Chargers turn back Hobgood

By Andrew Stevens
Published in Sports on February 25, 2009 1:46 PM

• Print
• Email

Roughly 51/2 minutes was all it took for Wayne Country Day's starters to get the message while sitting on the bench.

Chargers head coach Terry Jones wasn't pleased with the effort from his first unit four minutes into the ballgame and elected to bring in five subs to finish the first quarter.

The result was a rejuvenated sense of urgency from Jones' starters in a 72-46 win over visiting 11th-seeded Hobgood in the first round of the N.C. Independent Schools Athletic Association Class 1-A playoffs on Tuesday evening.

Wayne Country Day (21-12 overall) took a while to adjust to the Raiders' Princeton-style offense -- a methodical scheme reliant on a countless array of screens and backdoor cuts. After Hank Edmundson's putback gave Hobgood at 4-3 lead, Jones burned a timeout and put five new players on the court.

Hil Tanner, Oliver Reimer, Jordan Perry, Brandon McCarter and Josiah Davis remained on the floor for Chargers, who trailed 11-7 after one quarter.

The starting five returned 90 seconds into the second quarter and closed the half on a 15-3 run. Wayne Country Day forced 10 turnovers during the second quarter and scored the final seven points of the half to take a 30-24 lead into the locker room.

"I think they got the point," said Jones. "That's not a luxury we've had most of the season and not being in the tournament I have some extra bodies. Those guys went in and did a great job. They gave what that first group was taking for granted which was effort."

Reco McCarter and Tim Hobbs combined for 20 of the Chargers' 23 points during a third quarter in which Wayne Country Day outscored the Raiders 23-11. McCarter knocked down four 3-pointers and scored 14 of his game-high 20 points during that stretch.

Hobbs worked the glass and added six points during the third period as the Chargers outrebounded Hobgood 15-3 in the quarter while the lead swelled to 53-35.

The Raiders (18-7) committed 24 turnovers which allowed an athletic Wayne Country Day team to get out and run in transition, while keeping Hobgood out of its half court offense.

"Defensively, we just kind of picked it up," said Jones. "Hobgood will come down on the offensive end and wait as long as it takes to get the shot that they want and they have some guys that were stroking it from deep.

"They played sound, fundamental basketball."

Hobbs finished with 17 points and Tanner added 11.

The sixth-seeded Chargers face third-seeded Word of God (20-9) in the Elite Eight at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday at Charlotte Latin School. Word of God defeated Wayne Country Day 75-49 in late November.

"The first time, in all honesty we didn't even show up," said Jones. "They're a spectacular ball team. That was so early in the season we weren't even sure who we were yet. We've become a better ball team and what better way to show that than against one of the top teams out there?"