Greenfield handed first loss by Freedom, 74-63
Greenfield loss, its first in five games.
By Jimmy Lewis
jlewis@wilsontimes.com | 265-7807 | Twitter: @JimmyLewisWT
It’s officially boot camp season for the Greenfield School varsity boys basketball team.
Seeking to replenish games on their schedule after the season was suspended due to COVID-19 issues for a month, the youthful Knights opened a span of three games — all late adds to the schedule — in as many days Tuesday against Fayetteville Freedom Christian.
Trailing by 11 in the third quarter, the Knights went ahead by on a layup by freshman Hampton Evans. However, Greenfield was assessed a technical foul walking back to its bench after a timeout, and the resulting Freedom possession put the Patriots ahead to stay in an eventual 74-63 victory. Double technicals were handed out in the first half to both teams after Greenfield junior Aaron Murphy fell to the floor attacking the rim and a brief skirmish ensued.
Greenfield, a 1-A member of the 1-A/2-A Coastal Plain Independents Conference, lost for the first time in five games. Freedom of the 2-A Sandhills Athletic Conference elevated to 6-2.
The Knights were without a pair of starters in sophomore TyChaun Clay (illness) and sophomore Matt Kirby (injured). Clay is expected to miss the remainder of the week at a minimum, while Kirby will be sidelined several weeks.
“That’s our youth,” Greenfield head coach Rob Salter said of the third-quarter technical. “Intense game, and we just do something stupid. I thought that kind of hurt our momentum. We battled back, cut it to four, and they make plays. We finally got the lead when we did that, and we really didn’t have time to enjoy it. They come in and tie it, and I thought they hurt us on the glass a lot and got some second-chance points in the second half that gave them a cushion”
Behind the determined inside effort of Murphy, Greenfield realized its biggest lead of nine at 14-5 in the first quarter as the 6-foot-4 Murphy got free inside and displayed touch from long range. But Freedom erased that lead with consecutive 3-pointers from Jalen Higgins and another by Deng Atak, leaving Greenfield in chase mode for much of the way.
The Knights made 20 of 42 shots for 47.6% accuracy, but Freedom’s advantage in second-chance opportunities and getting to the rim with ease, particularly in the fourth quarter, allowed the Patriots to shoot 60.9% from the floor, making 28-of-46 attempts.
Greenfield made one final push in the fourth after the untimely technical immediately upon taking its only lead of the second half.
As the fourth personal fouls mounted on Freedom, Greenfield trailed 60-55 entering the fourth quarter. From 62-55, Knights sophomore wing Jackson Watt hit a 3-pointer to trim it to four, while Murphy knocked down two free throws to get Greenfield within a single possession at 62-60. Yet Zy McLane’s second-chance basket kicked off a 12-3 spurt to close for Freedom Christian.
Greenfield scored just three points over the final 6 minutes, 10 seconds as its offense stagnated and Freedom set up easy driving lanes to the basket by spreading the floor.
Freshman guard Jordan Vick danced around foul trouble for much of the game, picking up his third personal on a blocking call with 5 minutes, 35 seconds left until halftime. Greenfield’s deficit expanded before halftime after giving up an offensive rebound off a free throw in the waning seconds. A drive and kick found an open Jacob Dar, whose 3-point basket made it 37-31 Freedom at the half.
Higgins led Freedom Christian with 16 points. Greenfield turned it over 18 times as the length of the Patriots trotted out a 2-3 zone for the first time this season. The Knights were challenged to make passes over the top of the size, and often failed.
“My guards were playing kind of passive in the first half,” Freedom Christian head coach Kurtis Darden said. “And I just told them, sometimes when the play breaks down, you’ve got to put your head down and get to the cup and make a play. That’s what they did, and I saw a lot out of them. But believe it or not, some of those guards, that’s the best they’ve every played in their life. I was glad to finally see it in a game.”
Greenfield was credited with just six assists and trailed by as many as 13 in the fourth. Murphy led the way for the Knights, posting 23 points and eight rebounds. Evans had 17 points and three boards.
“They know how to use their length,” Murphy said of Freedom Christian.
The Knights will arguably face their biggest challenge of the season Wednesday afternoon as Greenfield hosts The Burlington School, a program that reached the North Carolina Independent Schools Athletic Association 1-A title game last season. Included on the Spartans’ roster is senior power forward Kuluel Mading, who committed to Howard University as well as senior guard Jamaril Thomas (UNC-Wilmington).
The three-game grind concludes New Years Eve with Lewisville Forsyth Country Day.
“We just want to play,” Salter said. “During this time, we don’t know how long we’re going to play. We missed so many weeks and so many games, we don’t care who comes in here. We just want to play and let the guys get out there and get better.”
FREEDOM CHR. (74)
McLane 13, Atak 14, Higgins 16, Timoshenko 8, Wild 4, Dar 6, Smith 13.
GREENFIELD (63)
Vick 8, Alston 5, Watt 3, Peten 2, Holland, Murphy 23, Wall 3, Edwards 2, Evans 17.
Score by quarters:
Freedom Chr. 25 12 23 14 — 74
Greenfield 19 12 24 8 — 63
Greenfield loss, its first in five games.
