Schilling Farms Makes It A Clean Sweep: Boys And Girls Claim Titles

Written By: Jeff Browning

The boy’s title game pitted two very good teams in the Schilling Farms Middle School Stallions and the Mt. Pisgah Eagles on the Eagle’s home floor. The much anticipated matchup began before an over filled and zealous gymnasium with both teams pumped up. Pisgah opened the game jumping out to a quick 5-0 lead by a 3-pointer and 18ft jumpshot from Noah Hahn. Pisgah’s pressure defense and quickness kept Schilling Farms off the scoreboard until the 3:45 mark when one of the Stallion’s three monsters , 6′4″ Gavin McCrary rebounded a Schilling miss and put it back to get his team’s first points. 6′3″ Douwante Thomas pulled the Stallions closer with a nice slash to the hoop and finish , making the score 5-4. On Pisgah’s next possession, Hahn once again connected on a triple to make it 8-4. Schilling Farms closed out the first quarter on a 7-0 run, four straight by Josh Davis and ending with the Stallions crashing the offensive glass getting three rebounds on the last possession of the quarter resulting in a layin by Noah Hinte. Pisgah’s lack of blocking out was starting to show and afforded Schilling a lead to begin the second, 11-8.

The Stallions opened the second quarter with another offensive rebound and putback by 6′4″ Jake Greer. Three pointers continued to keep Mt. Pisgah in game with Hahn connecting on two more and Eagle’s point guard Darry Spencer knocking down one, giving them five threes for the first half. But, the Stallions continued to pound the ball down low and ended the half with a high low pass from Greer to McCrary. McCrary finished the play for a layup with 3 seconds left to put the Stallions up 19-17 at the half. As anticipated, Schilling’s size showed and both teams played superb half court defense keeping the score low. Schilling with their 1-2-2 and Pisgah with a 2-3.

After half, the third quarter started with two missed threes by both teams and a blown layup by Schilling. Pisgah got another three by Spencer to take a 20-19 lead. That made 18 of Pisgah’s points from beyond the arch. The game went back and forth throughout the third with Schilling taking their biggest lead at 29-25 on Stallion point guard, Josh Davis’ 5th point of the quarter . But, Mt. Pisgah’s slashing guard, KJ Bates got his first points of the night on a nice short floater in the lane to close out the third with Schilling Farm’s leading 29-27.

However, the fourth quarter belonged to the SFMS Stallions. After a nice catch and finish by Gavin McCrary , Pisgah’s dynamite guard-forward CJ Anderson scored on a sweet up and under drive to make the score 31-29. After Pisgah’s KJ Bates made one of two free throws, Schilling’s Tyler Webber made what was undoubtedly, the biggest shot of the night, a deep three pointer from the wing. You could feel the momentum shift to the Stallion’s side as their awesome fanbase started rocking the building. After that basket, Schilling’s defense tightened up even more not allowing Pisgah to slash, which is what they have relied on all season. Davis then proceeded to score 5 of Schilling’s next 9 to go along with a game sealer basket and 1 by Webber as the final score ended up 44-32 in favor of the Stallions.

In the end, Coach William Buford’s Schilling Farms Stallion’s size and zone was too much for the very game Eagles of Mt. Pisgah. SFMS got to the line 22 times, converting on 16 of them. Pisgah hung close by hitting an amazing 8 threes.

Schilling Farms was led by Josh Davis’ 14 pts, Gavin McCrary’s 10 and 7 apiece by Douwante Thomas and Tyler Webber. Mt. Pisgah was led by Noah Hahn’s 11 (three 3-pointers) and CJ Anderson’s 10.

I hope they play again in sub-state , because these are two quality teams that are fun to watch.

In the boy’s consolation game, Shadowlawn faced Appling. Appling played very well in the first half jumping out to a 18-12 halftime lead, led by super point guard Chris Chiozza’s 9 and Anthony Windham’s 4 . Again, like the championship game, this was a matchup of two teams that pride themselves on, in your face , pressure defense. But, everyone in the gym knew Shadowlawn would make their run, and make their run they did, outscoring Appling, 12-8 in the third to make it 26-24 ,advantage Appling. Shadowlawn scored just 10 seconds in the second half when Tim Pegues made a layup. Shadowlawn’s halftime defensive adjustment shut Chiozza out in the third, but luckily they got three big buckets by their big lefty center Luster.

As the fourth quarter began, Shadowlawn guard-forward RJ Jackson scored his teams next six points . He began the outburst by making the front end of a 1 and 1 and getting a put back and 1 after Appling couldn’t secure Jackson’s miss on the bonus. His next basket was a sweet spin move pull up in the lane to put Shadowlawn back on top 28-26. Both teams battled back and forth until Chris Chiozza dribbled to the right arch, down two, gave the pump fake, then went up and under the defender, banking a 17-footer off glass at the buzzer to send the game to overtime. It was Chiozza’s first basket in the second half.

In OT, the lead changed hands five times, the last when Shadowlawn’s Bodie Denton stepped to the line and sank two pressure freethrows to put Shadowlawn up 37-36 with just 25 seconds to go. Shadowlawn had one foul to give and fouled Chiozza with 11 seconds left. Appling inbounded the ball, but their offense stuttered and Appling was forced to shoot a NBA three by Chiozza that landed just long securing the Shadowlawn win and third place finish.

Shadowlawn was led by Anthony Windham’s 11 , RJ Jackson’s 6 and 6 by Bodie Denton. Appling was led by Chris Chiozza’s 11, Avery’s 9 and 8 apiece by Dalton Underhill and big lefty Luster.