SB/MOPWC: Parrott Academy hangs around, shocks EW boys

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on December 30, 2015 1:48 PM

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MOUNT OLIVE -- Parrott Academy just hung around.

Hung around.

And hung around some more.

When the Patriots took a five-point lead against Eastern Wayne in the final 90 seconds, one small section of Kornegay Arena -- the fans behind the Patriots' bench -- boisterously roared its approval.

The rest of the crowd ... well ... sat in silence until Matthew Ray-Sutton stole an inbounds pass, scored, got fouled and converted the conventional three-point play with 1:01 on the clock.

Parrott led 46-44.

The Patriots extended their lead to two possessions and outlasted the Warriors, 50-49, in semifinal-round play of the Southern Bank/Mount Olive Pickle Winter Classic on Tuesday evening. Parrott (7-5 overall) opposes unbeaten Goldsboro (10-0) in the championship game at 7:30 p.m. today.

Eastern Wayne (1-7) meets South Lenoir in the third-place game at 6 p.m.

"I thought our guys came out with a lot more energy tonight," APA head coach Wells Gulledge. "I thought our kids just responded very well down the stretch. We hit some free throws ... attacked the basket moreso tonight than we have against a very athletic team.

"And that's what we needed."

The Warriors opened the second quarter with a 7-2 run on offensive putbacks by Yeonte Royal and Coriante Foye, and a 3-pointer by Kris Cooley -- his only basket of the game.

Eastern Wayne led 19-18 at halftime, but could never pull away in the second half. The teams battled through three ties and one lead change in the third period, and the Warriors led 31-28 headed into the fourth.

The Patriots stayed within striking distance and took the lead for good, 34-33, on John McLawhorn's two free throws after he got fouled on an offensive putback. Kris Wooten's layup in transition extended the lead to 36-33.

Zach Raspberry sank two free throws, which gave Parrott its biggest advantage, 46-41, with 1:11 remaining in regulation.

That set up a frenetic finish that included Chris Overcash's NBA-range 3-pointer that swished the net with 1.9 seconds to go. EW stole the long inbounds pass, but saw its chance to face Goldsboro a third time this season disappear.

"We've got to play with that (late-game) intensity early in the game," EW head coach Chris Roberts said. "Those last three minutes of the game were something that I needed to see for four quarters. We didn't make plays when we were supposed to.

"We knew Parrott was going to be well-coached, they don't have a lot of athletes, but what they do, they're going to do it well. We had bring that (late) intensity the whole game to bother them and take them out of what they wanted to do."

AJ Banker emerged as the Pats' lone double-figure scorer with 14 points. Harrison McLawhorn contributed eight fourth-quarter points, pulled down seven rebounds and blocked four shots.

Wooten and John McLawhorn each had eight points.

Foye paced the Warriors with 13 points. Royal scored nine, while freshman Marcus Rouse provided seven points -- all in the second half.