Flyers Soft on Defense in Home Loss to Wake Tech

The Sandhills Community College basketball team fell behind visiting Wake Tech early and went on to drop a 125-106 decision to the team from Raleigh.

Shayne Siago, a 6-foot-4 forward, scored 20 points in the first half and 37 in the game for the Eagles after making 17 of his 18 shots from the field.

Coach Mike Apple's squad dropped to 4-2 while the Division II Eagles improved to 2-1. The Flyers return to action on Tuesday at 8 p.m. against the St. Andrews junior varsity in Laurinburg.

The Flyers committed a season-high 23 turnovers, but the biggest issue for Apple was his team's defense that contributed to the Eagles making nearly 60 percent of their shots from the field.

After Jordan Coleman scored to reduce an early Flyers' deficit to 6-5, the Eagle's pulled away with a 16-2 run. Riding the big first half by Siago, the Eagles led 62-34 at the intermission.

"We were not prepared to play that basketball game in the least," Apple said afterward. "We started out giving up easy baskets and we ended the game giving up easy baskets.

"I told the guys that you have to compete defensively. When you score 106 points, you're not supposed to lose the basketball game."

Almost two-thirds of the Flyers' points came from off the bench led by Darryl McCaster with 19 points, Isaiah Nelson with 16 and Keegan Brayboy with 13. Among the starters, Zac Sledge led the way with 14 points and 11 rebounds.

Eagles' Coach Adam Wainwright was one of Apple's assistant coaches in 2013-14. His team made 11 threes in the game.

Wake Tech – Humphrey 8 3-4 19, Jamison 6 1-2 13, Siago 17 3-4 37, High 3 0-0 8, Wilder 5 2-3 13, Tokoto 0 0-0 0, Kee 3 0-0 6, Pendleton 5 0-0 15, Lynch 2 0-0 5, Shadoan 0 1-2 1, Hinton 2 0-0 5, Sanner 0 0-0 0, Herbin 1 0-0 3 Totals 52 10-15 125, Sandhills – Johnson 4 2-5 10, Coleman 2 3-4 8, Stoltz 2 0-0 5, McMullin 3 0-0 6, Sledge 7 0-0 14, Wooldridge 1 0-0 2, Perry 2 0-0 4, Hunter 1 3-6 5, Brayboy 3 7-9 13, Hanani 0 0-2 0, McCaster 8 3-3 19, Nelson 4 8-10 16, Asante 1 2-4 4 Totals 28-43 106. Three-point goals: WTCC 11 (Pendleton 5, High 2, Wilder, Lynch, Hinton, Herbin); SCC 2 (Stoltz , Coleman).