Sports - December 2002

LHS boys and girls sweep North Gaston

TERRANCE THOMAS, LTN Staff writer

December 11, 2002 - Lincolton’s Shante Shank scored on a layup with two seconds left to send the game into overtime against North Gaston and then helped the Lady Wolves seal a 63-57 win.

Later in the boys game, the Wolves went 15-for-15 at the line, including 11 in the fourth quarter to hold off a strong rally from North Gaston to take it, 71-62.

Back in the girls game, LHS dashed out to a 30-17 lead with a fast-break offense.

But the Lady Wildcats slowed it down to a half-court offense and cooled down Lincolnton to take the lead and build up a seven-point advantage of its own with a remarkable 27-9 spurt.

LHS was down three points with 21 seconds to play. Lindsay Sain hit the front end of a one-and-one at the free throw line.

North Gaston tried to run out the clock but LHS got the ball and passed down to Shank on the left side of the basket. She laid it in just before the horn.

“I didn’t know how much time was left on the clock. I was just playing,” Shank said.

In overtime, LHS made its move.

 With the score tied at 55, Shank went coast to coast to score a layup.

On the next play, Santana Edwards stole the ball and took it in for the score.

After a North Gaston free throw, Sain also hit an inside basket to put the game away.

After several LHS players fouled out, Sain was a key in keeping the Lady Wolves in there. She score a team-high 20 points.

Shank (12 points), Keisha Duncan (11) and Andrea Stroup (8) all were big in the win. Edwards, Hollan Bradley and Ashlea Farley also scored.

LHS coach Scott Sekal said his team had some problems in the game but is improving.

“My girls played good at times,” he said. “But basketball is a game of spurts. We made mistakes but we’re getting better. That’s the main thing. We’ve got to improve because this (Midwest 2-A) conference is so tough.

“There are going to be a lot of tight games down the road. We didn’t panic. The kids have to learn under pressure. I like to play tough teams. It makes you better,” he said.

In the boys game, it look at first LHS would easily put the Wildcats away.

The Wolves missed a few inside shots right at the beginning but after that everything seemed to fall in. They hit five 3-pointers and most of the close range shots and to go up 31-18.

Darren Wilson scored 14 points of his 23 in the first half.

But North Gaston made adjustments at halftime and kept a man on Wilson at all times.

The Wildcats went to a halfcourt game and got 10 point- blank baskets from center James Brown and the majority of Aaron Tyson’s game-high 26 points to get within four points with less than four minutes to play.

But right after that, Darren Wilson gunned a 3-pointer to give LHS some breathing room.

But the other Wilson (Eric) picked up the slack for Lincolnton. He scored 17 of his 24 points in the second half.

With the score 62-57, Eric Wilson came up with a clutch play. He drove inside, made a layup while he was fouled. He hit the free throw to complete the three-point play to make it an 8-point difference.

When North Gaston had to foul, the Wolves made them pay at the line.

The rest of the way, LHS made free throw after free throw to keep the Wildcats at bay to seal the win.

The Wolves also won the JV boys game 43-40. The Wolves outscored North Gaston 14-10 in the fourth quarter to win.

Demory Williams led the way with eight, Kyle Snyder and Lance Friday each had seven. Edwin Barber, Bradley Hunter, Richard Lynch, Dustin Metts, Jeremy Smith, Richard Carlton and David Lacoyer all put points on the board for LHS.

The Wolves will make up their home game with East Lincoln on Tuesday. The game was postponed on Friday due to power outage to most of the area.

© 2001 Lincoln Times-News  

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