Flyers Take Momentum into Tuesday's Region X Opener at the Hangar
The Sandhills Community College basketball team erupted for 55 points in the second half on Saturday in Carrolton, GA and cruised to a 96-67 victory over previously undefeated West Georgia Tech.
The Flyers (6-2) also picked up a win on Monday as a result of a loss to Wake Tech on November 3 being reversed because of a player eligibility issue. Off to a 6-0 start, the Eagles had to forfeit their first five games.
Coach Mike Apple's squad will be seeking its fifth win in a row when it begins Region X conference play on Tuesday at 7 p.m. at home against Johnston Community College (0-6).
"We went into it wanting to play better than we have been and hopefully send a message that Sandhills is getting back to normal," Apple said about the West Georgia Tech game on Monday. "I think we accomplished those goals."
On the way to Carrolton, the team made a stop in Atlanta on Friday and visited the College Football Hall of Fame. On Saturday afternoon they faced a Golden Knights squad (4-1) that has averaged over 100 points per game in its four wins.
The Flyers led 41-30 at the intermission before breaking the game wide open.
"I think our defense was really good," Apple said. "Any time you hold a team that was averaging over 100 points per game to 67 I think it speaks volumes about what you are trying to do.
"We had too many turnovers (23), but we forced 28 on their part. The pace and tempo was so much better. So much of our offense was created by our defense."
Calvin Ahoume and Holt Walker led six Flyers in double figures with 15 points apiece. Chase Morrisette-Barnett and Damauri Sexton each contributed 14 and Donnie Haith added a dozen.
The leaders in rebounds were Ahoume and Sexton with eight each. Sayaun Dent notched a team-high five assists. Morrisette-Barnett, Sexton and Haith were each credited with three steals.
A game scheduled for on the way home on Sunday against the Limestone junior varsity in Gaffney, SC was cancelled by that college.
Looking way ahead -Including Central Carolina CC (4-4), Region X consists of only three teams this year. Each team will play each other three times. There will be no conference tournament, but the two teams with the best conference records will advance to the District VII tournament on March 1-2. The first place team will host that event. The winner qualifies for the national championship in Rochester, Minn. on March 14-16.
Former Flyer highlights from last week – Jeremias Easterling and Cameron Grigsby each scored 12 points on Saturday in St. Andrew's 93-76 home victory over Reinhardt. On Wednesday, Zezva Liluashvili posted 11 points, four rebounds, three steals and an assists to help Aquinas College defeat Concordia 80-71. And on Friday, Tony Harper was 5-for-6 from the field and scored 10 points as Johnson C. Smith beat Bluefield College 95-69.
Sandhills – Clarkson 0 2-2 2, Morrisette-Barnett 5 3-4 14, Dent 0 5-6 5, Ahoume 5 5-5 15, Walker 6 2-3 15, Ratliff 0 0-0 0, Grissett 0 0-0 0, Sexton 5 3-4 14, Peterson 1 0-0 2, Bryan 2 0-0 5, Haith 4 3-4 12, Smith 2 3-4 7, Allmond 2 0-0 4, D. Davis 0 1-2 1, Williams 0 0-0 0, E. Davis 0 0-0 0 Totals 32 27-34 96. West Georgia – Joyner 1 7-8 9, Hickey 4 6-6 14, Johnson 3 0-0 7, Butler 0 0-0 0, Haye 1 0-2 2, Leonard 0 0-0 0, Williams 4 0-0 8, Brown 0 0-0 0, Swanigan 2 2-8 6, Glover 1 2-2 4, Wray 6 0-0 12, Parks 2 0-0 5 Totals 24 17-26 67. Three-point goals: SCC 5 (Morrisette-Barnett, Walker, Sexton, Bryan, Haith); WGT 2 (Johnson, Parks).
by Charlie Bergmann
photo by Donna Ford