SPMOP WINTER CLASSIC: WCDS shoots lights out against Parrott

By Ben Coley
Published in Sports on December 29, 2016 9:57 AM

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bcoley@newsargus.com

MOUNT OLIVE -- At first glance, it appeared the Golden State Warriors were running offense against Parrott Academy Wednesday night.

With a hard rubbing of the eyes or use of prescription glasses, the Wayne Country Day Chargers came into focus.

As it turns out, they were just shooting like a team full of splash brothers.

The Chargers scorched the nets with 12 3-pointers in the first half, which carried them to an eventual 70-50 victory over the Patriots in the semifinal of the Southern Bank/Mount Olive Pickle Winter Classic.

WCDS will face Goldsboro -- the defending champion -- in the finals today.

Chargers' head coach David Flowers said he never had a team shoot that well in the first half. People were asking him how many the team had made as they jogged to the locker room.

"We're not going to change," Flowers said. "We're going to shoot the ball well, so why go away from that? I mean we want to attack the basket, and we can. But if we're going to knock down shots like that, then shoot them all day long."

The Patriots actually started the game with a 2-0 lead. But then the Chargers dropped a 3-pointer to take the lead, and they never looked back.

By the end of the first quarter, Cole Atwood had racked up three 3-pointers and Jamal King had notched two. The lead was already 20-8.

The second quarter was even worse for the Patriots. King and Atwood combined for six more 3-pointers, and WCDS outscored Parrott 27-11 in the frame.

The halftime score stood at a whopping 47-19.

"Penetration," Flowers said. "You can't get in front of Jimmie Sanders. He's too quick. And if you do get in front of him, he'll knock down the shot too...We've got guys on the perimeter who can shoot the ball well. And they're starting to realize that."

The Patriots did hold a 31-23 advantage in the second half, but the Chargers' lead was so large that Parrott could get no closer than 17 points.

Atwood led the Chargers with 23 points and also grabbed six rebounds. King had 20 points and seven rebounds and Sanders registered 18 points. The Chargers finished with 14 3-pointers.

Flowers said he is well aware of the excitement that will surround the game versus Goldsboro.

He's just hoping his players will be able to push the pressure out of the locker room.

"I don't want my players to make it more than what it is," Flowers said. "It's a game. It's another game on the schedule. Of course it's WCDS vs. Goldsboro and all the hype about Goldsboro being in this game. I don't want them to do that."