The Shadow
With the Region 10 conference looming, any hope of momentum heading into the tournament for the DSLCC Roadrunners (11-4), is fading away.
On Saturday, the Roadrunners dropped a season-high six consecutive game following a 17-point loss to the Sandhills Community College Flyers (23-6) 97-80.
With only eight players suited up, the shorthanded Roadrunners, fell behind early against the Flyers and were never able to get in a groove during the game.
Despite a big game from Noryen Lasley, a game-high 24 points and six rebounds, the Roadrunners could not contain Flyers stars, Bryan Quiller and Joey McMullin, who each scored 23-points to lead the way for their teams that came on Sophomore Day at the school.
Quiller and McMullin, were unstoppable from the field as the two combined to shoot 21-for-27 and were a big reason the Roadrunners never found their groove as they led the Flyers to 51-31 lead after one half.
Darryl McCaster and Camron Zachary, were the duo who got things started for the Flyers early on. After McCaster and Zachary, put ahead the Flyers 12-4 by combining to score eight of the 12 points, the Roadrunners could just watch as the lead would build up from Quiller and McMullin.
Kendall Wooldridge three-pointer, put the Flyers ahead at their largest lead of 32 points, 84-52 in the second half with about seven minutes left in the game.
The big three of Lasley, Tre McCrary, and Jaylen Hudson, combined to score 55 points.
The trio averages around 41 points a game combined and is only the second time the Roadrunners have lost when they three of them score over 40 points.
McCrary and Hudson, were the lead play makers for the team as they each had four assists. McCrary, finished the game with a double-double, 13 points and 11 rebounds.
The Roadrunners did finish with all five starters in double figures scoring.
This was the third meeting between the teams this season and the Flyers have won largely by double figures all three times. In the teams first meeting, the Flyers won 107-62 at Dabney on January 7th. The two teams met the following day again at Dabney on January 8th and won 100-53.
This Thursday, in one of the Region 10 conference semi-final games, the two schools will meet once more at 7:00 p.m. Central Carolina Community College and Oxford Emory, are the other semi-final game. The winner of the Region 10 tournament, advances to a one-game Middle Atlantic District playoff against the Regional 20 tournament winner that will be held in Maryland. The winner of that game, will then earn their spot in the national tournament in Illinois in March.
If there was ever a moment of momentum for the Roadrunners heading into their regular season finale at home on Tuesday, is how the team performed in the final five minutes of the game against the Flyers, where the Roadrunners outscored them 20-6 to cut from a once thirty-point deficit down to 17.
The Roadrunners host Hosanna College this evening at 7:00 p.m. This will be the first time the two teams have played each other since the second game of the season. The Roadrunners won that game on the road 67-50.
Tuesday night is Sophomore Night at the Armory. The festivities start at 6:00 p.m.
GAME LEADERS
Pts – Noryen Lasley, 24
Reb – Tre McCrary, 11
Ast – Chris Hunter, 10
Stl – Darryl McCaster, 5
Team Statistics
DLSCC (left side) / Sandhills CC (right side)
28-53 Field Goals 44-88
52.8 Field Goal % 50
25 Rebounds 48
13 Assists 33
Team 1st 2nd Ttl
DSLCC 31 49 80
FLYERS 51 46 97
Roadrunners Statistics
Player Pts Reb Ast Stl
Rawlings 12 1 3 1
Hudson 18 3 4 2
Hamilton 11 2 1 –
Lasley 24 6 – 2
McCrary 13 11 4 1
Johnsen – – – –
Garrett 2 2 1 –
Baker – – – –
Flyers Statistics
Player Pts Reb Ast Stl
Wooldridge 12 8 8 3
Hunter 6 – 10 2
McCaster 12 4 4 5
Zachary 13 9 – –
Quiller 23 5 1 1
Perry – 3 5 –
Hanani – 1 2 1
Coleman 4 3 2 –
McMullin 23 5 1 2
Sledge 4 8 – 1
Nelson – 2 – 1
