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Horne’s return to NC State played a key role in the Wolfpack’s unexpected Final Four appearance

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“Everyone has their own path,” Horne says

GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) – DJ Horne had a long road to the Final Four.

The 6-foot-1, 180-pound guard was an undersized, undrafted recruit out of the Raleigh, N.C., base. He was a top mid-major at Illinois State for 2 years after which became a reliable scorer for the Arizona State conference program.

And now he’s a two-time homecoming star: He had his lone season with the Wolfpack and scored the most improbable of goals in the Final Four that brought him back to Arizona State, lower than an hour from his previous college stop with The Sun Devils.

“Everybody has their own path,” Horne said Friday.

“Coming back in spite of everything the traveling and stuff like that, I’d say coming home (to NC State) was stuffed with love and other people showing me respect for my grind and my journey that got me back to where I’m now “.

NC State Ranger DJ Horne (left) and Ranger Dennis Parker Jr. they emerge from the locker room after media availability before the Final Four college basketball game in the NCAA Tournament, Thursday, April 4, 2024, in Glendale, Arizona. NC State plays Purdue on Saturday. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)

Horne was a perfect fit for the Wolfpack as it entered Saturday’s match against Purdue in the national semifinals. It was NC State’s first appearance on that stage since winning the Cardiac Pack title in 1983 under the late Jim Valvano. He was an explosive perimeter scorer after going 1-2 with stalwart March Madness star DJ Burns Jr. on the pitch.

And his ties to Raleigh allow him to appreciate the moment as well as anyone can when North Carolina State is in the spotlight and has to fight to share it with nearby Atlantic Coast Conference rivals Duke and North Carolina.

“Taking him back to Raleigh,” Wolfpack coach Kevin Keatts said, “I thought it was very important.”

The player now entrusted with this opportunity is a far cry from the one who left North Carolina as a three-star recruit to play for the Redbirds of the Missouri Valley Conference. He made a leap in production there in his second year, averaging 15.1 points in 2020-21 while shooting 44.6% from the field and 42.4% from three-point range, making him an attractive player just in time for the regulations The NCAA cleared the way for players to transfer without having to stay at a new school.

That ultimately led Horne to Arizona State.

“When we brought him in from Illinois State, we saw how productive he was,” said Sun Devils coach Bobby Hurley, a former Duke player. “I thought his play would translate, moving up from the mid-tier competition. And he didn’t disappoint. DJ was a guy we never promised anything to when he came on our show, and he fought for it.”

Horne averaged 12.5 points while starting 62 games over two seasons for the Sun Devils, including returning to March Madness after missing two straight NCAA games. Horne also had a great performance in Arizona State’s lone tournament game, passing defender Rondel Walker to create some space and then with 15.6 seconds left, immediately burying three points and leading to a draw and finished with a team-high 17 points in a narrow loss to TCU.

“DJ is a fighter, he believes in himself,” Hurley said. “Like many small defenders, he plays with a chip on his shoulder. Once he gets going and starts shooting, man, you better watch out, he’s a dangerous guy. I think his confidence is growing, his faith is growing.”

NC State’s DJ Horne reacts after making a basket in the first half of the Wolfpack’s 80-67 victory in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Thursday, March 21, 2024, at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (Kaitlin McKeown/The News and observer by AP)

At the time, across the country, Keatts was looking for help in the backcourt, rebuilding his lineup after losing the high-scoring duo of Jarkel Joiner and Terquavion Smith. Horne’s rise came at the perfect time. He became a top signing for the Wolfpack, which reached the NCAAs last season.

“Coming in, (Keatts) basically gave me the keys, man,” Horne said.

“He told me right away, ‘We’re going to need you to do this, we’re going to need you to lead, we’re going to need you to be the guy.’ Knowing my game and knowing what I wanted from this year, I couldn’t pass up this opportunity.

