Trojans’ basketball season ends in thrilling fashion

Posted March 1, 2010 at 5:00 pm and filed under GMHS, Sports.

By Chris Edwards
Citizen Journalist

After winning the conference championship, the Garner Trojans seemed to have a pretty easy road to the Eastern Regionals as they had at least two games at home before playing their only road game at New Hanover, provided both teams won their games in the first two rounds.

Donald Johnson goes to the basket Wednesday, Feb. 24.

Donald Johnson goes to the basket Wednesday, Feb. 24. KEN HALL, KENHALLPHOTOGRAPHY.COM

And just as expected, Garner overcame a sluggish start Monday with a 15-5 run to cruise past Greenville Rose and set up a second-round contest with the Fighting Scots of Scotland County High School.

And once again, the home-court advantage paid dividends for the Trojans as they man-handled the Scots to set up a Friday night showdown with New Hanover. But that meant for the first time in the postseason, the Trojans would be heading on the road to face the higher-seeded Wildcats.

So at about 1:30 p.m. Friday, Head Coach Eddie Gray and the Trojans boarded an activity bus and made their way to the coast with what Coach Gray called “good vibes” about the matchup.

But the good vibes would soon turn to bad vibes as within the first four minutes of the game, Coach Gray got his first technical foul of the season. As the action wore on, it became a game of runs, but in the end, New Hanover’s run lasted a little longer as the Wildcats came away with the 62-59 overtime victory.

New Hanover started the game with a spurt to take an early lead; however, the Trojans answered right back as Stephon Drane scored six points in the first quarter. With Garner up three and four seconds left in the opening half, the Wildcats make a quick basket to cut the lead to one, but Garner point guard Emanuel McClain went coast-to-coast and hit a floater to give Garner a 26-23 lead at the break.

The third quarter belonged to Garner. The Trojans were able to work the ball inside and get the New Hanover big guys in foul trouble, but another big key to the third stanza was the Trojans finding their stroke from beyond the arc.

After not making a three in the first half, Garner exploded for four three-pointers in the third quarter with three coming from Gavin Wilson, giving Garner a 47-42 lead after three.

That lead grew to as many as eight points in the fourth quarter, but New Hanover refused to quit, even when both its star big guys fouled out in the fourth quarter. The Wildcats forced several Garner turnovers as the Trojans became timid with the ball on offense and allowed the Wildcats to tie the game.

With time running out in the fourth, New Hanover had a shot to win the game with a three from the corner, but the shot went begging, and the game headed to overtime tied at 54.

Garner seemed to have the edge in the extra session with both big guys out for New Hanover. But the Trojans had foul troubles of their own as Drane and Dominique Reed both had four fouls.

Garner hit the first basket in overtime to go up by two, but New Hanover scored the next four points. After a blocked shot by Wilson was called a technical foul, the Wildcats got two shots and the ball.

The Wildcats made one of their two foul shots, and Garner made a defensive stand and came down court where Donald Johnson banked in a three.

On the ensuing inbound pass, the Trojans got a steal and had several close shots to take the lead, but the Trojans ultimately found themselves down by one and having to foul. New Hanover made both shots and took a three-point lead with just four seconds left. Garner got the ball, but the shot by McClain didn’t go, leaving the Trojans on the wrong side of the thriller, 62-59.

Garner (18-9) finished the season with its second consecutive conference championship and the first sectional final appearance since James Mays played for the blue and gold. New Hanover (20-7) advances to the regionals in Greenville this Friday night.

SCORING

Garner

  • G. Wilson 21
  • D. Johnson 16
  • S. Drane 10
  • D. Reed 7
  • E. McClain 5
  • D. Dorsey 1

New Hanover

  • F. Jackson 21
  • C. Daley 14
  • D. Thames 12
  • M. Gibbs 7
  • D. Rodgers 5
  • J. Lewis 2

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