Holiday Hoops

The tournament pitted Ocracoke and Hatteras High School boys teams against two Christian schools from tidewater Virginia.  The Greenbrier Gators held off the Gateway Crusaders 49 -46 in the championship game.  The local fans who stayed to cheer on the team of their choice were rewarded with a fourth quarter comeback by the Crusaders that sent the game into overtime, and caused a call to be put into the Swan Quarter ferry, alerting them to hold the boat so the players and coaches from both teams could make it home that day.

Greenbrier plays smart and loose, creating room for teammates to drive the lane, and counting on Chase Hackworth to clean up.  He quietly got 14 points and 6 rebounds.  They are relentless on defense.  Greenbrier led by 8 points for most of the game, and appeared ready to cruise to victory. 

Crusader Daniel Dell had other things in mind.  Greenbrier's smothering defense disrupted the poised Gateway game we saw on Friday against Ocracoke, so Dell took control, both driving the lane and pulling up and nailing threes.  A big time shot by casually fearless point guard Timothy Quinn tied the game with under a minute to play, and Greenbrier star Klayton Inmon, who was on the bench during the Gateway comeback, missed all his free throws down the stretch. 

Overtime!!!

Gateway didn't have enough to sustain the rally during the additional four minutes, and can look forward to a potential re-match in next year's tournament.

The Greenbrier Gators cruised to an easy 53 - 37 victory over Hatteras in the first game on Friday, anchored by strong ball handling by Ty Smith, aggressive play by senior Inmon, and dominion over the boards.  Hatteras point guard Danny Arellano is clearly missing a go-to inside man, but the Hurricanes never quit, and showed signs of life in the second half, when they remembered they are not only a smallish perimeter team, but have talent and can drive.

The Dolphins jumped out to an early 7 - 0 lead over last year's champions, Gateway.  The Crusaders, led by the unflappable Quinn, settled into their groove, moving the ball quickly and well, setting high screens, and keeping the Dolphin defenders on their toes.  Their two big men blocked shots, and made center Andrew Tillett work for every one of his 18 points. The Crusaders enjoyed a 25 -19 lead at halftime.

It rained three pointers in the second half.  Casey Tolson dropped in a 3-point shot to start things off after the break, and later knocked down another three to bring the Dolphins within two, 31 - 33.  The Crusaders all shot the ball well from behind the arc, and the Dolphins couldn't get a defensive stop.  Wyatt Norris answered yet another Crusader three with one of his own, getting the Dolphins back within one, and tied it up at 41 with --you guessed it--yet another three pointer. 

Tillett followed Norris' three by pulling down a huge defensive rebound, but the Dolphins never regained the lead.  Foul trouble plagued the home team.  Starting forward Walker Garrish had to sit down with 1:42 left to play, and a full court press by the Dolphins couldn't stop the Crusaders.  When the Dolphins started fouling, Gateway center Daniel Dell sank 5 of 6 from the line as the clocked ticked away.  The final score was Dolphins 48, Crusaders 57. 

"I just try to stay focused and help the team," said Dell of his impressive performance.  He was later named to the all-tournament team. 

WOVV sports talk guy Bill Cole pointed out that the hard fought match was a vast improvement over last year, when the Dolphins lost to Gateway by more than 20. 

Saturday's consolation game between Ocracoke and Hatteras gave both teams a taste of upcoming conference games.  Hatteras has no one to match up with Tillett and Garrish, giving the Dolphins a huge inside advantage.  They also had a hard time holding on to the ball in the first half, due to the scrappy, quick hands of Norris.

Hatteras got within 9 during a second half rally, and this balanced team of role players can only improve.  The Hurricanes have only played three games this season, and coach Earl Fountain admitted they are "starting out slow."  With two games next week, and a commitment to athletic excellence, the Dolphins should not take their dominance for granted.  "We're getting better," said Coach Fountain.

Point guard Adam Carter has already gotten better.  "I worked all summer, and practice hard," he said.  His ball control greatly improved, and he was dropping in NBA range threes.  He had a huge game, scoring 30 points.  Carter shot 50% from the floor against Gateway, and he's the kind of player a team needs to win close games.  His focus and intensity reaches a new level when it's time to step up and make big plays. 

With the Dolphins enjoying a big lead and Tillett in foul trouble, freshman Evin Caswell got some valuable playing time.  He pulled down 11 rebounds, and you could see his confidence growing every time he touched the ball.   Everyone knows he's one to watch.

It was not a pretty game, with multiple turnovers, sloppy held balls, and the fans from both teams loudly questioning the officiating.  The Dolphins chalked up the victory, 66 -48.

Ocracoke School athletic director Charles Temple said the tournament helps give the local economy a little off-season boost, and allows the kids to play schools they normally wouldn't get to play.  The organizers build in some social time, and the students shared pizza at the community center and socialized on Friday evening. 

"This is how a tournament is supposed to be," said Greenbrier Coach Sam Botta.  The tournament gave all the players good experiences, and Botta praised the sportsmanship of the fans.  "The people of Ocracoke should be proud," said Botta.