Hot-shooting Flyers Too Much for Lenoir

The Sandhills Community College basketball team jumped out to a 12-0 lead and rolled from there to a 100-83 victory over Lenoir CC in Kinston on Wednesday.

Led by Elijah Idlett with 24 points, and Sayaun Dent with a double-double that included 21 points and 12 boards, the No. 2 ranked Flyers (NJCAA Division III poll) improved to 16-1 while the Division II Lancers dropped to 2-13. Coach Mike Apple's squad made 58.5 per cent of its shots from the field and 76.2 per cent from the charity stripe.

The Flyers will face a nationally ranked team from Division I for the second time in the last eight days when they travel to Hudson on Saturday for a contest against 15-0 and No. 13 ranked Caldwell Tech. Originally scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. the game time has been changed to 4 p.m.

The lead grew to 30 points at 91-61 in the second half before the home team closed the gap with a late run. Making his second consecutive start, sophomore Winston Bryan was 5-for-7 from the field, including three treys, and scored a career-high 13 points to go with five assists and four rebounds.

The five Flyer starters were a combined 29-for-40 from the field (72.5 per cent), including 7-for-10 from beyond the arc. Jason Robinson scored 37 points to lead the Lancers.

Flyer Extra – A nice contingent of Flyer followers, including several current players, traveled to Laurinburg on Tuesday to watch former Flyers Parrish Stevons and Damauri Sexton play for Bluefield College against St. Andrews. Both started with Stevons recording 12 points and four assists, and Sexton contributing five points and seven rebounds, to the 97-69 Bluefield win. Pinecrest High School grad Jamaan Bailey, brother of Flyer freshman Zion Bailey, led St. Andrews with 22 points, including five threes.

Sandhills – Idlett 9 2-2 24, Dent 8 5-5 21, Bryan 5 0-0 13, Addison 4 2-4 10, Davis 3 0-0 6, Ratliffe 0 0-0 0, Staton 1 2-2 4, Allmond 2 2-2 6, Yow 0 0-0 0, Bailey 0 0-0 0, Miller 2 2-2 7, Thomas 3 1-2 7, Williams 1 0-0 2, Medins 0 0-2 0 Totals 38 16-21 100. Lenoir – Robinson 14 8-17 37, LaQ Campbell 3 4-6 10, LaT Campbell 0 0-0 -, Carter 9 4-7 26, Burnett 0 0-0 0, Dudley 1 0-0 2, McKeel 3 2-2 8 Totals 30 18-32 83. Three-point goals: SCC 8 (Idlett 4, Bryan 3, Miller); LCC 5 (Carter 4, Robinson).

by Charlie Bergmann

photo by Donna Ford