By MONTE DUTTON
I’m looking forward to football.
At the moment, I’m learning even more about Caitlin Clark. Nothing wrong with that. I’m a fan, and it’s hard to avoid because the Indiana Fever is on TV three times a week.
Plus, what used to be called tabloid media is now adorned on my home page. What did Caitlin say about Angel? Why are the fans angry at Christie Sides? The goal of every “report” seems to be choosing sides in one way or another.
A high percentage of my clicks are in vain.
Me? I was playing trivia, American history variety, at The Lumberyard, a local watering hole. Trivia, of course, is not a sport. Everyone must draw this line for him or herself, but checkers, chess and backgammon are outside my bounds. Trivia is merely something in which I am still capable of competing.
I’m also still capable of writing about actual sports. That’s why writers have long careers.
Furman great Jalen Slawson, drafted in the second round of the NBA draft in 2023, has moved on from the Sacramento Kings to the Detroit Pistons.
Slawson signed to play for the Pistons’ 2K25 Summer League team, beginning with a game against the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday at 7 p.m. on ESPN2.
All the games are played July 12-22 at Thomas & Mack Center and Cox Pavilion in Las Vegas, Nev.
Slawson became an unrestricted free agent at the end of June after the Kings declined to renew his contract. He appeared in 12 games for Sacramento during his rookie season while also averaging 13.6 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game for the NBA G-League’s Stockton Kings.
The Summerville product guided Furman to a 28-8 record, Southern Conference regular season title, its first SoCon Tournament title since 1980, and its first NCAA Tournament victory since 1974 as a senior en route to earning league player of the year accolades.
The 6- 7 forward, who poured in 19 points and pulled down 10 rebounds to lead the Paladins to a 68-67 victory over No. 4 seed Virginia in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament in Orlando, Fla., finished the 2023 season averaging 15.6 points, 7.1 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.5 steals, and 1.5 blocked shots per game.
Slawson concluded his Furman career ranked 19th in scoring (1,509 points), ninth in career rebounds (839), third in steals (192), third in blocked shots (182), and 12th all-time in assists (364). Along with fellow 2023 graduate Mike Bothwell, he established a new Furman standard with 116 career victories.
Only eight golfers have won both the U.S. Senior Amateur and the R&A (British) Men’s Senior Amateur.
The latest is Furman grad Todd White, who won the latter at Saunton (England) Golf Club on Friday.
The reigning U.S. Senior Amateur champion, White, who competed in the British tournament for the first time, topped defending champion Brent Paterson by one shot with a 7-over 291. He posted a 2-under 69 in the tournament’s final round and was the only player in the field to card two sub-70 scores, having opened with a 68.
White joins countrymen Dale Moray (1985), William Shean Jr (1999), Kemp Richardson (2001, 2004) Paul Simson (2008, 2010), Chip Lutz (2011, 2012, 2016), Patrick Tallent (2015) and Gene Elliott (2021) to have won the U.S. Senior and the R&A Senior Amateur championships.
“I have had a little experience back home playing courses like Chambers Bay where you often have to run the ball into greens, but nothing like this week,” said White. “Saunton is just a superb golf course. Winning is obviously a thrill but, as I was telling my wife, whatever happened this week was always going to be a fabulous experience.”
White will compete in the Senior Open presented by Rolex at Carnoustie in two weeks.
A high school history teacher, and Spartanburg High golf coach, White won the inaugural U.S. Amateur Four-Ball title in 2015 with 2013 USA Walker Cup teammate Nathan Smith at The Olympic Club in San Francisco. A four-time All-Southern Conference selection, he competed on the Paladin team from 1987-90 and posted four career tournament victories. His 73.85 career stroke average ranks ninth in the Furman record books. White was inducted into Furman’s Athletic Hall of Fame in 2003.
Walker Zimmerman, a 2023 inductee into the Furman Athletic Hall of Fame, made the United States Men’s Soccer Olympic team for the Paris Olympics.
The squad for the under-23 competition allows for three “wild card” overage players, which will include the 31-year-old Zimmerman, fellow defender Miles Robinson and midfielder Djorde Mihalovic.
A two-time All-American selection, two-time All-SoCon choice, and the 2011 SoCon Freshman of the Year during his two-year stint with the Furman men’s soccer team, Zimmerman helped lead the United States to the knockout stages of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
The Lawrenceville, Ga., native and former captain for the United States Men’s National Team is a five-time MLS Best XI honoree and two-time MLS Defender of the Year. A defender for Nashville SC of MLS, Zimmerman is currently playing his 12thseason of professional soccer.
The United States will train in Bordeaux and Marseille, France, this month before facing France in the opening match of Group A play on July 24. Zimmerman will also lead the Americans against New Zealand (July 27) and Guinea (July 30) in group play. The gold medal match is slated for August 9 in Paris.
Home matches against Virginia Tech and Southern Conference rivals Wofford and Mercer highlight Furman’s 2024 men’s soccer schedule.
The Paladins open the season by hosting High Point (Aug. 10) and Lees-McRae (Aug. 17) in a pair of exhibition contests before entertaining UNC Wilmington in the home opener on Thursday, Aug. 22 at Stone Soccer Stadium. A home match versus North Greenville (Aug. 30) is sandwiched between trips to Winthrop (Aug. 25) and Charlotte (Sept. 2) prior to Furman welcoming ACC foe Virginia Tech to Greenville on Sunday, Sept. 8.
The 2024 SoCon Men’s Soccer Championship begins with first round action on Nov. 8, with the semifinals slated for Nov. 10. The championship match is scheduled for the weekend of Nov. 16-17.
Doug Allison, the all-time wins leader in SoCon history, returns for his 30th season as Furman’s head coach. The Paladins return several key starters from a 2023 squad that posted a 10-6-3 overall record, a 2-2-1 SoCon mark, and advanced to the SoCon Tournament championship match.
Take a look at the schedule here.
The volleyball schedule features 16 contests against Southern Conference opponents, eight at Alley Gymnasium.
Furman kicks off its campaign Aug. 30-31 when it hosts Charleston Southern, UTRGV, and Charlotte as part of the Furman Invite. The Paladins open the season against Charleston Southern and UTRGV on Aug. 30 before concluding the tournament the following day versus Charlotte.
In the off chance that you care what UTRGV stands for, it’s University of Texas, Rio Grande Valley, its main campus is in Edinburg and its teams are the Vaqueros.I’
Furman then begins September with four straight road matches starting on Sept. 4 at USC Upstate. The Paladins follow by facing Charleston Southern, North Carolina A&T, and Georgia Southern at the Eagle Invitational in Statesboro, Ga.
Furman’s two home matches during the month come on Sept. 18 against Presbyterian and Sept. 21 with Clemson.
The 2024 Southern Conference Volleyball Championship will be held Nov. 22-24 at Harrah’s Cherokee Center in Asheville, N.C.
All regular season matches inside Alley Gymnasium are general admission seating and free to the general public.
Take a look at the schedule here.
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Nightrider's Lament 