WILMINGTON-New Hanover High School paid tribute to the 2012 boys basketball team Friday night. Last year’s state championship was the school’s 14th in basketball–the most of any program in the state.
Many former players joined current members at half-court for a pre-game ceremony. The school paid tribute to the historical feat with plaques for the players and coaches as they unveiled the 4A State Championship banner in the rafters of Brogden Hall. New Hanover Coach Kirk Angel talked about what last year’s run meant to him.
“I had chill bumps tonight. When you think about the 14 state titles and the history of New Hanover High School. Leon Brogden won eight. Those guys I had last year were a special group and I just feel honored that I was the head coach of a team that was able to raise a banner at New Hanover. It was a very special night,” Angel said.
After a slow start, New Hanover’s stingy defense allowed just 16 points through the final 24 minutes and Trevon Brown stepped up with 15 points as the senior led New Hanover with a number of high-flying dunks in the 46-30 win over New Bern.
The Cats trailed by one at the end of the first quarter (14-13) as Mike Hughes put the Bears on the board with his team’s first five points. New Bern came out in the full-court press to open the contest, but New Hanover was able to break the pressure, which led to a 2-on-1 break and a Logan Chaucer lay-in.
Even though Nigel Holley was held scoreless until later on the game, his defense down on the block did not suffer. The senior picked up a big block midway through the first quarter to step up a Tyree Johnson three-pointer on the other end of the floor. On the next possession, Johnson ran a set play and tossed a pass from the wing to Brown, who was sailing through the air on the other end of the baseline for the slam. Brown returned the favor a minute later and found Johnson in the corner for his second shot from long range.
Both coaches would have liked to forget the next eight minutes as both teams were only able to muster four points apiece going into the break. Holley hit two free throws and scored off a rebound for New Hanover’s only baskets of the quarter.
Down one (18-17) heading into the second half, Angel challenged his players–particularly his two leaders–to pick up their intensity on both ends of the floor.
“We definitely kept New Bern in the game with our play in the first half. I don’t know how we came out so flat on a night with a good crowd as we paid tribute to last year’s team, but we came out flat. New Bern was getting every 50-50 ball, out-rebounding us on the offensive glass. I really challenged the guys in the locker room at halftime,” Angel said.
The motivational chat just prior to the second half appeared to be just what New Hanover needed. Another returning player from last year, Darrius Doughty, started the third quarter with a hard drive to the rim for two points.
On the ensuing possession for New Bern, Brown took over the game. After a steal, he went coast-to-coast for the slam to put the Wildcats up 24-19. Brown then went on to score the games next 10 points, which were topped off with a second alley-oop from Johnson.
Brown put the game away with six minutes to go when he skied through the air and put down a big one handed slam off a rebound from a Chaucer miss.
“I held Trevon and Nigel back after the guys left the locker room at halftime and told them they would be the ones that were going to have to turn this around. I really challenged them. They understand, playing for last year’s title, the magnitude of every conference game we play. They really stepped it up in the second half. Even though we may have not put our best performance out there tonight, we got the win and every conference win is important,” Angel said.
The Wildcats moved to 7-5 on the year and 1-0 in conference. New Hanover hits the road for two games next week on Wednesday, Jan. 9, at Kinston, and Friday, Jan. 11, at Ashley.
Box score
New Bern 14-4-4-8=30
New Hanover 13-4-15-14=46
Player stats: New Hanover-Trevon Brown, 15 points, four rebounds; Nigel Holley, 10 points, 10 rebounds; Logan Chaucer, 10 points, five rebounds; Tyree Johnson, six points, two assists; Darrius Doughty, four points; De’shawn Clarida, one point.
Girls basketball
The night started off with a fast-paced contest as the Lady Wildcats dictated the pace and enjoyed a night where they shot 58 percent from the floor. Kapria Pressley (12-for-17) put in a game-high 25 points as New Hanover defeated the Bears 57-48.
Turnovers on three of the first four possessions led to points for both teams until Grace Cameron found Alex Simmons at the top of the key for a mid-range jumper. Cameron put New Hanover up by two early with a one-handed runner from the baseline and Asia Davis found Sarah Jonkheer in transition off a New Bern miss for an easy bucket. Davis picked up her second assist on the next time down the floor off a nice pass to Pressley.
Tyra London kept the Bears in it early with her only two points of the game, but New Hanover continued to find open looks. Cameron sank a three-ball and Pressley hit on a lay-in to close out the first quarter (17-11).
The Cats really started to move the ball over the next eight minutes as Simmons hit her second jump shot from 12 feet. New Bern then committed three straight turnovers, all of which led to points by Pressley. J.J. Jones brought the Lady Bears to within 11 points just before halftime on a basket in the lane.
“We were able to get some real good shots and they fell for us in the first half,” Coach Vertha Dixon-Wright said. “I thought we played really well over the first two quarters and that showed with our ability to run the floor and get easy baskets.”
With a 29-18 lead heading into the third quarter, New Hanover got a little careless with the ball and that led to some easy points for the Bears. After a 6-0 run, the Lady Cats relied on Pressley’s presence in the paint. The junior drove to the hole for two, then knocked down a 12-footer to put New Hanover back up by nine.
Following a timeout by Dixon-Wright, New Hanover was able to re-establish their poise and quickly found Cameron for her second basket from behind the arc. Pressley then knocked down a 14-footer to go up 45-30, but Jones hit a three-ball at the buzzer to close out the quarter down 12.
Just as New Bern started to gain some momentum after the big three by Jones, Cameron was there to hit a long two and Simmons’ tough play inside stretched the lead for good.
“We definitely saw some bright spots tonight from the entire team. We’re working hard. We know we’re getting better and tonight was a good win for us to start conference play. We have very young group and, at times, that shows. But tonight I thought some of our younger girls did a good job. Sarah [Jonkheer] under the boards, Rhaven [Davis] played well at times. We just need to continue working and continue to protect the ball,” Dixon-Wright said.
New Hanover (8-5, 1-0) has a tough Mideastern Conference matchup next Friday, Jan. 11, at Ashley.
Box score
New Bern 11-7-15-15=48
New Hanover 17-12-16-13=57
Player stats- New Hanover: Kapria Pressley, 25 points, four rebounds, two steals; Grace Cameron, 12 points, five rebounds, four steals, two assists; Alex Simmons, 10 points, eight rebounds; Sarah Jonkheer, eight points; five rebounds; Precious Canty, two points.
