Third Time Not A Charm For Spartans
Ridgeway Solid In Win Over White Station
First meeting at White Station, win for the Spartans, second time at Ridgeway, win in controversial fashion but yet still a win for the Spartans.
Ridgeway Solid In Win Over White Station
First meeting at White Station, win for the Spartans, second time at Ridgeway, win in controversial fashion but yet still a win for the Spartans.
With a third meeting this time for the district championship and a #1 seed in the first round of the regional, the stakes were obviously a little higher. Junior guard Joe Jackson couldn’t find hit shot in the first half at times seemingly frustrated by unusual erratic shooting but sophomore Andre Hollins was their go to guy in the 1st half of the game. Senior Matthew Nichols showed surprising athleticism with a reverse dunk and dunking to end the half as Ridgeway took at 18-14 lead into the second quarter. With 4:57 left in the second half, Jackson finally got onboard with a floater plus the basket before Julian Burton wowed the crowd with a nice ball fake and 2 points on a lay up. Junior Tarik Black showed an ability to hit the 10 ft jumper and was involved again on the following possession on an emphatic dunk. Jackson who has looked good in spurts running the show, hit Hollins with a nice bounce pad threading 2 defenders but he was still looking to get it go offensively spinning in the lane scoring on an and one with Ridgeway still up, by 1, 32-31 with 14.4 seconds left remaining in the half. Hollins would score off a turnover from Ridgeway to put his team up, 33-32 going into halftime. With the momentum, Jackson got off to a good start in the 3rd quarter scoring off penetration as Ridgeway fans yelled, cut off the dribble. He followed that with a floater as he appeared out of his early game funk but junior Ridgeway guard Coreion Pearson answered Jackson with a jumper from the left wing to tie the game, 45-45. White Station got into the 1 and 1 early in the 4th forcing the Roadrunners to not be as aggressive defensively as they had been. Hollins who scored a game 24 rocked the crowd with stuff over Ridgeway guard Kris Brewer that made the score, 61-58 but Black was there to respond with a baby hook. Marterrance Brock’s would kind of return the favor to Hollins sprinting down the court converting a 3 point play as Hollins went across his arm with 3:37 left in the game, to knot the score 61-61. Jackson would score soon after but that would be his last basket of the game. Brewer’s driving 2 on the baseline put Ridgeway up 65-63 with only 2:14 on the clock. Ridgeway dug in defensively and they were rewarded as White Station couldn’t score another basket .They also got some help as White Station missed rebounds after rebounds in the final minute of the game and had a few costly turnovers including one as Jackson stepped in during the inbound. With all this said, the Spartans still had a shot even after Ferrakhan Hall was called for over the back. Senior James Hampton missed the first of a 1 and giving the White Station the ball but they would cough it right back up after they appeared to have the loose ball only to let Ridgeway pick it up and be fouled. It’s always been said, it’s hard to beat a team 3 times in one year especially when that team is the caliber of Ridgeway. 68-63, crown the district champs, the Ridgeway Roadrunners.
Leading the way for Ridgeway was Tarik Black with 16 points and 14 rebounds. Teammate Marterrance Brock helped out with 13 points. White Station’s Andre Hollins led all scorers with 24 points Joe Jackson, Stations leading scorer was held to 18 points, 7 below his average. Up next for Ridgeway, the Fairley Bulldogs.
Leading the way for Ridgeway was Tarik Black with 16 points and 14 rebounds. Teammate Marterrance Brock helped out with 13 points. White Station’s Andre Hollins led all scorers with 24 points Joe Jackson, Stations leading scorer was held to 18 points, 7 below his average. Up next for Ridgeway, the Fairley Bulldogs.
