SouthLake’s hot shooting stops Providence Day rally
BY STEVE WISEMAN AND LANGSTON WERTZ JR.
Former NC State star Rodney Monroe talks about SouthLake Christian winning Tuesday
SouthLake Christian is 2-0 after using its defense to stop Providence Day Tuesday night. Former N.C. State All-American Rodney Monroe is SouthLake's head coach
Rodney Monroe says he thought there would be someone like Jaquava Propst-Allison in the Providence Day boys’ basketball lineup.
“We didn’t know much about their team before we got here, but we quickly saw who their big player would be,” Monroe said Tuesday night, after his SouthLake Christian team held off the host Chargers 64-61 in a non-conference game.
“This is Providence Day,” he added. “We knew they’d have someone like that.”
The visiting Eagles slapped a tight defense on Propst-Allison, a standout junior transfer from Cox Mill, and made enough big plays offensively to stay ahead.
“That will be our key this year,” said Monroe, a former N.C. State guard and ACC Player of the Year who is in his 11th season at SouthLake Christian. “We’ll try to keep ourselves in every game with defense. That’s what we did tonight.”
Propst-Allison, who earned South Piedmont 3A Player of the Year honors last year as a sophomore, finished with a game-high 21 points. But he had to work hard for most of his shots and missed his last three attempts in the closing minutes -- each time, with two SouthLake defenders pressuring him.
The visiting Eagles (2-0) appeared to be headed for a runaway victory when they opened a 46-35 lead with 2:17 left in the third quarter.
But the Chargers (0-1) kept fighting back. They closed to within four (48-44), fell behind by 10 (54-44), got back within four again (54-50), then dropped eight behind (62-54) when SouthLake’s Maddox Watson hit a three-pointer from the right corner with 2:24 remaining.
Providence Day wasn’t finished, however. SouthLake Christian, which had 25 turnovers on the night, made a pair of ballhandling errors in the closing two minutes. Providence Day got within three points, but the Chargers missed five of their final six shots from the floor.
▪ In the opening girls’ game, defending private school 4A state champion Providence Day rolled over Carmel Christian 56-35. The Chargers built a big lead in the second quarter and were never threatened.
THREE WHO MATTERED
Micah Handlogten, SouthLake Christian: The Eagles’ 7-foot junior center scored 12 points, including a 3-pointer, and grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds.
Jaquava Propst-Allison, Providence Day: A junior, Propst-Allison scored a game-high 21 points, hitting 8-of-17 from the floor. He also forced four turnovers and was 6-of-9 from the floor in the second half. He also had five steals and five assists
El Ferguson, Providence Day: Ferguson was the leading scorer in the girls’ game, won by Providence Day 56-35 over Carmel Christian. She scored 18 points, making five 3-pointers, and grabbed six rebounds.
WORTH MENTIONING
▪ Tuesday night marked the first time in SouthLake Christian coach Rodney Monroe’s 11 years at the helm that his team has won at Providence Day. He estimates his team has played seven or eight times at the Chargers’ gym.
▪ Micah Handlogten, SouthLake Christian’s 7-foot junior center, is getting a lot of attention from college coaches, Monroe said. “He’s heard from several big schools already,” according to his coach. Handlogten’s father, Ben, is 6-11 and played collegiately at Western Michigan and professionally in the NBA and in Europe.
▪ While the teams combined for 41 turnovers, they shot the ball well. SouthLake Christian made 23-of-39 from the floor for 59 percent. Providence Day shot 50 percent, hitting 22-of-44.
▪ While Propst-Allison led the Chargers in scoring, sophomore Khamani Wertz sparked the team in the fourth quarter. He scored 12 of his 15 points in the final eight minutes.
WHAT’S NEXT
SouthLake Christian is home Friday against Charlotte Latin. Providence Day plays Friday and Saturday in the Phenom Hoops November Classic in Rock Hill, facing The Burlington School on Friday and United Faith Christian on Saturday.
