Breaking: two-sport student-athlete confirm dead

Virginia State University is mourning the loss of Harold Deane, who passed away over the weekend.

Deane Sr., was a two-sport student-athlete at Virginia State College (now University), competing in track and field and basketball. He was a three year starter on the men’s basketball team and selected to the CIAA All-Tournament team. Deane received his bachelor’s degree from Virginia State College in 1961 and went on to earn a master’s degree from Howard University in 1968.

Deane returned to his alma mater in 1969 as a professor in the Health and Physical Education Department, where he taught until his retirement in 2015. Additionally, he was the Head Men’s Basketball Coach from 1969-1979 and again from 1987-1994. He led the Trojans to a CIAA Championship in 1988 and was named the CIAA Tournament’s Most Outstanding Coach. He was selected as the CIAA’s Coach of the Year in 1972, 1974, and 1976.

Deane’s leadership extended beyond the athletics arena. While attending VSC, he was the President of the Big Brothers Organization, a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. and a member of the Army ROTC. He served in the US Army from 1961-1963, where he was commissioned as a 1st Lieutenant and earned a Letter of Commendation for outstanding leadership displayed during Exercise Swift Strike 111. His son, Harold Deane, Jr. went on to play basketball at the University of Virginia.

 

 

 

Boston College in ‘right direction’ with Florida State up next

A well-rested Boston College team will attempt to extend its winning streak to three games when it faces visiting Florida State on Tuesday night. BC (13-8, 4-6 ACC) hasn’t played since earning an 80-75 victory over Syracuse last Tuesday.

BC used a 21-0 run to take a 44-30 lead early in the second half. The Eagles shot 60 percent from the field (30 of 50) and were 10 of 20 from 3-point range. “We’ve been working pretty hard just trying to improve every day and I think we’re starting to see the fruits of our labor,” Eagles coach Earl Grant said. “We just have to keep working at it, believe in each other and trust the process.”

Florida State (12-9, 6-4 ACC) is coming off losses to North Carolina (75-68) and Louisville (101-92). The Seminoles committed 18 turnovers that led to 22 points in Saturday’s loss to Louisville. Florida State shot 15.8 percent from 3-point range (3 of 19) and missed 12 of 35 free-throw attempts in that game.

“There’s no doubt we are not as consistent with our execution, offensively or defensively, as we have been in the past,” Florida State coach Leonard Hamilton said following the Louisville game. “We’ll take what we can from this game and learn from our shortcomings. “That’s one thing about playing in the ACC: You don’t have time to have a pity party, because right around the corner comes another game against (a team) that will be well-coached and well-prepared.”