“Mighty Joe”
Spartans Overcome A 22 Point Lead For The Win
It wasn’t surprising to me to see the big line formed outside just after 6:00 pm Tuesday night, this was supposed to be a great night of Memphis high school basketball. It wasn’t surprising to walk in the gym and see it almost full in the first half of the first game between White Station and Central but what did surprise me, Central’s 31-17 lead over the Spartans. The most of the time slow down style Warriors were making 3-pointers being very aggressive offensively and basically out playing White Station in every facet of the game. If things were not going any worse for the Spartans, Joe Jackson fouled Maceo Harmon out of frustration as he shot a three with .7 second left half giving him 3 free throws to seemingly put Central in the passenger seat on their way to the sub-state, 49-27. White Station junior sensation Joe Jackson, who had a below average first half couldn’t play the same way in the second could he? The answer to that,no. Central who had looked extremely confident early in the game all of a sudden abandoned their plan in the first half of taking it to the Spartans and began to play very conservative. As their offense slowed, Jackson started heating up. Buckets,buckets and more buckets and Central who was once in the driver's seat felt the car to sub-state start to run out of gas. Andre Hollins would later go on to hit a big 3 to end the 3rd quarter, 61-53 as White Station cut a once 22 point lead to 8 but they were not done yet and neither was Jackson. His finger roll right down the middle of the lane cut Central’s lead to 1, 61-60 but Tyler Stone answered for Central. Junior Harry Green who earlier made 3 to cut it to 3 early in the fourth hit a gutsy shot off glass to bring his team within one again but freshman Jarnell Stokes who had been quiet scored 6 straight points.Marvin Williams from White Station had an easy lay-up but the ball slipped out of his hands with Central clinging to a 5 point lead,71-66. Central freshman Blake Johnson who has played well as a freshman this year had a huge turnover with 1:10 left in the game giving Hollins two free throws after he was fouled to make the score, 71-70 with Central still leading. Another costly turnover maybe the most costly of the game was made as White Station forced senior guard Chris Sledge to the baseline making him push off on Green giving Station the ball back with 47 seconds left. White Station would hold the ball but Harmon would foul Jackson as he curled around on a screen from his teammate giving him two free ones. With 16 seconds left. He would make both giving his team their first lead, 72-71 but Central still had time. Sledge would make a great crossover move but Ferrakhan Hall was there to throw his driving lay up off just enough to give his team the victory and a spot in the region championship.
Jackson led all scorers with 32 points, 6 assists and 5 boards. Hall had 12 points.
Spartans Overcome A 22 Point Lead For The Win
It wasn’t surprising to me to see the big line formed outside just after 6:00 pm Tuesday night, this was supposed to be a great night of Memphis high school basketball. It wasn’t surprising to walk in the gym and see it almost full in the first half of the first game between White Station and Central but what did surprise me, Central’s 31-17 lead over the Spartans. The most of the time slow down style Warriors were making 3-pointers being very aggressive offensively and basically out playing White Station in every facet of the game. If things were not going any worse for the Spartans, Joe Jackson fouled Maceo Harmon out of frustration as he shot a three with .7 second left half giving him 3 free throws to seemingly put Central in the passenger seat on their way to the sub-state, 49-27. White Station junior sensation Joe Jackson, who had a below average first half couldn’t play the same way in the second could he? The answer to that,no. Central who had looked extremely confident early in the game all of a sudden abandoned their plan in the first half of taking it to the Spartans and began to play very conservative. As their offense slowed, Jackson started heating up. Buckets,buckets and more buckets and Central who was once in the driver's seat felt the car to sub-state start to run out of gas. Andre Hollins would later go on to hit a big 3 to end the 3rd quarter, 61-53 as White Station cut a once 22 point lead to 8 but they were not done yet and neither was Jackson. His finger roll right down the middle of the lane cut Central’s lead to 1, 61-60 but Tyler Stone answered for Central. Junior Harry Green who earlier made 3 to cut it to 3 early in the fourth hit a gutsy shot off glass to bring his team within one again but freshman Jarnell Stokes who had been quiet scored 6 straight points.Marvin Williams from White Station had an easy lay-up but the ball slipped out of his hands with Central clinging to a 5 point lead,71-66. Central freshman Blake Johnson who has played well as a freshman this year had a huge turnover with 1:10 left in the game giving Hollins two free throws after he was fouled to make the score, 71-70 with Central still leading. Another costly turnover maybe the most costly of the game was made as White Station forced senior guard Chris Sledge to the baseline making him push off on Green giving Station the ball back with 47 seconds left. White Station would hold the ball but Harmon would foul Jackson as he curled around on a screen from his teammate giving him two free ones. With 16 seconds left. He would make both giving his team their first lead, 72-71 but Central still had time. Sledge would make a great crossover move but Ferrakhan Hall was there to throw his driving lay up off just enough to give his team the victory and a spot in the region championship.
