Nike Peach Jam 2007 Confidential

NORTH AUGUSTA, SC — Expect a rematch of a game played earlier in the tournament in Sunday evening’s finals of the Nike Peach Jam. Expected to advance out of the semifinals are the New York Gauchos and the Georgia Stars, setting up a final that will pit the tallest team with the most overall talent (Stars) against the smothering full court press of the Gauchos. The Gauchos won the first meeting behind the heroics of U-Conn bound Kemba Walker, who totally dominated play on both ends of the court.

To get to the finals, the Stars will have to dispose of the Georgia Blazers, who shocked the Metro Hawks in the quarter-finals Saturday night, thanks in part to 6-10 Xavier Gibson, who turned in a tremendous all-around game. The Gauchos will square off with The Family, the Detroit-based team that shocked Boo Williams Summer League of Norfolk, Virginia in the quarters.

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Franz Beard
Back in January of 1969, the late, great Jack Hairston, then the sports editor of the Jacksonville Journal, called me on the phone one night and asked me if I wanted to work for him. I said yes. The entire interview took 30 seconds. It's my experience that whenever the interview lasts 30 seconds or less, I get the job. In the 48 years that I've been writing and getting paid for it, I've covered Super Bowls, World Series, NCAA basketball championships, BCS championship games, heavyweight title fights and what seems like thousands of college football, baseball and basketball games. I'm a columnist and special assignments editor for Gator Country once again, writing about the only team that ever mattered to me, the Florida Gators.