Contact: Nancy Lindemeyer
Phone: (336) 373-2105

Basketball & Barbecue Playoff in State Girls Hoops Championship

GREENSBORO – Greensboro’s Grimsley High School girls basketball team will challenge the South View Fighting Tigers for the 4A girls state basketball crown this Saturday evening and the Mayors of Greensboro and Hope Mills are each rooting for their local teams. Both have an extra incentive for hoping their school wins – the losing Mayor must deliver a pound of barbecue to the winning City’s Mayor. And not just any barbecue - Hope Mills Mayor Eddie Dees would give Mayor Keith Holliday a vinegary mix of eastern-style barbecue if his team loses, while Mayor Holliday would provide a pound of tomato-based western barbecue courtesy of Stamey’s Barbecue if the Whirlies don’t win.

Whirlies Coach Phil Weaver says that a State Championship is worth far more than a pound of barbeque but he understands it is a tough year for budgeting.

“Our women have won four championships this year, but the only real goal from day one has been to be State Champions,” Weaver said. “They have been confident without being cocky and have had a fierce determination to finish the job. Regardless of who gets to eat the barbeque, both teams will have had great seasons.”

Mayor Dees said that, while we won’t know the basketball winner until Saturday evening, he’s certain eastern-style barbecue beats western barbecue. Holliday says he’s confident that he’ll be eating eastern barbecue after Saturday night’s game – but not too much. “I’m still working on the Mayors Challenge that began February 1 to lose 10 pounds in 10 weeks.” The Whirlies team has volunteered to help him finish off any leftover barbecue.

The game begins at 5 pm in the Dean Smith Center at UNC Chapel Hill. Both teams reached the finals with outstanding records - the Hope Mills Fighting Tigers bring a 31-0 record while the Whirlies are 30-1. The game will be televised live on News 14 Carolina.

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