Jackson led all scorers with 32 points, 6 assists and 5 boards. Hall had 12 points.
Melrose Gets Over Regional Hump
Golden Wildcats Get Revenge From Last Year Loss
Last year,same time, the Ridgeway Roadrunners took on the very young Melrose Golden Wildcats at Northside and beat them pretty good but things were a little different this go around. For one, Ridgeway wasn’t as strong as last year and for two, Melrose was older, more experienced and not afraid of a game this big. The first play of the game was dunk by Thomas who for the second day in a row put together a nice game. Nate Rucker of Melrose presence was felt early as he dunked emphatically with Ridgeway junior, Coreion Pearson hitting a top of the key 3 to tie the score, 19-19 with 4:48 left in the second quarter. With the score tied at the half, 25-25 things were not really going the way the Melrose fans had hoped. Thomas would catch a dunk off the rim but soon after, Kris Brewer would go baseline to make the score, 33-29 but this would be Ridgeway’s last 2 points until about 20 seconds left in the 3rd quarter. By this time, Melrose had built a 13 point end of the quarter lead thanks to Chris Jones runner of the glass for a Golden Wildcat, 44-31 lead. Ridgeway would not go down that easy though as they made a nice run after Tarik Black checked back in after being in foul trouble the entire game. He scored 6 points in the 4th including a put back that got Ridgeway back in it only down 4,54-50. Brewer would get it closer with two free throws to make it a one possession game but big shot Chris Jones came down on the next possession hitting a short middle of the lane jumper but the biggest shot of the game may have been a put back by senior Chris Mason who some how muscled in a shot appearing to be fouled as Melrose wound up winning, 62-54.
Chris Jones led all scorers with 19 points with Thomas not being far behind with 18. Brewer led Ridgeway with 11 points.
Golden Wildcats Get Revenge From Last Year Loss
Last year,same time, the Ridgeway Roadrunners took on the very young Melrose Golden Wildcats at Northside and beat them pretty good but things were a little different this go around. For one, Ridgeway wasn’t as strong as last year and for two, Melrose was older, more experienced and not afraid of a game this big. The first play of the game was dunk by Thomas who for the second day in a row put together a nice game. Nate Rucker of Melrose presence was felt early as he dunked emphatically with Ridgeway junior, Coreion Pearson hitting a top of the key 3 to tie the score, 19-19 with 4:48 left in the second quarter. With the score tied at the half, 25-25 things were not really going the way the Melrose fans had hoped. Thomas would catch a dunk off the rim but soon after, Kris Brewer would go baseline to make the score, 33-29 but this would be Ridgeway’s last 2 points until about 20 seconds left in the 3rd quarter. By this time, Melrose had built a 13 point end of the quarter lead thanks to Chris Jones runner of the glass for a Golden Wildcat, 44-31 lead. Ridgeway would not go down that easy though as they made a nice run after Tarik Black checked back in after being in foul trouble the entire game. He scored 6 points in the 4th including a put back that got Ridgeway back in it only down 4,54-50. Brewer would get it closer with two free throws to make it a one possession game but big shot Chris Jones came down on the next possession hitting a short middle of the lane jumper but the biggest shot of the game may have been a put back by senior Chris Mason who some how muscled in a shot appearing to be fouled as Melrose wound up winning, 62-54.
Chris Jones led all scorers with 19 points with Thomas not being far behind with 18. Brewer led Ridgeway with 11 points.