Joel Justus, the Wolfpack assistant coach who works with the defensemen, said Horne arrived with confidence, boosted by successful seasons at the mid-major league level and then at the power conference level, appearing in 159 college games.

“It’s a completely different day in college basketball because you’re coaching experienced guys,” Justus said. “You are coaching guys who are in a difficult situation. So it’s a much more collaborative experience for both player and coach. … When we brought him in here, we were like, ‘Hey, it’s your first year of pro basketball, you’ve got to treat it like that.’

Horne rose to the challenge, averaging a team-high 16.8 points and producing many strong performances during a nine-game stretch that saw NC State win the ACC Tournament title (first since 1987) and an improbable trip to the Final Four. The highlight was his 29 points in the ACC title game to defeat No. 1 seed North Carolina at the NCAA Regional, then he scored 39 points and six 3-pointers in wins over Marquette and Duke – his second March surge against the Blue Devils , who overtook the 11th-seeded Wolfpack from the southern bracket.

It’s a run that harkens back to the Wolfpack’s miraculous run 41 years ago that put 2024 in Wolfpack history alongside 1983 and the 1974 team that won the national championship – a run that included beating UCLA in the Final Four and ending John Wooden’s career A streak of seven championships in a row.

Horne admitted that when he left Arizona State last year, he allowed himself to daydream a little about the possibility of returning to Arizona State and playing in the Final Four. That’s exactly what he did on Friday when the Wolfpack took the court during an open practice, smiling broadly and bobbing his head to the Wolfpack’s music during the celebratory event.

As with everything else, Horne can relish this wrinkle, too.

“I was already planning on coming back here to visit my guys and everything,” Horne said. “But an all-expenses-paid trip and the Final Four couldn’t be better. Just seeing it come full circle and it’s now right in front of my face, I’m ready to take advantage of it.

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Tia Mowry’s Shocking Feud With Sister Tamera Revealed as Fans Blame Newly Single Twin for Petty Dispute

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As actress and now Tik Tok star Tia Mowry prepares to launch her recent reality show, Tia Mowry: My Next Act , fans are getting a peek right into a side of her life that has been largely hidden from the general public eye: her strained relationship together with her sister, Tamera Mowry-Housley.

The famous twins, who rose to fame together on the hit ’90s sitcom Sister, Sister, aren’t any longer as close as they once were, something Tia opens up about within the series premiere.

In a small preview common On Entertainment Tonight, Tia opens up concerning the emotional impact of her divorce from actor Cory Hardrick and the isolation she feels not only as a single mother, but in addition as someone who is not any longer near her sister.

Actress Tia Mowry surprised her fans by revealing that she is not any longer near her twin sister, Tamera Mowry. (Photo: @tiamowry/ Instagram)

“The hardest part of my divorce is when I feel like, and I wish, that my sister and I were still close, and that I could, you know, pick up the phone and call her,” Tia says in a confessional. “But that’s not where we are right now.”

The moment caused a stir amongst fans online.

“She’s a terrible twin,” one viewer shared Facebook.

“Did she also divorce her twin sister?” another person asked.

Another follower wrote: “It’s funny how Tia is clearly trying to bring up her sister. However, when she broke up with her ex and they asked Tamera about Tia, she was honest and said, “I stand by my sister’s decision,” maybe Tia should do the same.”

“I know a lot of black Twitter users hate Tamera because of her husband, but I really think the reason they’re apart is because of Tia,” one X user wrote. he wrote“Tia seems to be at a weird point in her life… and I imagine those closest to her wouldn’t like this new version of her she’s trying to show the world.”

But not all fans were surprised. Some viewers who’ve followed the Mowry twins’ careers noted that the gap between them had been evident for years.

“I remember Tia and Tamera’s reality show from years ago and even then their relationship seemed strained and one-sided,” a fan wrote on Instagram. “They always seemed like they were at odds with each other for some reason.”

Another person noted: “It’s been like this for a long time. She wasn’t even Tamera’s maid of honor.”

