Gaston trio battered, but OK after All-Star Games

GREENSBORO - Two Gaston County girls players and one coach didn't leave the East-West All-Star Games without a few scratches.

Forestview's Jessica Capers, East Gaston's Cameron Sealey and Ashbrook head coach Marty Hatchell all had ailments before or during their games on Monday.

Capers injured her left knee during Saturday practice and was unable to play Monday. During her team's second practice Saturday, Capers went up for a lay up when a teammate inadvertently hit her in the air and caused the West Virginia signee to twist her knee.

"It's nothing more than a sprain," said Capers, who had yet to inform West Virginia of the injury but did tell her trainer. "I start class (Tuesday) at 12."

Unlike Capers' knee injury, Sealey's was nothing more than a scratch.

"I dove for a ball in the first quarter and I must have hit it on the (press row) table," said Sealey.

The cut on Sealey's knee forced her to take a seat with two minutes remaining in the first quarter. The East Gas-ton scoring leader had scored six points in just four minutes before having to take a seat.

Sealey went on to score 15 in the game, second on the team in points behind MVP Trumae Lucas, and helped lead her team to a 78-73 win.

The West All-Stars boys' head coach wasn't injured during his stay in Greensboro, but rather before he even ar-rived. Hatchell persevered through a couple broken ribs and a bad back to coach the All-Stars.

While cleaning the gutters of his house recently, Hatchell fell off a ladder and broke a couple ribs while reinjuring his back.

"You won't recognize me on the sideline since I'll be sitting down," said Hatchell, who rarely takes a seat during Ashbrook games. But Hatchell stood plenty during the 40-minute game and his voice carried across the court despite his inability to breathe well.

"I felt fine," said Hatchell after the game. "I was hurting a little, but I was fine."

Hatchell was the first Ashbrook coach to lead the West since old Ashley High's Larry Rhodes did it in 1969 with the help of UNC great Bob McAdoo on his squad.