By Jimmy Lewis
jlewis@wilsontimes.com | 265-7807 | Twitter: @JimmyLewisWT
It’s officially boot camp season for the Greenfield School varsity boys basketball team.
Seeking to replenish games on their schedule after the season was suspended due to COVID-19 issues for a month, the youthful Knights opened a span of three games — all late adds to the schedule — in as many days Tuesday against Fayetteville Freedom Christian.
Trailing by 11 in the third quarter, the Knights went ahead by on a layup by freshman Hampton Evans. However, Greenfield was assessed a technical foul walking back to its bench after a timeout, and the resulting Freedom possession put the Patriots ahead to stay in an eventual 74-63 victory. Double technicals were handed out in the first half to both teams after Greenfield junior Aaron Murphy fell to the floor attacking the rim and a brief skirmish ensued.
Greenfield, a 1-A member of the 1-A/2-A Coastal Plain Independents Conference, lost for the first time in five games. Freedom of the 2-A Sandhills Athletic Conference elevated to 6-2.
The Knights were without a pair of starters in sophomore TyChaun Clay (illness) and sophomore Matt Kirby (injured). Clay is expected to miss the remainder of the week at a minimum, while Kirby will be sidelined several weeks.
“That’s our youth,” Greenfield head coach Rob Salter said of the third-quarter technical. “Intense game, and we just do something stupid. I thought that kind of hurt our momentum. We battled back, cut it to four, and they make plays. We finally got the lead when we did that, and we really didn’t have time to enjoy it. They come in and tie it, and I thought they hurt us on the glass a lot and got some second-chance points in the second half that gave them a cushion”
Behind the determined inside effort of Murphy, Greenfield realized its biggest lead of nine at 14-5 in the first quarter as the 6-foot-4 Murphy got free inside and displayed touch from long range. But Freedom erased that lead with consecutive 3-pointers from Jalen Higgins and another by Deng Atak, leaving Greenfield in chase mode for much of the way.
The Knights made 20 of 42 shots for 47.6% accuracy, but Freedom’s advantage in second-chance opportunities and getting to the rim with ease, particularly in the fourth quarter, allowed the Patriots to shoot 60.9% from the floor, making 28-of-46 attempts.
Greenfield made one final push in the fourth after the untimely technical immediately upon taking its only lead of the second half.
As the fourth personal fouls mounted on Freedom, Greenfield trailed 60-55 entering the fourth quarter. From 62-55, Knights sophomore wing Jackson Watt hit a 3-pointer to trim it to four, while Murphy knocked down two free throws to get Greenfield within a single possession at 62-60. Yet Zy McLane’s second-chance basket kicked off a 12-3 spurt to close for Freedom Christian.
Greenfield scored just three points over the final 6 minutes, 10 seconds as its offense stagnated and Freedom set up easy driving lanes to the basket by spreading the floor.
Freshman guard Jordan Vick danced around foul trouble for much of the game, picking up his third personal on a blocking call with 5 minutes, 35 seconds left until halftime. Greenfield’s deficit expanded before halftime after giving up an offensive rebound off a free throw in the waning seconds. A drive and kick found an open Jacob Dar, whose 3-point basket made it 37-31 Freedom at the half.
Higgins led Freedom Christian with 16 points. Greenfield turned it over 18 times as the length of the Patriots trotted out a 2-3 zone for the first time this season. The Knights were challenged to make passes over the top of the size, and often failed.
“My guards were playing kind of passive in the first half,” Freedom Christian head coach Kurtis Darden said. “And I just told them, sometimes when the play breaks down, you’ve got to put your head down and get to the cup and make a play. That’s what they did, and I saw a lot out of them. But believe it or not, some of those guards, that’s the best they’ve every played in their life. I was glad to finally see it in a game.”
Greenfield was credited with just six assists and trailed by as many as 13 in the fourth. Murphy led the way for the Knights, posting 23 points and eight rebounds. Evans had 17 points and three boards.
“They know how to use their length,” Murphy said of Freedom Christian.
The Knights will arguably face their biggest challenge of the season Wednesday afternoon as Greenfield hosts The Burlington School, a program that reached the North Carolina Independent Schools Athletic Association 1-A title game last season. Included on the Spartans’ roster is senior power forward Kuluel Mading, who committed to Howard University as well as senior guard Jamaril Thomas (UNC-Wilmington).
The three-game grind concludes New Years Eve with Lewisville Forsyth Country Day.
“We just want to play,” Salter said. “During this time, we don’t know how long we’re going to play. We missed so many weeks and so many games, we don’t care who comes in here. We just want to play and let the guys get out there and get better.”
FREEDOM CHR. (74)
McLane 13, Atak 14, Higgins 16, Timoshenko 8, Wild 4, Dar 6, Smith 13.
GREENFIELD (63)
Vick 8, Alston 5, Watt 3, Peten 2, Holland, Murphy 23, Wall 3, Edwards 2, Evans 17.
Score by quarters:
Freedom Chr. 25 12 23 14 — 74
Greenfield 19 12 24 8 — 63
