New year follow-up on players

With the new year under way, it's a good time to get updated on a few Columbia County standouts, including former Evans High School star Todd Greene.

Greene re-signs with Yanks

It was a wild ride in 2001 for Greene. After being released by Toronto, he signed with three-time defending World Series champion New York Yankees.

Before donning the pin stripes, though, Greene had to play Class AAA minor league ball and prove to the New York management that he was ready to be an everyday catcher in the majors.

After a brief stint in the minors, Greene made a major splash in his debut with the Yankees by hitting a three-run homer against Baltimore. The game-tying blast resulted in a curtain call in the house that Ruth built.

The highlights kept coming, as Greene played in his first postseason and World Series, where he recorded an RBI single off Randy Johnson and caught the ceremonial first pitch from President Bush.

Also, Greene had a bird's eye view of the tragedy on Sept. 11.

After catching his breath for a few months with wife Vanessa and their children at their home near Atlanta, Greene now is gearing up for another spring training with the Yankees.

James Seegars

It's hard to believe that former Augusta Christian Schools basketball player James Seegars is already a junior in college. As an AC guard, Seegars was on the best Lions squad to date, and he now plays for Charleston Southern.

With the Buccaneers, Seegars has struggled all season with free-throw shooting. He has started five of 11 games for the Bucs and is averaging 6.2 points and three rebounds, but he is shooting only 28 percent from the floor and just 33 percent (2 for 6) from the line.

As a result of those poor percentages, Seegars is playing less as a junior than he did during his first two seasons with Charleston Southern.

Will Floyd

The 2001 Evans High School graduate is now playing at Mars Hill College in North Carolina.

Floyd, a 6-1 freshman guard, has played in all seven games for the Lions, and is averaging 2.1 points and 1.3 rebounds in his 6.5 minutes of action per game.

Brandon Burchette

Burchette is another Evans basketball product who now is playing college hoops. The 6-1 guard is at Brewton-Parker College in Mount Vernon, Ga., where he is a reserve guard.

Fredie Williams

This point guard from Evans High School is a member of the University of Texas basketball team. He is coming back from an MCL sprain in his left knee, an injury he suffered in the preseason.

With the Longhorns, Williams has scored six points, hauled in two rebounds and dished out three assists, and he appears ready to make a larger contribution in 2002.

Before his injury, the senior was starting for Texas and had recorded 17 points and six rebounds in an exhibition game. He injured his knee during the second half.

Ashley Brown's radio program can be heard from 4 to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday on News-Talk Sports 1630 AM. His e-mail address is AB@WRDWAM.com.