Garner head coach Eddie Gray at the HighSchoolOT.com Holiday Invitational Tournament December 26, 2012. (Photo by Jack Tarr)
Jan 31, 2013
The casual observer watching Wednesday night's varsity boys basketball game between Garner and Harnett Central would have no idea the history that was made in what appeared to be an unassuming 69-42 Garner victory.
However what transpired was indeed historic as Trojan head coach Eddie Gray collected his 400th career victory in the same fashion as many of his previous 399 wins, with a team effort.
Garner (14-2, 8-0) began the contest rather sluggish, taking a four-point, 10-6 lead four minutes into the game thanks to eight first-quarter points from Sammy Saunders. But Harnett Central (6-10, 2-6) hung with the Trojans trailing by just three points, 17-14, after the opening half.
But, in the second stanza, Garner looked like a completely different team, outscoring Central 25-12 off a huge period from Demarcus Sanford, who scored all eight of his first half points in the second quarter to help give the visiting Trojans a 42-26 halftime lead.
Central had no answer for the quickness of the Trojans on offense and the defensive pressure that Garner exhibited forced even Gray to crack a smile as Garner placed three in double-figures and coasted past Harnett Central 69-42.
For Gray, his 400th win came almost two years to the day of his 350th victory a 44-42 win over Knightdale on January 28, 2011 and career win number 300 was achieved on November 18, 2008 against Middle Creek.
Garner will return to action on Friday night when they play the third game of the week, another road test at Smithfield-Selma with tip-off slated for 8:00.
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