Gators score 38 in final period

By Gabe Whisnant
Published in Sports on February 20, 2004 1:57 PM

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MOUNT OLIVE -- Thirty-eight points in a period. It sounds baffling and next to impossible.

Thanks to some streaky outside shooting by junior guard Josh Bishop, the Spring Creek boys basketball team accomplished that feat in impressive fashion in the fourth period of their 81-54 win over sixth-seed North Johnston in the Class 1-A Carolina Conference tournament semifinals at Mount Olive's College Hall.

Bishop finished 18 of his 21 points in the fourth period, including five consecutive three- pointers. He also added 11 rebounds and five rebounds.

The 38 points was a school record for points in period.

"When it was crunch time I saw that my team needed some assistance, and I just stepped up and made some big shots," Bishop said. "This team just knows how to pull big games out, like this one."

In the evening's first semifinal, fifth-seeded North Duplin had Ayden-Grifton, the top seed, on the ropes through three periods before leading scorer, rebounder and shot blocker Saladeem Dewberry fouled out early in the fourth.

Dewberry finished with 13 points, but his value as a match-up problem and defensive menace through three periods was equally important as his offensive output against the undersized, but quick Chargers.

The fifth whistle against the six-foot-six sophomore changed the complexion of the game as the Chargers. ranked eight in the latest ihigh.com 1-A poll, went on to a 59-53 victory.

"It was no decision at all to keep him in. We had to have him in the game to be competitive with them. It's the gamble we took, but it didn't pay off," North Duplin coach Ricky Edwards. "We played real hard and were in position to win."

Second-seeded Spring Creek and Ayden-Grifton, the only conference team that beat the Gators during the regular season, are set to tip-off at 7:30 p.m. tonight at College Hall.

"Rebounds are going to be a big key. To get that, we may go to a little more zone," Spring Creek coach Sonny Kilpatrick said. "We can score points, but our defense and rebounds are going to be the key."

Matt Braswell and DeMarco Kornegay added 10 points each for the young Rebels, who concluded their season at 8-12 overall.

Spring Creek and North Johnston were locked up in a back-and-forth contest of runs that saw Spring Creek take a slim, 43-39 lead into the fourth period against a familiar opponent that it had seen only six days ago in Kenly.

That soon changed.

To go with Bishop's 18 in the fourth, reserve Chris Wright came off of the bench to score 10 points in the fourth, adding a three, as the Gators knocked down seven from behind the arch in the fourth.

Shane Stevenson finished with 15 points, including nine in the first half, while Grey Wilson dropped in 13 points.

Brian Armstrong added 10 points and six rebounds from the center spot. He teamed with Michael Broadie to play solid defense against the Panther post players and controlled the glass for most of the game.

"I think Broadie and Armstrong, regardless of the points they scored, won the ball game for us," Kilpatrick said.

North Johnston's starting power forward and center managed just two field goals on the game.

"There in the fourth period, they started beating us to all the loose rebounds," North Johnston coach David Johnson said. "A team like Spring Creek, you can't give them those opportunities."

The Panthers' Jake Lomonaco led all scorers with 24 points, including three three-pointers as Brad Holloman contributed 10 in the loss. North Johnston ended its season at 10-15 overall.

2004 Class 1-A Carolina Conference Tournament

(at Mount Olive College)

Boys Semifinal No. 1

North Duplin 7 19 14 13 -- 53

Ayden-Grifton 11 14 15 19 -- 59

No. 5 NORTH DUPLIN (8-12)

Saladeem Dewberry 6 0 1-1 13, Matt Braswell 3 1 1-2 10, DeMarco Kornegay 5 0 0-0 10, Montreal Garner 3 0 2-2 8, Charlton Armwood 2 0 2-2 6, Sterling Grice 0 2 0-0 6. TOTALS -- 19 3 6-7 53.

No. 1 AYDEN-GRIFTON (17-6)

Jamal Rouse 5 2 3-5 19, Jecol Edwards 5 0 6-7 16, Tyshawn Hall 1 2 4-4 12, Marquel Baker 2 0 2-2 6, Jeremy McGhee 2 0 0-2 4, Robby Phillips 1 0 0-0 2. TOTALS -- 16 4 15-20 59.

Three-point baskets -- North Duplin 3 (Grice 2, Braswell), Ayden-Grifton 4 (Rouse 2, Hall 2). Turnovers -- North Duplin 17, Ayden-Grifton 13. Total fouls -- North Duplin 13, Ayden-Grifton 12. Fouled out -- Dewberry. Technicals -- none.

Boys Semifinal No. 2

North Johnston 15 6 18 15 -- 54

Spring Creek 9 18 16 38 -- 81

No. 6 NORTH JOHNSTON (10-15)

Jake Lomonaco 4 3 7-9 24, Brad Holloman 4 0 2-5 10, Brandon Sanders 4 0 0-0 8, Willie Smith 1 0 5-7 7, Michael Thompson 1 0 1-2 3, Damien Allen 1 0 0-0 2. TOTALS -- 15 3 15-23 54.

No. 2 SPRING CREEK (20-6)

Josh Bishop 2 5 2-3 21, Shane Stevenson 3 2 3-4 15, Grey Wilson 5 1 0-0 13, Brian Armstrong 4 0 2-4 10, Chris Wright 2 1 3-3 10, Michael Broadie 2 0 2-2 6, Tavarus James 0 1 0-0 3, Mychael King 1 0 0-0 2, DaQuan McLamb 0 0 1-1 1. TOTALS -- 19 10 13-17 81.

Three-point baskets -- North Johnston 3 (Lomonaco 3), Spring Creek 10 (Bishop 5, Stevenson 2, Wilson, Wright, James). Turnovers -- North Johnston 17, Spring Creek 13. Total fouls -- North Johnston 19, Spring Creek 17. Fouled out -- none. Technicals -- Bishop.