New Hanover’s Rakeem Wilson taking it to the hoop.  Photo: Eric Bartsch

New Hanover 83 - Greeneville Rose 46

With 2:10 left in the first quarter, things looked kind of bleak for the Wildcats.  You’ve just read the score and you say, No…

Yes.  Down 20-16, New Hanover head coach said the feeling on the Wildcat bench was, “Not good.  We talked about turning up the tempo and preventing their open looks.”

Up to that point, Rose’s Matt Steele at 6’8” stepped outside and canned three trifectas, scoring 11 early points to help open up the four point lead.  

In less than six minutes, Rose had scored 20 points, but then the defending state champs clamped down on defense and showed what they are capable of.  It is like the old let sleeping dogs lie saying…but with ‘Cats instead.

But it was too late for Rose.  New Hanover had been awakened and allowed just 10 points over the next fourteen minutes, a span that stretched into the third quarter.  And by then, it was over.

After taking a thirteen point lead into the locker room, the Wildcats did nothing but widen it.  

Widen may be an understatement - they were out front by thirty after David Pellom finished off and alley oop from Rakeem Wilson midway through the fourth quarter and eventually went up forty, 83-43, with under a minute to play.

New Hanover attacked the rim all night and were rewarded with 36 free throws.  Wilson, 11-11, and Pellom, 8-9, made Rose pay each time they took it to the goal as they combined to shoot a blistering 95% from the charity stripe.  

Of Wilson’s effort to get to the rack, Coach McMillan said, “We know Rakeem is one of the best guards in the state.  He can get to the hole and make things happen…and tonight he did.”

Wilson, focused and determined during game time, cracked a proud smile when asked about his 11-11 effort from the line saying, “I’ve been practicing a lot, yesterday and today.  I’ve been staying after practice to work on it…I was just trying not to shoot too many jump shots and to get the ball inside.”  

Wilson finished with a game high 20 points and Pellom was right behind as he tallied 19.  After Matt Steele scored 11 early points for Rose, New Hanover held him to just five points after the first quarter.

Despite being the top ranked team in the state, New Hanover will take their show on the road Friday to face Middle Creek in their third round match up.  After playing the conference tourney at home, and their first two state tourney games at home, it has been awhile since the ‘Cats haven’t laced them up outside of Brogden Hall.  And this ain’t no neutral court their playing on, they will be at Middle Creek, not a pre-determined site.  I’d expect it to be quite raucous…I mean you’ve got the defending state champs coming into your gym during the state tournament, how much more raucous could it get?

Hoggard 50 - Southern Durham 46

Junior center Logan Cain scored 20 points and senior guard Griffin Leuck hit a game tying three pointer with 1.3 seconds left in regulation as Hoggard defeated Southern Durham 50-46 in overtime on Thursday night in the second round of the NCHSAA playoffs.  The Vikings will travel to Fayetteville on Friday to take on Jack Britt in the Sectional Final.

Hoggard (20-8) trailed 25-9 with two minutes left in the first half, but battled back by holding Southern to just 21 points over the final 22 minutes of the game; Southern shot 29.1% from the floor on the night and connected on just two of ten shots in overtime.

Senior guard Jordan Jeremias added seven points, six rebounds, and four assists.  Junior guard Zack Allen had nine points and four assists while senior forward Jeff Hunt grabbed a career-high 11 rebounds.

The Vikings will be back on the road Friday night as they play Jack Britt in Fayetteville.