WINSTON-SALEM—You could have excused the R.J. Reynolds boys basketball team for looking past SouthRowan on Tuesday night.
In fact, the Raiders would have welcomed it, what with the Demons’ big game tonight against national powerhouse Oak Hill Academy.
But instead of taking its 4A Central Piedmont Conference foe lightly, Reynolds blazed to a 29-6 first quarter and never looked back in a 76-38 victory.
“I was worried about looking past this game and I thought we did a great job of coming out and taking care of our opponent,”said Demons head coach Howard West of his two-time defending state champions. “That’s a good sign for us that we can be mature enough to play that hard and get control of the game. That’s probably the thing I’m most pleased about with the game.”
Reynolds (12-3 overall, 2-0 CPC) could do no wrong for the first eight minutes. The Demons hit 11 of 16 shots from the field — including four 3-pointers — forced seven turnovers and harried the Raiders (8-7, 0-2) into 3-for-13 shooting.
Just like that, South’s gameplan went out the window.
“If we keep this thing within striking distance going into the fourth quarter, you never know what can happen. Unfortunately, we had a first quarter …,”Raiders head coach John Davis said, his voice trailing off. “But damn, they hit every shot!”
There wasn’t any way to defend guard Whit Holcomb-Faye, who hit a trio of 3-pointers in the first quarter from deep, deeper and deepest. He led four Demons in double figures with 20 points.
“It wasn’t the fact they were 3s within range. These were NBA-type 3s,”Davis said. “You’re starting to get into a situation where if you attack the 3, those kids are quick enough to go around. Now you’ve got those big post kids and a highlight reel inside.”
South’s post players held their own quite nicely against hulking Keith Foster, the equally big, but unpolished Eddie Greene and the tall, fluid Justin Bohlander.
Those three combined for 19 points, cleared the glass and blocked a half-dozen shots. But Raiders Graham Corrier, Joel Patterson and Zach Overcash forced the Demons into some tough shots and a few turnovers in the post, rarely giving up easy scores.
“SouthRowan basketball will not back down from anybody,”Davis said. “Those big guys played hard for 32 minutes and my hat’s off to them for that.”
Following Reynolds’ big first quarter, South needed a strong start in the second period to have a chance. That’s when the Demons came out and ripped three 3-pointers to open the quarter and stretch the lead to 40-6.
At the half, South trailed 47-14.
“We had a little pow-wow at halftime as to what we wanted to accomplish,”Davis said. “I think in the second half we came out and were more patient offensively, more deliberate with the basketball.”
Joel Patterson scored six points in the third quarter to finish with eight for the night. Tre Hornbeak enjoyed an eight-point fourth quarter and led all Raiders with 11 points.
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NOTES: Reynolds’ losses have come to North Forsyth, Mount Tabor and Latta, S.C. — when North Carolina-signee Raymond Felton hung a 41 on the Demons. … The Raiders missed outside threat Andrew Morgan, still nursing a bad ankle. … The Raiders opened against West Forsyth and Reynolds in the league and can breathe a bit easier next week with games against North Davidson and South Iredell.
SOUTH ROWAN (38) — Lane 3, Hornbeak 11, Thomas 2, Corriher 7, Barnhardt 2, Overcash 3, Patterson 8, Mack 2, Caudle, Biles, Keener.
REYNOLDS (76) — Palmer 2, Williams 5, Brown 13, Bohlander 14, Holcomb-Faye 20, Reid 11, Byrom 6, Foster 4, Greene 1, Pitts, Woazeah, Olson.
South Rowan 6 8 10 14 — 38
R.J. Reynolds 29 18 14 15 — 76
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Contact Steve Hanf at 704-797-4256 or shanf@salisburypost.com
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