Sports - February 2003

LHS advances in conference tourney

MIKE POWELL, LTN Sports Correspondent

February 19, 2003 - Lincolnton’s best offensive player proved to be its best defender Tuesday night in a 69-55 win over Bandys in the first round of the Midwest 2A Conference tournament.

Eric Wilson, a 24 points per game scorer, turned defensive stopper as the Wolves (16-8) advanced to Thursday’s semifinal round at Gardner-Webb College.

The junior guard drew a tough defensive assignment in Bandys’ Justin Harper, a 6-foot-3 senior forward who can score inside or outside. But Wilson held Harper to only two points in the second half, that coming on a layup with only 3:23 left in the game.

And while Harper finished with 14 points, his inability to score in the second half was a key to the Wolves’ victory. Thanks to Wilson’s defensive pressure that forced Harper to settle for perimeter jumpers, the Bandys star was a dismal 1-for-9 from the field in the final 16 minutes.

Not only was Wilson the best defender in the game, he poured in 25 points to lead all scorers. And he didn’t even start the game due a minor violation of a team rule.

 “We talk a lot about urgency on defense, and Eric shows that,” Lincolnton coach Bob Cowie said. “He has a sense of urgency on every defensive possession.”

Wilson had plenty of help offensively from his backcourt running mate, point guard Darren Wilson, who scored 23 points and hit the 3-pointer that gave Lincolnton the lead for good in the third quarter.

The contest was much closer than the final score indicated. Bandys trailed by four, 48-44, through three quarters and was still within range at 59-52 when the Wolves went to their spread offense with four minutes to play.

The delay game paid off a minute later when Eric Wilson found an opening against the extended Bandys defense and drove for a layup to build the lead to nine.

That layup keyed a 10-3 Lincolnton run to close out the game.

Zack Elliott, quarterback of Bandys’ state 2A runnerup football team, led the Trojans in scoring with 17 points. Matt Oaks, who hit two early 3-pointers to help Bandys open leads of 12-4 and 20-13, added 15.

Eric Wilson was not the only Lincolnton starter to miss the opening tap. Forward Robbie Lewis was at home with a case of strep throat, and freshman Zach Gibson filled in well with a nine-point night, including two free throws with 2:31 to all but seal the win.

NOTES: If Lincolnton does not win the conference tournament, the Wolves have a probable home game Monday in the opening round of the playoffs. The anticipated opponent is Wilkes Central, the Mountain Valley Conference No. 3 seed... If the Wolves win the tournament, they will enter the playoffs as the Midwest No. 2 seed and draw a first-round bye… The Lady Wolves’ season came to a close Tuesday as they lost to East Rutherford 50-47.

Ba 20 12 12 11--55

L 13 16 19 21--69

B-Frye 1, Matt Oaks 15, Helderman 3, Zack Elliott 17, Boyles 2, Justin Harper 14, Moss 3.

L-Gibson 9, Darren Wilson 23, Jeffries 8, Eric Wilson 25, Keener 2, Ussery 2.

© 2001 Lincoln Times-News  

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