Roberts delivers game-winning shot for Saints

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on February 18, 2014 1:48 PM

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Eastern Wayne denied the 3-ball and made Southern Wayne look for another scoring option during the final thrilling seconds of their regular-season finale Monday evening.

The Saints did. Jaylen Roberts delivered the game-winning basket with 2.1 seconds to go in a 70-69 victory over the Warriors before a boisterous senior night crowd.

The archrivals return to action today in the season-ending Eastern Carolina 3-A/4-A Conference tournament. The fourth-seeded Saints (10-13 overall) play host to D.H. Conley, while the sixth-seeded Warriors (3-13) are the guests of J.H. Rose.

"It was a great finish," SW head coach Dwight Smith said. "We told the guys at the beginning of the second half, they were going to come out at us. We kind of backed down a little bit and then we started going back at them.

"We stayed together, kept our composure and didn't fall apart."

Southern Wayne built a 16-point lead only to see it evaporate into a 47-47 tie on two Dayshawn Boudy free throws with 32.8 seconds left in the third period.

The Saints held a two-possession advantage most of the final period. Tarvis Bradshaw's two free throws put Southern Wayne ahead 68-65 with 49.1 seconds to go after Eastern Wayne senior Zongio Troy hit a 3-pointer off of Quavius Holloman's assist moments earlier.

Holloman's uncontested layup and a hustle play pushed the Warriors in front, 69-68, around the half-minute mark.

Malik Richard blocked a shot underneath the basket, but Southern kept possession with 7.5 seconds to go. After a timeout, Bradshaw got tangled up on the perimeter, drove into the lane and dished off to Roberts for the game-winning bucket.

"I told them no fouls and they ran a play we expected them to run," EW head coach Chris Roberts said. "They wanted to get that three and told my guys not to run jump because you could get the foul. The play broke down and they went off of that.

"A great shot by Jaylen. I've always told my guys if we have a chance at the end, I'm happy. We had the chance and that's the way the ball rolls."

Roberts finished with seven points for the Saints, who drew the higher seed for the upcoming N.C. High School Athletic Association playoffs. Bradshaw tallied 15 second-half points, dished out four assists and grabbed four rebounds.

Holloman led the Warriors with 27 points, while Malik Richard knocked down 11. Smith had six points, seven rebounds and four blocked shots.