X fans also joined the discussion, often referencing moments from the sisters’ 2011 reality show Tia and Tamera as clues to what could occur.

“NO disrespect to Tia, if you watched her and Tamera’s show back then she wasn’t the nicest to Tamera…so it’s not shocking that they aren’t close. Even being family you can’t expect to treat people a certain way and still have the privilege of being close to them,” he tweeted user X

“Tamera has never been publicly mean to Tia. She loves her all the time. Tia on the other hand has been picking on Tamera on their reality show, she’s been acting blind to the public negativity towards Tamera, and now she’s saying it knowing it’ll only lead to more negativity. Tia is the problem,” one other as well as.

In October 2020, Tamera revealed that she had not seen her sister in six months, citing the gap between Napa and Los Angeles and COVID-19 distancing as major aspects.

Tamera made a subtle reference to the conflict between her and her sister earlier this yr.

During the forty ninth Annual Gracie Awards on May 23, 2024, Tamera was asked about the potential for playing a matchmaker for Tia on her recent reality show, an issue that was quickly shut down.

“You see, the thing is, Tia’s living her life now, and Tia’s doing Tia. I feel like she doesn’t want any of our input right now, and I can only respect that,” Tamera told the reporter.

When asked if she would seem on “Tia Mowry: My Next Act,” Tamera seemed surprised by the suggestion.

“I didn’t know until the rest of the world found out. She didn’t ask me. She didn’t ask, so I’m taking that as a no,” Tamera said, indicating the gap between them.

For Tia, the series marks a brand new chapter in her life, where she is finally on her own after spending most of her life in relationships — first as a twin after which as a wife. She was with Hardrict for 22 years before they split. The divorce was announced in 2022, and now, for the primary time, Tia is coping with life without her spouse by her side.

The series also addressed Tia’s public relationship together with her ex-husband, with a very awkward moment occurring on the red carpet on the Essence Black Women in Hollywood Awards on March 7, 2024, when Tia and Cory unexpectedly collided.

Footage from the meeting shows the “Twitches” star, who had previously walked the carpet with Tamera, awkwardly embracing Cory. Initially laughing, Tia hesitated before putting her arm round her, and Cory placed one hand on her shoulder and the opposite in the midst of her back.

The moment went viral, with headlines speculating concerning the state of their relationship post-divorce. On the show, Tia addresses the media frenzy.

“I saw the headlines,” she says. “It was blown out of proportion. It was the first time we’d seen each other on the red carpet since the divorce.”

He explains that the entire incident was just a clumsy situation at an event.

“It’s an event where women are celebrated and honored,” Tia says. “I’ve never been to one of these events. I go to them almost every year. It was so over the top.”

Despite their divorce, the “Baggage Claim” actor and Cory have maintained a cordial relationship publicly. Tia’s decision to share her journey after leaving her marriage and starting over has charmed fans, lots of whom are desirous to see her re-enter the dating world.

While the series guarantees to delve into Tia’s personal and skilled life, fans are undoubtedly hoping it can also make clear her relationship with Tamera. While the older twin hasn’t been advertised as a part of the series, viewers are hopeful of a reconciliation, especially because the series features Tia’s children and friends, but not her sister.

As the premiere of Tia Mowry: My Next Act quickly approaches, fans are preparing for an intimate take a look at Tia’s life after divorce and maybe a deeper understanding of the dual sisters’ complicated relationship.


This article was originally published on : atlantablackstar.com
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5 Questions for Jocko Sims

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Hulu’s newest series, How to Die Alone , is the proper mix of comedy with little gems of life lessons hidden in between. Series creator Natasha Rothwell, best known for her role as Kelly on HBO’s Insecure , is an executive producer and co-showrunner who writes and stars within the series.

