Flyers Defeat Jags to Finish 6-0 in Region 10

The Sandhills Community College basketball team shook off a lacklustre first half and went on to defeat Johnston Community College 76-59 at the Smithfield Recreation and Aquatics Center on Wednesday evening.

Trailing 35-31 early in the second half, Derreco Miller and Corry Addison combined to score all 23 of their points in the game after the intermission, helping the No. 1 ranked Flyers improve to 27-2 overall. They finished Region 10 regular season play with a record of 6-0. The Jaguars dropped to 10-15 and 1-5.

Sayaun Dent and Savion Staton each scored 13 points to lead the winners. Miller added 12 along with a team-high seven rebounds. Addison and Elijah Idlett contributed 11 points apiece. Erik Alvey and Caleel Mitchell each scored 18 points to led the home team.

Seven Flyers will be honored on Sophomore Night on Monday before the 7 p.m. game against Blue Lights College of Apex.

Dent was the only Flyer to score in the first five minutes of Wednesday's game. He turned his third basket into a three-point play and a 7-4 lead. But in a half that the Flyers committed the majority of their 23 turnovers in the game, Alvey and teammate Caleel Mitchell sparked the Jags to as much as a six point lead.

An early second half three by Winston Bryan, followed by a quick steal by the sophomore, began turning the game the Flyers' way. Later, a pair of free throws by Evan Davis after grabbing an offensive board made it 50-41 Flyers with just over 12 minutes remaining.

The visitors closed to 50-47, but following a timeout, a three by Addison, and five quick points inside by Miller, contributed to a 23-6 run and an insurmountable 73-53 lead. The win was Coach Mike Apple's team's 11th in a row.

Final Region 10 Regular-Season Standings: Sandhills 6-0, Central Carolina 3-3, Oxford Emory 2-4 and Johnston 1-5.

Sandhills – Dent 5 3-3 13, Idlett 4 3-4 11, Bryan 1 2-2 5, Addison 3 4-4 11, Miller 5 2-4 12, Williams 3 0-0 6, Staton 5 1-3 13, Davis 0 2-2 2, Allmon 0 3-4 3, Yow 0 0-0 0, Bailey 0 0-0 0, Ratliffe 0 0-0 0, Medins 0 0-0 0, Richardson 0 0-0 0 Totals 26 20-26 79. Johnston – Mitchell 8 1-2 18, Alvey 5 7-12 18, Taylor 1 1-1 3, Hill 2 5-6 9, Pearsall 1 0-0 2, McLeod 3 0-0 7, Poole 0 2-2 2 Totals 20 16-23 59. Three-point goals: SCC 4 Bryan, Addison, Staton); JCC 3 Mitchell, Alvey, McLeod).

C. Bergmann

Photo By: Donna Ford