Charging on: WCDS defense stifles Knights

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on February 24, 2015 1:48 PM

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rcoggins@newsargus.com

Play defense.

It's the single-most request Wayne Country Day head basketball coach David Flowers has requested of his team all season.

He finally saw it in full force Monday evening.

The Chargers held Hickory Christian to nine field goals, forced 17 turnovers and waltzed to a 74-23 victory in opening-round action of the N.C. Independent Schools Athletic Association Class 1-A playoffs. WCDS won a playoff opener for the 12th time in 16 tries since 2000.

Flowers' squad moves on to the elite eight for the third straight year and opposes third-seeded Burlington School on Thursday. Tip-off is 5:30 p.m. at Asheville Christian Academy.

"Defensively, I was really impressed with how we played," Flowers said. "That's the biggest key now (to advance). We know we can score, it's just playing defense. Can we defend and can we rebound at every position?"

Nine WCDS players pulled down at least one rebound apiece and the Chargers owned a 32-20 edge on the boards against the 11th-seeded Knights. Hickory Christian (13-10 overall) endured two 10-minute droughts without a field goal and did not score in the fourth quarter.

The sixth-seeded Chargers (15-12) scored the game's first seven points and led 23-10 after one period. The Knights, who run a Princeton-style offense that relies on backdoor cuts, could never develop an offensive rhythm against WCDS' pressure defense.

Hickory managed just one field goal in the second quarter.

"(The second quarter) we were talking to each other and playing together," said WCDS guard Victor Miller, who collected 11 points, six rebounds, four assists and three steals.

"We played with a lot of intensity, played strong, played hard (and) played aggressive. We know when we play strong and when we play together, we play great. (Coach) told us it's not going to be easy. We have to use each other and if we use each other, we're going to win this game."

Eight of nine WCDS players scratched in the scoring column. Division I recruit Joel Davis, who got in early foul trouble, and DJ Waters pumped in 15 points apiece. Waters also snared seven rebounds and doled out three assists.

Tony Townsend added 11 points. Jamal Forde contributed 10 points, four rebounds and five assists.

The Chargers logged 19 assists on 28 made field goals and picked the Knights for 12 steals.

"You know, Hickory Christian is a good team," Flowers said. "We wanted to get them out of what they normally like to do, which is slow the ball down. I feel like we played to another level and I think that was the biggest thing for us tonight."

Wayne Country Day is in the elite eight for the 12th time, but hasn't advanced to the semifinals since 2000.

"We've just got to believe in ourselves," Miller said. "We're a great team. We have a lot of talent on our team, a lot of young guys that can contribute with us seniors. If we come together, we can win.

"I believe we can do it."