Looking to build off of reaching the Sweet Sixteen a season ago, Marquette opened its men’s basketball season with a 91-37 win over Mt. St. Mary’s in Milwaukee Saturday and a 99-68 win over visiting Norfolk State on Monday night.

Sophomore forward Davante Gardner (King’s Fork) scored eight points in each contest for the Golden Eagles, coming off the bench in both games.

The Golden Eagles were 22-15 overall and 9-9 in the Big East last season. In the NCAA Tournament, Marquette upset No. 6-seed Xavier and No. 3 Syracuse.

NSU’s squad includes junior guard Kris Brown (Lakeland). Brown saw action in 18 games last season after making the Spartans as a walk-on.

Norfolk State has its home opener against Randolph on Wednesday at 8 p.m.

Marquette and Norfolk State could meet again in a few days, this time in the Paradise Jam in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Winthrop, with senior guard Andre Jones (Nansemond River), is also in the Paradise Jam. Jones, Brown and Gardner played against each other as Suffolk city rivals.

Winthrop started its season with a 71-59 loss to Eastern Kentucky in Rock Hill, S.C. on Saturday. Jones had 13 points, five assists, five rebounds and two steals against the Colonels. The Eagles played at Virginia Tuesday night.

The first round of the Paradise Jam is Friday on St. Thomas. Marquette plays Winthrop. NSU meets Drexel.

 

Mount Olive junior Andrea Jones(Nansemond River), Andre’s younger sister, poured in 21 points, but Mt. Olive lost its season opener 67-65 at Newberry on Sunday.

Jones, a 5-foot-8 guard, tipped in a basket to put the Lady Trojans ahead 64-62 with 1:07 left in the game. Newberry outscored Mt. Olive 5-1 from there to get the win.

Jones earned All-Conference Carolina Team honors last season averaging 14.7 points per game.

Mt. Olive hosts Virginia State on Wednesday evening.

 

Chowan split games to open its women’s basketball season at a tournament in Shippensburg, Pa. on Saturday and Sunday.

The Lady Hawks edged University of Charleston 48-46 before a 60-51 loss to Shippensburg.

All-CIAA (Central Intercollegiate Athletic Assocation) point guard Ransheda Jennings (King’s Fork) had two superb games starting her senior season.

Jennings had 16 points, nine rebounds and two steals against Charleston. She totaled 20 points, on 9-for-17 field goal shooting, with six rebounds against Shippensburg.

Chowan plays at Norfolk State on Wednesday at 6 p.m. in the only game against a Division I opponent for Chowan this season.

 

The Apprentice School started its hoops season going 3-0 in the Mid-Atlantic Christian Tipoff Classic in Elizabeth City, N.C. last Thursday-Saturday.

The Builders, under former Nansemond River and Nansemond-Suffolk head boys basketball coach Franklin Chatman, beat Mid-Atlantic Christian 94-53, Davis (N.Y.) 92-76 and Florida Christian 76-64.

Sophomore guard Latrone Demiel (Nansemond River) averaged 4.0 points and 2.7 rebounds a game in the three games.

The Builders travel to Fredericksburg for the University of Mary Washington Tipoff on Friday and Saturday.