Sports - February 2003

Big weekend for LHS basket ball

TERRANCE THOMAS, LTN Staff Writer

February 3, 2003 - What a weekend for Lincolnton basketball teams!

The boys and girls came out with two big conference wins (Friday against West Lincoln and Saturday versus Newton-Conover).

The Wolves took over first place in the Midwest 2A Conference.

Meanwhile, the Lady Wolves moved from the middle of the pack into solid playoff contention

It was a great weekend, but it wasn’t a cruise.

Both teams had to fight tooth-and-nail to win.

On Friday, West Lincoln came into the Wolves’ den wanting victory.

West Lincoln’s Zach Franklin entered the boys game with 990 career points.

It didn’t take him long to get to the 1,000 mark. He popped two 3-pointers within the first two minutes and scored on a layup just before the end of the first quarter.

In the second quarter, with about five minutes to play, Franklin squared up at the top of the key just outside the 3-point line and fired it through the nets for 1,001.

There was little celebration. West will honor Franklin Tuesday at West when the Rebels play Bandys.

Right after Franklin’s big moment, LHS scored seven straight points to make it 36-16.

It could have been an early knockout, but the Rebels picked themselves up and turned up another notch.

West scored seven straight points to make it 44-27 at the half.

West kept chipping away at LHS’s lead with a 14-2 run early in the third quarter and a 10-2 spurt midway in the fourth quarter

West kept on fighting and closed the game to 65-63 on a big 3 from Franklin as the West crowd erupted with 1:24 to play. But that was West’s last basket. Lincolnton added a couple of free throws and held on to win.

Lincolnton got 23 points from Eric Wilson and 18 from Darren Wilson. Those points were expected.

But Robbie Lewis’ 14 points and for 3-pointers were vital to the win.

Franklin finished with 18 but would have traded it to beat the Wolves.

The girls game was a good one, too. West opened up with a 13-6 first quarter lead but LHS tied it at the half. It was 33-33 going into the fourth quarter.

The basket of the fourth quarter had to be an omen for what was going to happen for the rest of the game.

LHS’s Santana Edwards shot an air ball on a 3-pointer attempt

But Lindsey Sain caught the ball and laid it in.

From there, LHS was in control.

LHS outscored West 19-7 in the fourth quarter to go on to win 60-45. Andrea Stroup had eight of her 24 points in that span. Sain added 12.

For West, Lily Tallent scored 16, Heather Pearson 13 and Stephanie Sain 11.

Lincolnton also won both junior varsity games.

LHS JV Boys cruised to a 61-43 win.

LHS scorers were: Edwin Barber (17); Bradley Hunter (8); Dustin Metts (six); Richard Carlton (6); Lance Friday (6); Jesse Norton (6); and Germany Smith (1).

Several LHS players scored two points — Demory Williams, Dustin Weaver, Cal Baker, Dusty Friday, Richard Lynch, Cal Snyder, David Lecoyer and Kenny Reed.

West scorers were Gene Arp (5); Paul Chambers (7); Josh Fisher (4); Chris Henderson (2); Ryan Huffman (15); Adam Owens (5); Dan Payseur (2); and Cole Reynolds (3).

The JV Lady Wolves won 45-40.

LHS scorers were Shonda Faw (23); Lauren Sain (3); Ashley Tipton (14); Elizabeth Stepp (3); and Charlotte Clark (4).

West scorers were Nicole Davis (2); Candi Taylor (8); Sara Elmore (10); Katie Davis (4); Anna Kulget (6); and Tamika Werts (8).

On Saturday, both LHS teams had their hands full with Newton.

The girls went down to the wire to win 50-45.

The difference was the play of Lindsey Sain and Shantae Shank.

Sain hit three clutch jumpers and a pair of free throws early in the fourth quarter for her 15 points in the game when the Newton defense was pressuring the ball.

But with the score 45-45 and a minute left, Shank scored on a fast break and made her free throw. Then she made two more free throws near the end.

Shank scored nine points in the fourth quarter. She went nine-for-nine at the free throw line, finishing with 17 points.

The boys game was simply a classic.

It was a showcase of two teams with all-star scorers: LHS’ Eric Wilson and Newton’s Julius Powell.

Both were on fire.

They both hit 3-pointers, drives inside and short jumpers. They did it all.

When it was done, Powell scored 36 points of Newton’s 76.

Eric Wilson and Lincolnton did him better. Wilson had 38 of LHS’s 79.

Teammate Darren Wilson added 29.

It was a classic.

© 2001 Lincoln Times-News  

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