S CAROLINA-MARTIN
Coach Martin sees improvement for South Carolina
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) β South Carolina coach Frank Martin believes this season is already off to a better start than his first two struggling basketball campaigns with the Gamecocks.
Martin’s team opened fall camp Monday. And while Martin dealt with mostly college newcomers the past two seasons, he sees an experienced group well-versed in what he expects on and off the court.
The coach said he’s got a handle on what his returning talent can do and that gives him confidence things are turning around. It has certainly been a struggle for Martin and the Gamecocks, who have gone 28-38 overall and 9-27 in the Southeastern Conference his first two seasons.
But Martin said his players have put in the work this offseason to improve and hope to see that unfold this winter.
PANTHERS-OLSEN
Panthers tight end Olsen getting better with age
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) β Tight end Greg Olsen is in the midst of a career year for the Panthers and is turning into the focal point of Carolina’s passing game.
Olsen is on pace to post career highs in receptions, yards receiving and touchdowns. His 27 receptions are tops on the team and third-most among NFL tight ends, and he has 326 yards and four TDs through five games.
Panthers offensive coordinator Mike Shula says the eight-year NFL veteran is “getting better” with each passing season.
Olsen led the Panthers with 73 receptions last year after catching 69 and 45 his two previous seasons in Carolina. This year he’s on pace to catch 86 passes for 1,043 yards and 12 touchdowns.
Shula isn’t surprised, calling the 29-year-old Olsen one of the team’s hardest workers.
HURRICANES-SKINNER
Carolina’s forward Skinner out with concussion
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) β Carolina Hurricanes forward Jeff Skinner has been diagnosed with a concussion.
General manager Ron Francis disclosed the diagnosis Monday and said doctors will continue to monitor Skinner in the coming days.
The 22-year-old Skinner was hurt during a 5-2 loss at Washington in the Hurricanes’ preseason finale. He was hit by Capitals defenseman Matt Niskanen immediately following a faceoff.
Skinner is the second key Carolina player to be hurt this preseason. Center Jordan Staal will miss 4-6 months after breaking a bone in his leg on Sept. 23 at Buffalo.
Skinner has missed games with concussions in two of the past three years.
NORTH CAROLINA-OFFENSE
UNC still trying to find consistent offense
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) β North Carolina’s offense wasn’t supposed to be a question mark.
The Tar Heels entered Larry Fedora’s third season figuring that they would move the ball consistently and put up big scoring totals that could offset some of the defensive problems from last year. And yet, UNC has been up and down heading into Saturday’s trip to No. 6 Notre Dame.
The Tar Heels (2-3, 0-2 Atlantic Coast Conference) are in the top third of the league in scoring at 36 points but they’ve gone through numerous flat stretches, including a punt-heavy drought as Virginia Tech took control in a weekend loss.
Fedora blames a series of smaller mistakes through the lineup and says it’s up to the players to “decide as an individual you want to fix it.”
PELICANS-HAWKS
John Jenkins, Hawks hold off Pelicans, 93-87
ATLANTA (AP) β John Jenkins scored 13 points, making a 3-pointer with less than 2 minutes remaining to help stop New Orleans’ comeback, and Atlanta beat the Pelicans 93-87 on Monday night in the Hawks’ preseason opener.
Ryan Anderson had 14 points for the Pelicans, who trailed 78-63 after three periods before trimming the deficit to 86-83. Jrue Holiday had 13 points and Eric Gordon added 12 for New Orleans.
Mike Scott and Jeff Teague each had 11 points for Atlanta.
Atlanta’s offseason was marred by the racially charged comments by co-owner Bruce Levenson, who is selling his majority share of the team, and general manager Danny Ferry, who has taken an indefinite leave of absence.
There was no apparent reaction to the controversy from fans at the game.
