Sports - February 2003

Mustangs beats Wolves; LHS girls win

From staff reports

February 10, 2003 - It has been a long season of tough and close losses for the East Lincoln boys basketball team.

But Saturday, things picked up for the Mustangs.

After trailing 31-19 to Lincolnton, East dominated the third quarter 22-2 to go on to shock Lincolnton 54-47.

The Lady Wolves, however, had better luck versus East, winning 49-38.

In the boys game, it was a great night for East’s Jadarious Roseboro, who scored 15 of his game-high 25 points in the second half.

He also hit four 3-pointers and made seven of eight free throws.

Other players also came up big. Center Grant Covington scored only three points in the first half but scored 10 second-half points. He helped seal the win with six points in the fourth quarter alone.

T.J. Smith nailed two 3-pointers in the third quarter to help the Mustangs come back.

The Mustangs made all nine free throws in the second half as well.

It was a great win for East.

“Our kids have been working very, very hard,” said East coach Neil Hodges. “It’s nice to see them get a win. “We did it down the stretch making free throws, defensive stops and rebounds. Our kids have had positive attitudes and are learning. It’s nice to see them rewarded.”

The biggest key to the game was the point production of the Wilson cousins, Eric and Darren. They have been averaging about 50 combined points a game and are capable of doing more.

They finished with 36 total points.

That was just what East wanted.

“The Wilson boys are very good players,” Hodges said. “They are capable of 60 to 70 points. We couldn’t let them do that. We wanted to keep them to around 20 each.”

Lincolnton made five 3-pointers in the first quarter to lead 21-12.

But the rest of the way, the Wolves struggled from the field. They only hit 10 baskets after the first quarter and made four of nine free throws after the first period.

“They played better than us,” said LHS coach Bob Cowie. “We took plenty of perimeter jumpers and didn’t make them. We didn’t have an excuse. They just played better.”

The girls game was tied at the end of the first quarter, 12-12

But in the second period, it was, literally, all Lady Wolves. LHS poured in 19 points in the quarter, shutting East down to no points.

With the 30-12 lead at the half, it was for all intentions over. But the Lady Mustangs didn’t quit. They outscored LHS 26-19 the rest of the way.

“For a rivalry, it was a good game,” said LHS coach Scott Sekal. “Once we got up by 20, we coasted. A lot of kids came in and gave good effort. We shot well from the free throw line. We played tough.”

For Lincolnton, Andrea Stroup had a game-high 18 points. Stroup and Shantae Shank combined 12 of the team’s 19 points in that second quarter. Shank chipped in with 12.

For the Lady Mustangs, Leslie Marlowe hit 12 of her 16 in the second half.

Sara Flemming had 11 points before fouling out in the fourth quarter.

LHS will host East Rutherford Tuesday while the Mustangs will be at home against East Gaston.

© 2001 Lincoln Times-News  

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