Turnovers cost Garner in second week

Posted December 9, 2009 at 3:38 pm and filed under GMHS, Sports.

By Chris Edwards
Citizen Journalist

Trojans fall to the Bulldogs’ bite

The Trojan varsity boys basketball team returned to action this past week to open up their home schedule as they hosted the defending eastern regional champion, the Terry Sanford High School Bulldogs, Tuesday, Dec. 1.

Terry Sanford had already defeated Garner once this season, and the Trojans were unable to avenge their first loss as the Bulldogs defeated them again Tuesday.

Terry Sanford jumped all over the Trojans early, taking a 13-8 lead after the first quarter. That’s when Garner was bitten by the turnover bug, continuously turning the ball over to Terry Sanford on several possessions. But despite the turnovers, the Bulldogs only had a 13-point halftime lead.

In the second half, the Bulldogs’ lead grew to 18 points, and after three quarters Garner was down 53-35.

Then, in the fourth quarter, it was like a light turned on for the Trojans as they finally found their rhythm on the offensive end. They eventually cut the Bulldog lead to five before Terry Sanford took charge again, led by Robert Carpenter who had 13 second-half points and led all scorers with 18. Terry Sanford pulled away and defeated Garner 61-53.

Eagles take flight, leaving Garner behind

The Trojans continued their parade of perennial powers just two days later, hitting the road to take on the Enloe High School Eagles Thursday, Dec. 3. The Eagles went 28-2 last season and returned Melvin Tabb, who averaged 29 points a game a year ago and has already signed with Wake Forest University.

Again, turnovers would cost the Trojans Thursday night. Though the two teams combined for 55 turnovers, 31 of them were committed by Garne, and Enloe came away with a 67-56 win.

Garner played the up-tempo style of offense and ran the floor with the Eagles, but after the first quarter, the Trojans were down by seven at 19-12. Enloe began to pull away in the second quarter as Garner at one point only had two second-quarter points. But sophomore forward Gavin Wilson found his shot and hit two big three-pointers and had four big field goals to keep Garner in the game at 36-23 come halftime.

In the second half, Enloe’s lead grew to nearly 20 before Garner rallied with big baskets from several players. The big key was when Donald Johnson, Garner’s leading three-point shooter, found his outside shot and hit two second-half threes. The Trojans were able to cut the Eagle lead to five points with about two minutes left in the game.

But turnovers reared their ugly head again. Garner had several empty possessions, and Enloe pulled away to improve to 5-0 on the year. With the loss, Garner is 1-3 on the season and will return to action Wednesday, Dec. 9 at 7:30 p.m. when they host the same Enloe team.

Garner will open conference play Friday, Dec. 11 at 7:30 p.m. when they welcome West Johnston to Trojan Gym.

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