Flyers Dominate Up Front in Regular-season Closing Win Over Roadrunners

The Sandhills Community College basketball team punished Mountain Gateway CC in the paint in the process of completing regular season play with a 110-88 victory in Clifton Forge, VA on Saturday afternoon.

Forwards Bryan Quiller (26), Zac Sledge (19) and Joey McMullin (19), combined to score 64 points as the No. 1 ranked in NJCAA Division III Flyers improved to 6-0 in Region 10 and 26-3 overall. The Roadrunners dropped to 2-4 and 7-17.

The Flyers will receive a bye in next Saturday's first round of the Region 10 tournament held at Central Carolina CC. They will face the winner of the semi-final game between the host Cougars and Oxford Emory at 3 p.m. on Sunday.

A Region 10 tournament title would earn Coach Mike Apple's squad the right to host the one-game Mid-Atlantic District Chamionship on Saturday, March 4 with an automatic national tournament berth, going to the winner.

Saturday's game was tied seven times in the first half before the Flyers took the lead for good when Jamori McDougald fed Quiller for a basket in transition, making it 27-25 with 10 minutes remaining. Later, the pair linked up again for the basket that upped the margin to 48-41 at the intermission.

The home team sank 13 three-balls throughout the contest to remain in contention well into the second half. A trey by Dae Dae Bowens made it 84-77 at the seven minute mark, but a pair of free throws by McDougald, and then a jumper for two and a dunk by Sledge on consecutive possessions, sparked a 17-3 run that secured the victory.

Quiller, Sledge and McMullin made a combined 26 of their 41 shots from the field. The Flyers enjoyed a 57-23 edge in rebounds led by guard Jordan Coleman with 10 to go with 10 points. The leader in assists was McDougald with six.

The home team hoisted up 38 treys in all to just nine for the Flyers.  McMullin's free throw percentage for the season is 91.7 after converting seven of his eight chances. 

Final Region 10 Regular Season Standings: Sandhills CC 6-0 (26-3); Central Carolina 3-3 (8-18); Mountain Gateway 2-4 (7-18) and Oxford Emory 1-5 (14-12).

C. Bergmann