Feb 27, 2010
Garner Basketball Logo - Generic Graphic
Again, Friday night came down to a game of runs in the sectional finals as the Garner Trojans traveled to New Hanover looking to win it's first sectional final since 1998.
However, the Trojans couldn't pull it out as they lost 62-59 in overtime.
The game started off with New Hanover going on a little spurt to take an early lead, but the Trojans answered right back as Stephon Drane scored six points in the first quarter.
With Garner down by two-points and four seconds left in the opening stanza, the Wildcats made a quick basket, but Garner point guard Emanuel McClain went coast to coast and hit a floater to end the first quarter in a 12-12 tie.
New Hanover had committed just two team fouls in the first quarter while Garner committed seven team fouls including the first technical foul of the season on head coach Eddie Gray.
But, despite the foul situation, the Trojans evened the game back up and even pulled ahead as Gavin Wilson scored eight second quarter points to give the Trojans a 26-23 lead at halftime.
The third quarter belonged to Garner as the Trojans were able to work the ball inside and get the New Hanover big guys in foul trouble.
After not making a single 3-pointer in the first half, Garner exploded for four third quarter 3-pointers, including a trio of them by Wilson.
Garner had a 47-42 lead after three periods.
That lead grew to as many as eight-points in the fourth quarter, but New Hanover refused to quit, even when both their 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 off a 3-point attempt from the corner. The shot didn't fall, and the two teams entered overtime in a 54-54 tie.
Garner hit the first basket in overtime to go up by two, but New Hanover scored the next four points to take a two point lead of it's own. Moments later, Wilson was called for a technical foul, to give the Wildcats two shots and the ball.
Freddie Jackson hit one-of-two free throws, giving New Hanover a four point lead. After a defensive stop, Garner's Donald Johnson banked in a 3-pointer to cut the lead to one.
On the ensuing inbound pass, the Trojans got a steal and had several close shots to take the lead, but the shot by Malcolm Sloan went begging, and as Gray urged the officials to call a foul, Garner found themselves still down by one and had to foul.
New Hanover made both shots and took a three point lead with just four seconds left. Garner got the ball and the attempt to tie the game by Emanuel McClain failed.
Garner (18-9) finishes the season with it's second consecutive conference championship and the first sectional final appearance since the James Mays days.
New Hanover (20-7) will advance to the regionals in Greenville next Friday night.
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