How to die alone” follows Mel (Rothwell), “a paid-off, fat, black JFK airport employee who’s never been in love and forgotten how to dream until a chance encounter with death catapults her on a journey to finally take flight and start living life by any means possible.” Actor Jocko Sims, who plays Alex, Mel’s boss and ex, stopped by theGrio for our latest “5 Questions” series to debate the brand new show, what it was like working with Rothwell, what drew him to the project, and more.

Sims says Rothwell and the indisputable fact that the show is a comedy drew him to the project. “I’m just grateful to Natasha for giving me that opportunity, you know, for helping me believe in myself after years of not being able to do it. I wanted to do it. It’s a dream come true. I’m 43. So thank you, Natasha,” the actor says.

Six episodes of (*5*) are actually available on Hulu. Watch the complete interview above and head to theGrio.com for more “5 Questions.”

This article was originally published on : thegrio.com
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Maury Povich’s shocking double life of numerous affairs and sex parties revealed after publication of his wife Connie Chung’s memoir

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Former talk show host Maury Povich and former news anchor Connie Chung have remained married for 40 years. (Photo: @TheMAURYShow/X)

Connie Chung’s latest memoir hit stores on September 17. While the celebrity host was promoting her book, “Connie,” rumors about her marriage to speak show host Maury Povich resurfaced.

Maury Povich, 85, married Connie Chung, 78, in December 1984. The couple has one son, Matthew Jay Povich. Unconfirmed allegations of infidelity have plagued the couple for nearly 20 years.

In 2006, a producer of The Maury Povich Show filed a $100 million sexual harassment lawsuit against the show’s host and other staff members. Bianca Nardi alleged that Povich had a sexual relationship with one other producer, Donna Benner Ingber.

Former talk show host Maury Povich and former news anchor Connie Chung have been married for 40 years. (Photo: @TheMAURYShow/X)
Former talk show host Maury Povich and former news anchor Connie Chung have been married for 40 years. (Photo: @TheMAURYShow/X)

Povich was 20 years older than Ingber. Nardi said the alleged extramarital affair fueled a hostile work environment that included sexual remarks, pornographic videos and parties known to “invite open and familiar sexual activity,” in line with Online radar.

“We do not believe that Ms. Nardi was a victim of unlawful sexual harassment and we intend to vigorously defend this lawsuit,” an NBC spokeswoman said. Rebecca Marks said on the time. The judge ultimately ruled that Nardi’s lawsuit needs to be dismissed decided in closed-door arbitration.

Reports claimed that Connie Chung was “humiliated” over the sexual harassment lawsuit. She was also reportedly upset that her personal life had grow to be a subject of public discussion and divorce was an option. However, the previous CBS Evening News anchor remained married to Povich.

“I did it backwards, but it turned out perfectly,” Chung quotes People in a September 2024 article. “First I forgot about the wedding, then I forgot about the baby. And so I ended up having a career — a long, flourishing career. And then I had a long, flourishing period to raise my son.”

Of the difficulties in her marriage to Povich, Chung said: “If we fight at night, he wants to make up before we go to bed. But when I wake up in the morning, I want to keep fighting. I’m not done yet.”

Connie Chung was born and raised in Washington, D.C. Her media profession began within the Seventies when she was a Washington correspondent for the CBS Evening News with Walter Cronkite.

Maury Povich, a D.C. native, met his future wife in 1969 while they were each working at television station WTTG within the nation’s capital. Povich was a reporter, while Chung was what was then called a “copy girl” within the newsroom.

“Maury never paid any attention to me,” Chung explained in a May 2022 interview with CBS News. “I would rip the text off the typewriters and give it to him.”

Connie Chung and Maury Povich met again in 1977 in Los Angeles while working at CBS’s KNXT. They dated for seven years before officially marrying in 1984.

Povich returned to the East Coast to launch “The Maury Povich Show” in September 1991. The popular daytime talk show aired until September 2022. Chung has hosted news shows throughout her profession, including “Eye to Eye” for CBS and “20/20” for ABC.


This article was originally published on : atlantablackstar.com
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