Cross beats Bamberg-Ehrhardt 57-52 in second round of Class A boys state playoffs
Trojans will take over Carvers Bay in third round
Cross – Saturday night at Cross High School the home standing Trojans were able to exact a measure of revenge on the visiting Red Raiders from Bamberg-Ehrhardt as they knocked them out of the class A basketball playoffs with a 57-52 win.
The Red Raiders came to Cross in the third round of the Class A football playoffs and defeated the Trojans 41-6, with many of the same players on the court Saturday night had a familiar feel but a different outcome.
“I talked with Corey (Head football coach at BE) before the game about how us playing each other is becoming somewhat of a rivalry,” said Cross head football coach Shaun Wright.
“We practice situational basketball, and we talk about how basketball is a game of runs We tell our kids to stayed focused and play Cross basketball,” said head coach Chaquain Boone.
The Trojans went on two 9-0 runs at the end of the second and fourth quarters to propel them to the win.
The game started with both teams pressing trying to force the action with BE’s Isiah Johnson opening the scoring by knocking down a three-pointer to give the Red Raiders a 3-1 lead. They would increase that lead to 14-8 behind the inside/ outside play of senior Eric Parker. Parker would finish the quarter with seven points on a three and two inside hoops.
Cross started the second quarter with a 5-0 run after senior Dominick Lampkin nailed a three and sophomore Caden Ramsey scored in the paint. The BE lead was down to one at 14-13 when BE head coach Willie Carter called timeout.
The timeout settled the Red Raiders down as they increased their lead to five at 22-17 when Cross called time out.
After the teams came back on the court Cross senior guard Jamez Ways took over as he scored seven of the Trojans next nine points on a dunk, a three and a drive to the hoop as the Trojans finished the half on their first 9-0 run to take a 26-22 lead at the half.
“Jamez is our leader. He is our best player but also our hardest worker and we feed off his energy,” said coach Boone.
The third quarter saw the teams trade baskets during the quarter as the Trojans maintained their four-point half time lead as the quarter ended with them up 39-35.
Junior quarterback prospect Chanston Crosby scored eight -points in the quarter for BE, hitting two three-pointers and scoring on a put back.
The Red Raiders finally tied the score at 44 with four minutes to go in the game behind Johnson’s seven points and senior top-five player Anthony Williams four points.
Tied at 44 and with the momentum on the Red Raiders, the Trojans answered bell. After Lampkin hit his second three of the night junior Preston Fuller scored two baskets in less than five seconds as he drove to the basket for one hoop and then stole the ball at half court and drove to the hoop for another two. Then Ways scored after steal to finish off the Trojans second 9-0 run and the lead was 53-44 with just over a minute remaining.
The Red Raiders cut the lead to six at 53-49 with 45 seconds to play but could not get any closer as Ways scored on two more drives to the basket pushing the lead to 57-49. Eric Lee hit a three-quarters court desperation shot at the buzzer for the final 57-52.
“They did a great job of settling down and making their shots, but we made a lot of mistakes and turned the ball over too much,” said BE coach Carter. “We played hard all night but came up a little short.
The Red Raiders finished the year at 14-7/ 7-5/
The Trojans have won thirteen of their last fourteen games and will carry that momentum into their third round match up at Carvers Bay (19-9/7-1), a 73-56 winner over Bridges Prep, on Wednesday the 22nd.
“We are going to enjoy this one and then started scheming for the next game. We are excited to get to the next round but we are not finished,” coach Boone said.
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