Flyers Hoops Captures District VII Title, Punch Ticket to NY
As the Sandhills Flyers players posed for pictures holding the District VII Championship trophy Saturday evening, assistant coach Tony Chapman directed their attention to an object on the middle finger of his right hand.
"We want the ring, we want the ring, " he exhorted referring to his memento from the Flyer's 2012 National Championship season.
In the game held at Princes George's CC in Largo, Maryland the Flyers (26-6) were assessed a technical foul for dunking the basketball during warm-ups. That cost them two points but a quick three by Tee Hardy gave them a lead they held onto the rest of the way for a 92-77 victory over Southern Crescent Technical College.
Tevin Stark scored 23 points and grabbed 13 rebounds to lead the Flyers. Junious Prowell scored 30 points for the Tigers. Coach Mike Apple's squad has about 10 days to prepare for the NJCAA DIV III Championship held at Sullivan County CC in Loch Sheldrake, N.Y. March 12-14.
"It's very cliché, but you want to be playing your best basketball at the end of the year," the coach said. "We bent a lot today but we never broke down. We've still got a better basketball game in us. I just hope it comes at the right time."
As in Friday's 99-92 win over Prince George's, the Flyers were sharp at the start against the squad from Griffin, GA. Stark's second three-point play of the early going made it 17-9. The margin grew to 41-23 with six minutes remaining in the half on a basket by Mario Gills.
"The guards were feeding us and we knocked down high percentage shots when we needed to," Stark said.
But led by Prowell, the Tigers closed the game to 45-41 at the intermission with a 14-1 run.
"We had 12 turnovers in the first half and you can't do that, " Stark said.
About five minutes into the second half a three by Kenny Walters pushed the lead back to double digits, but the Tigers remained dangerous because of the relentless drives to the basket by Prowell.
The 6-foot-2 guard scored his 29th and 30thpoints to make it 72-63 when Hardy re-entered the game to guard him with just over seven minutes remaining. He held him scoreless the rest of the way.
"I mainly tried to not let him touch the ball," said the freshman who has been taking on the other teams' top scorer throughout the district and region tournaments.
Will McNeill, Craig McDaniel and Hardy combined to help seal the deal by going 6-for-8 at the line in the final 1:45.
Other double figure scorers for the Flyers were McNeill with 15, Walters and Hardy with 13 and Ish Baldwin with 10. Baldwin also grabbed nine rebounds and blocked three shots. McNeill was credited with six assists.
The Flyers were 36-for-47 from the free throw line (76.6 percent). For the fourth time in the last five games the Flyers held a team under 40 percent on shots from the field.
When the Flyers lost three of the first four conference games in January prospects of another post season run seemed unlikely.
"From the beginning of the season, we always had the goal to go to New York," Baldwin said. "We knew that the bad start was all us, that with hard work and intensity you can do whatever you want."
Chapman sees a difference between this time and 2012.
"It was so difficult that time because as coaches we didn't know what to expect now and we know exactly how to prepare. It's just awesome that we are one of the eight best teams."
Apple indicated the noise made by the 40 fans that made the trip from Moore County was an inspiration to the team.
The NJCAA No. 8 ranked Flyers await National Tournament pairings to be announced next week.
SCC – Pass 0 2-2 2, Hardy 3 6-8 13, Stark 5 12-15 23, McDaniel 1 0-0 2, Baldwin 3 3-3 10, Banks 2 0-1 4, Gills 1 0-0 2, Walters 4 3-3 13, Murray 0 0-0 0, McNeill 3 8-10 15, Mays 2 2-4 6, Harper 0 0-0 0, Grigsby 1 0-1 2, Totals 25 36-47 92. SCTC – Prowell 10 10-13 30, Lanier 0 0-0 0, Curtis 0 2-4 2, Culver 5 1-2 11, Sander 2 1-2 6, Williams 1 4-8 6, Walthall 1 0-0 3, Wyche 0 1-2 1, Tarrant 0 0-0 0, Hayes 1 4-6 6, Woodson 1 0-0 2, Henley 4 2-4 10, Totals 25 25-41 77. Three point goals; SCC – 6 (Walters 2, Hardy, Stark, Baldwin, McNeill); SCTC – 2 (Walthall, Sander).