible. 

The loss means Green Hope has already lost two returning starters to transfer (Kameron Bryant to Panther Creek, Mo Somadjagbi to South Wake Academy) and will now be without a would-be starter for the first semester. 

Southern Durham needs one boys basketball and one girls basketball team to participate in the 2009 Spartan Thanksgiving Basketball Classic to be held on Saturday, November 28th at Southern Durham High School.
 
Southern also needs a boys team to play in the second annual Spartan Christmas Challenge held December 28-30 at Southern Durham High School. Three game guarantee.

Contact Art Richmond at Southern Durham (919-560-3968). 

According to a report by the Riverside Press-Enterprise (Calif.), Apex girls' basketball player and reigning 2008-09 Tri-Eight Player of the Year Chloe Wells will be moving back to California for her senior year.

According to a report by the Riverside Press-Enterprise (Cali.), Apex girls' basketball player and reigning 2008-09 Tri-Eight Player of the Year Chloe Wells will be moving back to California for her senior year.

It shouldn't be a surprise to anyone in the area if I said that Apex won the team camp at UNCW a few weeks ago. After all, some self-proclaimed pundit picked them to win the Tri-9 next season.

But what should surprise you is that the Cougars did it without its best player, returning first team All-Tri-Eight forward Weston Murphy.

Three seniors graduated. Then, Kameron Bryant's family moves down the road to Panther Creek and Mo Somadjabi transfers to South Wake Academy, meaning the top five Green Hope scorers from last year are leaving. Why does J. Mike Blake think Green Hope will have a better record? Read about the new faces Tariq Forte and Max Povse.

Eighth grader is impressive in California camp.

Panther Creek's new men's basketball coach will be Travis Chapman, Athletics Director Todd Schuler announced today. Chapman spent last year as the team's top assistant coach.

Panther Creek's new men's basketball coach will be Travis Chapman, Athletics Director Todd Schuler announced today. Chapman spent last year as the team's top assistant coach.

Chapman will replace L.J. Hepp, who left to become the director of basketball operations at the University of South Carolina. Hepp often credited Chapman with devising the Catamounts' defensive schemes, even once asking reporters to interview Chapman after a game.

Panther Creek posted a 28-3 record last year, winning the Tri-Eight's regular season and conference championships. Chapman has 12 years of experience as an assistant varsity coach, head junior varsity coach and freshman head coach.

Schuler said Chapman would begin head men's basketball coach duties immediately.

"After an extensive search process, we are convinced that Travis is the right person for the job.  Coach Chapman has the respect of the players and school community, he understands our school culture and he's committed to maintaining a basketball program centered around high academic and high character standards," Schuler said.

"We are fortunate to have a person with Coach Chapman's talent and integrity willing and eager to work with our student-athletes.  I’m looking forward to working with Travis and the rest of the basketball staff as we continue to develop our basketball program."

Chapman teaches science classes at the school.

Many of the top high school junior boys basketball players in the country will play in the Bob Gibbons Tournament of Champions event this weekend. Games are scattered throughout the Triangle. Among the venues are Duke University, the University of North Carolina and N.C. State.