Cold-shooting Flyers Fall to Mount Zion Prep
An 11-2 run in the final three minutes of the game by Mt. Zion Prep added up to a 78-69 loss for the Sandhills Community College basketball team on Tuesday evening at the Hangar.
The Flyers (1-2) return to action at 7 p.m. on Wednesday when they entertain Lenoir Community College (1-0).
Back to almost to full-strength after dressing only nine players for the two games last weekend, a jumper by Cameron Williams set off a 16-2 run that turned an early 9-6 Flyers' deficit into a 22-11 lead. But behind 23-first half points by 6-foot-5 Elroy Clark, the Warriors rallied to take a 41-33 advantage into the intermission.
On the way to a 32-point output, a trey by Clark, and a three-point play by Will Chavis, gave the visitors their biggest lead of 52-39 with just over 15 minutes remaining in the game. The Flyers then got their transition game going. At the eight minute mark, two baskets on the fly by Donnie Haith cut the margin to 56-54.
Later, following a Warrior timeout, a pair of free throws by Calvin Ahoume gave the home team its first lead of the second half at 59-58. The game was tied at 65-65 on a basket by Ahoume, and for the final time at 67-67 on a jumper by Damauri Sexton.
Ahoume led the Flyers with 16 points to go with six rebounds. Haith was second with 10 points. Holt Walker grabbed a team-high eight boards and Casey Clarkson was the leader in assists with four.
The Flyers were cold all the way around in the shooting department, making 37.9 per cent of their shots from the field, including 1-for 17 from behind the arc, and 56.3 per cent from the charity stripe.
Mount Zion – Clark 11 6-7 32, Brown 4 7-8 15, Savoury 2 0-0 4, Jones 5 2-2 12, Johnson 3 0-0 6, Chavis 0 1-1 1, Lee 2 0-1 4, Wallace 1 0-0 2, Haynes 0 2-2 2 Totals 28 18-21 78. Sandhills – Clarkson 0 2-2 2, Dent 2 4-4 8, Williams 2 0-0 4, Ahoume 6 4-5 16, Walker 3 2-5 8, Morrisette-Barnett 1 1-4 3, Grissett 1 0-0 2, Sexton 4 0-1 8, Peterson 2 1-5 5, Bryant 0 0-0 0, Haith 3 3-4 10, Smith 0 1-2 1, Davis 1 0-0 2 Totals 25 18-32 69. Three-point goals: MZ 4 (Clark 4); SCC 1 (Haith).
by Charlie Bergmann
photo by Donna Ford