GIVERS
A HOOP by SETTLE MONROE
DREAMS Carr McLamb and Henry Neese
Above: Carr McLamb, left, and Henry Neese coach youth basketball at Halifax Community Center.
photographs by ROBERT WILLETT
110 | WALTER
Around these parts, basketball is serious business. As November arrives, a charged wave of excitement runs through our state that lasts through March Madness. Tides shift as alliances are formed and enemy lines are drawn. Weeknights are spent glued to the television, and mornings are spent perusing the sports page to learn late game results. It is no secret that North Carolinians, particularly Raleighites, feel great pride for their hoops. But basketball pride is not limited to highly publicized teams or games. Walk into any of one of Raleigh’s public gymnasiums during the season and take a quick look at the boisterous fans, the demonstrative referees, and the enthusiastic players diving for loose balls: It is immediately clear that passion for the sport starts young.
