STATE BASKETBALL PLAYOFFS: E. Lincoln boys, Freedom girls reach West Regionals

HobbsDailyReport.com

East Lincoln High wiped out a 10-point halftime deficit on Tuesday night, rallying to topple visiting East Rutherford 74-65 and reach the West 2A boys’ basketball title game.

The top-seeded Mustangs (29-2) will play second-seeded and defending state 2A champion Forest Hills (28-2) on Saturday at Catawba Valley Community College (CVCC) or Lenoir-Rhyne University (LRU).

The game site and start time is to be announced by the North Carolina High School Athletic Association (NCHSAA), which has returned the West Regionals to Hickory for the first time since 2003.

The Mustangs and Yellow Jackets — who advanced by beating No. 3 Shelby 77-66 on Tuesday night in Marshville – will meet in the postseason for the third time in four seasons.

East Lincoln won 64-52 in a 2016 postseason game and Forest Hills won last season 64-54.

The teams have a combined 112-12 record over two seasons (East Lincoln 54-8, Forest Hills 58-4).

The Mustangs set a school record for single-season wins on Tuesday, topping a 28-win season by their 2015-16 team. They allowed only 16 second-half points.

Senior Sidney Dollar had 35 points, 16 rebounds and six assists to lead East Lincoln past the 1th-seeded Cavaliers (22-6). Senior John Bean added 15 points and junior Justin Kuthan had 14 points and five rebounds.

Christian Walker led East Rutherford with 20 points and Antonio Ledbetter and Owen Chapman added 16 and 10 points, respectively.

East Rutherford had a 31-22 lead after one quarter and was up 49-39 at the half, with the Mustangs pulling within a point (52-51) heading into the final quarter.

MORE COVERAGE: https://www.gastongazette.com/sports/20190305/dollar-east-lincoln-mount-comeback-gut-out-regional-semifinal-win-over-east-rutherford

No. 2 Cox Mill 101, No. 3 Freedom 86

Host Cox Mill rode 27 points from Duke signee Wendell Moore Jr. and 23 by Caleb Stone-Carrawell to a bid in Saturday’s West 3A Regional final in Hickory.

The Chargers (28-2) face top-seeded Southwest Guilford (30-0) at CVCC or LRU at a time and location to be announced by the NCHSAA.

Southwest Guilford advanced with an 83-49 home win on Tuesday night over No 4 Charlotte Catholic.

Cox Mill led 48-36 at the half after a 27-all tie after eight minutes.

The Chargers broke a 31-all tie on buckets by Cody Cline, Moore and Stone-Carrawell, leading 37-31.

Later, Stone-Carrawell hit two free throws for a 44-36 lead that grew to 48-36 when he hit a shot and Moore made two free throws.

Malcom Morgan’s 3-pointer in the third quarter opened the edge to 51-36, but Freedom was within 71-61 when Jayden Birchfield hit a 3-pointer.

In the fourth quarter, the Patriots closed within 77-68 when James Freeman – who scored 41 points – hit a 3-pointer and then a jumper.

Freedom closed within nine points two other times in the final quarter but had a three-game win streak snapped.

The Patriots (28-3) have won 282 games under Casey Rogers, who completed his 13^th season as head coach at his alma mater.

GIRLS

No. 2 Freedom 62, No, 3 Carson 46

Getting off to a hot start at home with four first-quarter 3-pointers, the Patriots rolled into the West 3A Regionals on Saturday in Hickory.

Freedom (30-1) faces No 4 Cuthberston (28-3) at CVCC or LRU on Saturday at a time and site to be announced by the NCHSAA.

Cuthbertson reached Hickory by beating No. 9 Asheboro 63-43 on Tuesday night at Cuthbertson.

Adair Garrison led Freedom with 18 points, Blaikley Crooks added 15, Madison Bailey had 12 and Christena Rhone added 10.

Hannah Isley scored a career-high 16 points for Carson (27-3) and McKenzie Gadson added 13.

Freedom led 35-26 at the half and was up by as many as 15 points twice in the second quarter.

Carson got within eight points in the final quarter.

The Patriots are going to their 13^th West Regional title game – they have won seven of their previous 12 – and are chasing their sixth state championship.

Freedom won state titles in 1988-89, 1993-94, 1994-95, 2001-02 and 2015-16.

MORE COVERAGE: https://www.salisburypost.com/2019/03/05/carson-girls-fall-at-freedom-62-46-in-3a-state-playoffs/

No. 1 Mountain Heritage 71, No. 4 East Burke 66

The Cougars came off the ropes, gaining the lead in the final 50 seconds, and eliminated the visiting Cavs to earn a trip to Hickory and the West 2A Regional title game.

Mountain Heritage (27-0) will play No. 3 Forbush (27-3) on Saturday at CVCC or LRU with a game time and location to be announced by the NCHSAA.

East Burke had a lead of as many as 17 points in the third quarter and started hot, going up 21-7 in the first quarter when Brooks Arney hit four 3-pointers.

The Cavs led 35-25 at the half and were still up 50-44 heading into the final eight minutes.

Mountain Heritage had a 13-2 run in the third quarter, sparked by Hannah Tipton and Presley Peterson, to get within striking distance.

Tipton, who scored 25 points, had 11 points in the run (including seven free throws) and she finished by making 16 of 17 free throws.

Presley, who scored 16 points, had a dozen of them in the third quarter.

The Cougars gained the lead, 65-64, when Tipton grabbed a defensive board and fed Landry Atkins for a layup.

Mountain Heritage is 77-5 over three seasons.

East Burke (24-6), which had a 14-game win streak snapped, had a chance to get head coach Crystal Bartlett her 100^th career victory in four seasons.

The teams played a non-league game on Jan. 9 at Mountain Heritage and the Cougars won 68-63, after which the Cavs began their long win streak.

MORE COVERAGE: https://www.citizen-times.com/story/sports/high-school/hshuddle/2019/03/06/mountain-heritages-comeback-keeps-perfect-season-alive/3077996002/

• Information for this roundup include reports from Chip Ashley of the East Lincoln boys’ coaching staff and from Amber Reddick, head coach of the Freedom girls.