Steve Lyttle on Twitter: @slyttle
BY STEVE WISEMAN AND LANGSTON WERTZ JR.
Former NC State star Rodney Monroe talks about SouthLake Christian winning Tuesday
SouthLake Christian is 2-0 after using its defense to stop Providence Day Tuesday night. Former N.C. State All-American Rodney Monroe is SouthLake's head coach
Rodney Monroe says he thought there would be someone like Jaquava Propst-Allison in the Providence Day boys’ basketball lineup.
“We didn’t know much about their team before we got here, but we quickly saw who their big player would be,” Monroe said Tuesday night, after his SouthLake Christian team held off the host Chargers 64-61 in a non-conference game.
“This is Providence Day,” he added. “We knew they’d have someone like that.”
The visiting Eagles slapped a tight defense on Propst-Allison, a standout junior transfer from Cox Mill, and made enough big plays offensively to stay ahead.
“That will be our key this year,” said Monroe, a former N.C. State guard and ACC Player of the Year who is in his 11th season at SouthLake Christian. “We’ll try to keep ourselves in every game with defense. That’s what we did tonight.”
Propst-Allison, who earned South Piedmont 3A Player of the Year honors last year as a sophomore, finished with a game-high 21 points. But he had to work hard for most of his shots and missed his last three attempts in the closing minutes -- each time, with two SouthLake defenders pressuring him.
The visiting Eagles (2-0) appeared to be headed for a runaway victory when they opened a 46-35 lead with 2:17 left in the third quarter.
But the Chargers (0-1) kept fighting back. They closed to within four (48-44), fell behind by 10 (54-44), got back within four again (54-50), then dropped eight behind (62-54) when SouthLake’s Maddox Watson hit a three-pointer from the right corner with 2:24 remaining.
Providence Day wasn’t finished, however. SouthLake Christian, which had 25 turnovers on the night, made a pair of ballhandling errors in the closing two minutes. Providence Day got within three points, but the Chargers missed five of their final six shots from the floor.
▪ In the opening girls’ game, defending private school 4A state champion Providence Day rolled over Carmel Christian 56-35. The Chargers built a big lead in the second quarter and were never threatened.
THREE WHO MATTERED
Micah Handlogten, SouthLake Christian: The Eagles’ 7-foot junior center scored 12 points, including a 3-pointer, and grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds.
Jaquava Propst-Allison, Providence Day: A junior, Propst-Allison scored a game-high 21 points, hitting 8-of-17 from the floor. He also forced four turnovers and was 6-of-9 from the floor in the second half. He also had five steals and five assists
El Ferguson, Providence Day: Ferguson was the leading scorer in the girls’ game, won by Providence Day 56-35 over Carmel Christian. She scored 18 points, making five 3-pointers, and grabbed six rebounds.
WORTH MENTIONING
▪ Tuesday night marked the first time in SouthLake Christian coach Rodney Monroe’s 11 years at the helm that his team has won at Providence Day. He estimates his team has played seven or eight times at the Chargers’ gym.
▪ Micah Handlogten, SouthLake Christian’s 7-foot junior center, is getting a lot of attention from college coaches, Monroe said. “He’s heard from several big schools already,” according to his coach. Handlogten’s father, Ben, is 6-11 and played collegiately at Western Michigan and professionally in the NBA and in Europe.
▪ While the teams combined for 41 turnovers, they shot the ball well. SouthLake Christian made 23-of-39 from the floor for 59 percent. Providence Day shot 50 percent, hitting 22-of-44.
▪ While Propst-Allison led the Chargers in scoring, sophomore Khamani Wertz sparked the team in the fourth quarter. He scored 12 of his 15 points in the final eight minutes.
WHAT’S NEXT
SouthLake Christian is home Friday against Charlotte Latin. Providence Day plays Friday and Saturday in the Phenom Hoops November Classic in Rock Hill, facing The Burlington School on Friday and United Faith Christian on Saturday.
Steve Lyttle on Twitter: @slyttle
