#23 Shiyana Houser with the jumper for Hoggard who beat Ashley to advance to the finals of the Mideastern Conference Tournament.  Photos: Eric Bartsch

 

   Thursday night was kinda weird;  Hoggard was the home team in Brogden Hall.  It’s like the Red Sox playing a home game in Yankee Stadium or Carolina in Cameron.  Hoggard’s score was listed as “Wildcats” on the scoreboard overhead - the Duke Tar Heels…weird.

 

   The Lady Vikings made themselves right at home winning the opening game, the second girls’ semi-final, but the boys’ team couldn’t find their offensive flow and were eliminated by Jacksonville, which advances to face New Hanover in Friday’s championship game.  It will be preceded by the girls game at 6:00, in which Hoggard will face top seed and five time defending champion Laney.  The Hoggard boys couldn’t beat Jacksonville a third time this season, noted by coaches on all levels in all sports as difficult to do for a plethora of reasons, and following that philosophy, Viking fans will now be hoping the Lady Bucs can’t beat Hoggard for a third time this season.

 

   The Ashley Screamin’ Eagles came into their semi-final showdown with Hoggard after a dramatic one point win in their opening round game, but fell behind early, a deficit that proved insurmountable.  The Lady Vikings used a balanced offensive scoring attack, getting at least six points from five different players paced by Katy Norris’ 11, to move on.

   Hoggard head coach Ray Beatty was pleased with his team’s defensive effort, especially in the first half when the held Ashley to four points in the first quarter and six in the second.

 

   Hoggard took advantage of their defensive performance and seized a 22-10 halftime lead.  Down, but not out, Ashley head coach Adrienne Gale commented, “We knew that, only down twelve with all of the turnovers and mistakes we made, we tried to use that as a positive at halftime.  We were eventually able to chip away because of our defense, and we relaxed on offense as well.”

 

   After seeing the Hoggard lead grow to sixteen, 30-14, in the third quarter, Ashley was able to cut it to just seven, 39-32, on Alyssa Worley’s three pointer with :59 seconds to play, but in the end the Lady Vikings were able to hold on and advance to Friday’s championship.  Of that match up, Hoggard point guard Danielle Bongiorno, pictured right said, “We need to be careful with the ball on offense and make sure we know where their key players are at all times.”

 

 

   In the night cap, the Hoggard boys’ team entered as the two seed and “hosted” Jacksonville, the three seed, and never could settle into an offensive flow.  After falling behind, the Vikes couldn’t ever make their comeback run.  They made big steals, but couldn’t score down the other end…or they made a nice basket, and then couldn’t get a stop on D.  It just never happened.  

 

   Jacksonville came out looking like the team that wanted it more, jumping out to a 9-2 lead and while Hoggard settled in a bit, they found themselves down nine, 29-20, at the half.  Jacksonville was doing a good job on the interior, banging the boards and getting the ball to the low block on offense where they created high percentage shots.  Meanwhile, Hoggard did much of their shooting from behind the arc, which wound up not being so high percentage.  It was as if the Brogden Curse was on…how else do you explain 2-24 shooting from three point land?  

 

   For most of the second half, it just seemed like the Vikings were stuck in neutral…they couldn’t get it going.  As hard as they could play defensively, and as focussed as they could be on the glass - ultimately you gotta hit some shots, and the Vikes could only convert on 25% of their attempts for the game.  Trailing by ten early in the fourth, it was time to make a run, but the Vikes chucked back-to-back air balls from three, and Jacksonville wound up pulling away.

   

   I’m sure Hoggard would have been pleased to hold Jacksonville under 40% from the floor, and knowing that they would force 18 turnovers while only giving it up 11 times themselves would have certainly been reassuring, but when you go 5-28 from the floor as the Vikes did in the second half, it is tough to make a comeback…OK, impossible.

 

   Hoggard, which will next host Southeast Raleigh in the opening round of the state tournament on Tuesday, was led by Logan Cain’s 11 points and Ryan Abrams’ 9 point, 10 rebound effort.  No other Viking scored more than four points.  So while Hoggard was listed as the home team, it seemed the Brogden Curse and home-court disadvantage were too much for the Vikes to overcome.

 

VISITORS: Jacksonville 20-6

                          TOT-FG  3-PT         REBOUNDS

## Player Name            FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA OF DE TOT PF  TP  A TO BLK S MIN

99 Team…………….   19-48   2-5   10-17  20 23 43  12  50  6 18  5  8 160

   Totals…………..   19-48   2-5   10-17  20 23 43  12  50  6 18  5  8 160

 

TOTAL FG% 1st Half: 11-24 45.8%   2nd Half:  8-24 33.3%   Game: 39.6%  DEADB

3-Pt. FG% 1st Half:  1-2  50.0%   2nd Half:  1-3  33.3%   Game: 40.0%   REBS

F Throw % 1st Half:  6-8  75.0%   2nd Half:  4-9  44.4%   Game: 58.8%    0

 

——————————————————————————–

HOME TEAM: Hoggard 18-8

                          TOT-FG  3-PT         REBOUNDS

## Player Name            FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA OF DE TOT PF  TP  A TO BLK S MIN

21 Abrams, Ryan…….. f  3-8    1-2    2-2    6  4 10   2   9  0  2  0  1  24

24 Cain, Logan……… c  3-12   0-3    5-6    2  1  3   3  11  0  3  2  1  24

10 Allen, Zack……… g  1-9    0-7    0-0    0  0  0   4   2  3  2  0  2  25

12 Jeremias, Jordan…. g  0-1    0-1    1-2    1  1  2   1   1  0  2  0  2  19

22 Leuck, Griffin…… g  1-9    0-6    0-0    1  1  2   1   2  0  0  0  1  23

04 Smith, Travis…….    0-1    0-0    0-0    0  0  0   0   0  0  0  0  0   1

05 Heffernan, Tyler….    1-4    1-4    1-2    0  1  1   0   4  0  0  0  1   4

14 Keistler, Will……    2-3    0-0    0-0    2  1  3   1   4  2  1  0  2  12

23 Jacobs, Will……..    0-0    0-0    0-0    0  0  0   0   0  0  0  0  0   1

31 Hunt, Jeff……….    2-6    0-1    0-0    0  3  3   0   4  1  0  2  1  18

32 Busby, Brad………    0-0    0-0    0-0    0  1  1   3   0  1  1  1  0   8

35 Byrd, Michael…….    0-0    0-0    0-0    0  0  0   0   0  0  0  0  0   1

   TEAM…………….                         4  2  6

   Totals…………..   13-53   2-24   9-12  16 15 31  15  37  7 11  5 11 160

 

TOTAL FG% 1st Half:  8-25 32.0%   2nd Half:  5-28 17.9%   Game: 24.5%  DEADB

3-Pt. FG% 1st Half:  1-11  9.1%   2nd Half:  1-13  7.7%   Game:  8.3%   REBS

F Throw % 1st Half:  3-4  75.0%   2nd Half:  6-8  75.0%   Game: 75.0%    0

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