Flyers Shock Thomas Nelson CC with Early Run on the Way to Easy Victory
Sandhills scored the first 16 points of Saturday's matinee basketball game at the Hangar and rolled to a 103-69 victory over Thomas Nelson CC.
Four Flyers scored in double-figures led by Chase Morrissette-Barnett with 15 points, Mason Harrell and Tavarus Peterson with 14, and Emmanuel Merriweather with 12. Harrell also grabbed 13 rebounds to record his fourth double-double in a row. Luke Moore was credited with nine points, 11 rebounds, two assists and four blocked shots.
The Flyers (19-5 overall and 5-2 Region X) are on the road on Monday and Wednesday with 7 p.m. starts against the Guilford College and St. Andrews junior varsity teams, respectively. They are scheduled to travel again on Saturday for a 3 p.m. conference game against Johnston CC.
Coach Mike Apple estimated he spent eight hours on Thursday (including interruptions) watching game film following the disappointing loss at Davidson CC the evening before.
"I think the biggest thing I learned is that our effort isn't always the same on every single possession," he said. "I thought our defense was pretty good overall today."
With the Flyers also sharing the ball well, Donnie Haith was credited with assists on a game-opening three by Malik McCrimmon, and a moment later, on a basket by Morrissette-Barnett in transition. Harrell already had six rebounds against the under-sized Gators when Moore fed Haith for a layup and free throw that made it 16-0.
A steal by Johnny McFadden was turned into a basket by Peterson to give the Flyers a 49-33 lead at the intermission. The advantage was 79-52 when Merriweather erupted for 10 points, including a pair of threes, during a 12-2 run that produced the largest lead at 91-54.
"I saw my playing time decrease because I wasn't being as efficient as I could be," the 5-foot-11 red-shirt sophomore by way of Southern Nash High School said afterward. "I've been coming to practice early and leaving late to work on the things I need to improve on. I've also been looking at a lot of film and it's paying off."
Flyer Extra - This was the third time the Flyers held an opponent under 70 points this season and the 14th time they have scored more than 100. After the game Apple was greeted by former coaching associates when he was at Pinecrest High School in Ronshau Cole and Larry Shields. Cole is the head coach, and Shields is an assistant coach, for the Patriot girls' squad that improved to 18-1 with a win over Scotland County on Friday. In alumni news from other Saturday games: Jeremias Easterling scored 16 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in St Andrews' 76-73 overtime loss to Tennessee Wesleyan. And Ishmael Baldwin had 12 points and five rebounds as St. Augustine bested Fayetteville State, and another former Flyer Josh Smith, 75-53.
Thomas Nelson – Aklin 6 1-2 15, Clayton 3 2-4 10, Burrell 4 3-3 11, Tubman 1 2-6 4, Carr 6 0-0 15, Parhan 2 0-0 4, Tagoileglagi 2 4-9 8, Martin 1 0-0 2 Totals 25 12-24 69. Sandhills – McCrimmon 1 0-0 3, Haith 2 1-1 5, Morrissette-Barnett 6 2-4 15, Garrison 4 0-0 8, Harrell 6 2-5 14, Merriweather 5 0-0 12, Sexton 2 0-0 4, Clarkson 3 0-0 6, McFadden 2 0-0 4, Peterson 6 1-2 14, Moore 4 0-0 9, Copeland 1 0-0 2, Childs 3 1-3 7, Murdock 0 0-0 0, Grissett 0 0-0 0 Totals 45 7-15 103. Three-point goals: TNCC 7 (Carr 3, Aklin 2, Clayton 2); SCC 6 (Merriweather 2, McCrimmon, Moore, Morrissette-Barnett, Peterson).
by Charlie Bergmann
photo by Donna Ford