The Burlington School blows out second-place foe
By Conor O'Neill
Burlington Times-News
The goal for The Burlington School’s boys’ basketball team entering a Triad Athletic Conference showdown against Westchester Country Day was for the Spartans to recognize where they held advantages.
“The first time we played them, I don’t think our guys really saw it. We were just getting the ball, swinging it around,” The Burlington School coach Ron Johnson said.
There wasn’t an area that the undefeated Spartans didn’t have an advantage Thursday night in a 90-36 victory against the second-place Westchester Country Day.
The entire fourth quarter was played with a running clock in this systematic annihilation, which started with The Burlington School (26-0 overall, 13-0 Triad Athletic Conference) leading 20-4. The Spartans held Westchester Country Day, which is in second place in the TAC, to one field goal for the first seven minutes of the second quarter.
“Pregame, Coach (Johnson) said, ‘Look inside, we’re going to go inside-out.’ We’ve been scoring all year off the post players, so don’t stop now,” fifth-year senior Carrington Young said.
Junior John Meeks was the main benefactor of that inside focus, scoring 25 points. Jo Jeffers added 13 points, all after halftime, Trey Cousin scored 11 and T.J. Jeffers notched 10 points.
The only missing element for The Burlington School in the first half was a 3-pointer. The Spartans led 46-23 when Jo Jeffers connected from deep with 6:43 left in the third quarter. That was the first of eight 3s in the second half for the Spartans’ cohesive offense.
“If we can just control the ball, we’ll be good,” Meeks said. “(Assistant) Coach Will (Roberson) told me after the game that we were 0-for-6 in the first half on 3s, 8-for-8 in the second half.
“I don’t know what it was, but we got hot.”
The first meeting between these teams was a 66-57 result in December. The Burlington School left that meeting in High Point intent on delivering a stronger performance against its closest competition to repeat as conference champion.
“A lot of us were in foul trouble last time. Plus their crowd was really intense, but we had to show them we were better than last time,” said Young, who had eight points. “I mean, not 54 points better.”
With three conference games remaining, The Burlington School can lock up at least a share of the league crown with a victory tonight against Caldwell Academy.
Westchester Country Day (16-8, 11-2) was missing Marshall Lange, a senior who serves as the Wildcats’ primary ball-handler, because of an ankle injury. Caymen Bennett led the way with 20 points for the visitors.
By Conor O'Neill
Burlington Times-News
The goal for The Burlington School’s boys’ basketball team entering a Triad Athletic Conference showdown against Westchester Country Day was for the Spartans to recognize where they held advantages.
“The first time we played them, I don’t think our guys really saw it. We were just getting the ball, swinging it around,” The Burlington School coach Ron Johnson said.
There wasn’t an area that the undefeated Spartans didn’t have an advantage Thursday night in a 90-36 victory against the second-place Westchester Country Day.
The entire fourth quarter was played with a running clock in this systematic annihilation, which started with The Burlington School (26-0 overall, 13-0 Triad Athletic Conference) leading 20-4. The Spartans held Westchester Country Day, which is in second place in the TAC, to one field goal for the first seven minutes of the second quarter.
“Pregame, Coach (Johnson) said, ‘Look inside, we’re going to go inside-out.’ We’ve been scoring all year off the post players, so don’t stop now,” fifth-year senior Carrington Young said.
Junior John Meeks was the main benefactor of that inside focus, scoring 25 points. Jo Jeffers added 13 points, all after halftime, Trey Cousin scored 11 and T.J. Jeffers notched 10 points.
The only missing element for The Burlington School in the first half was a 3-pointer. The Spartans led 46-23 when Jo Jeffers connected from deep with 6:43 left in the third quarter. That was the first of eight 3s in the second half for the Spartans’ cohesive offense.
“If we can just control the ball, we’ll be good,” Meeks said. “(Assistant) Coach Will (Roberson) told me after the game that we were 0-for-6 in the first half on 3s, 8-for-8 in the second half.
“I don’t know what it was, but we got hot.”
The first meeting between these teams was a 66-57 result in December. The Burlington School left that meeting in High Point intent on delivering a stronger performance against its closest competition to repeat as conference champion.
“A lot of us were in foul trouble last time. Plus their crowd was really intense, but we had to show them we were better than last time,” said Young, who had eight points. “I mean, not 54 points better.”
With three conference games remaining, The Burlington School can lock up at least a share of the league crown with a victory tonight against Caldwell Academy.
Westchester Country Day (16-8, 11-2) was missing Marshall Lange, a senior who serves as the Wildcats’ primary ball-handler, because of an ankle injury. Caymen Bennett led the way with 20 points for the visitors.
