A stand-up triple
‘Big Three’ leads Knights past Freedom
Tom Ham--Senior Staff Writer—WILSON DAILY TIMES
The Greenfield School varsity boys basketball team’s “Big Three” of 6-foot-5 juniors Coby White and Elijah McCadden and 6-4 senior Dorieon Suggs combined for 67 points — about the trio’s normal output — Monday night.
But timely contributions from the freshman duo of 6-5 Trey Pittman and Dji Bailey completed a sparkling performance that lifted the Knights to an 80-65 victory against North Carolina Independent Schools Athletic Association 2-A member Freedom Christian of Fayetteville in the Greenfield School gym.
“I was pleased,” summarized veteran Greenfield head coach Rob Salter. “We beat a really good team. We showed composure and did a lot of good things.”
The Knights of the NCISAA 1-A Coastal Plain Independents Conference upped their record to 18-12, while Freedom, which left the CPIC after last season, slipped to 9-13.
White and McCadden each posted a double-double. White poured in a game-high 39 points and claimed 11 rebounds, while McCadden tossed in 18 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. White also handed out five assists, while McCadden dished out seven.
In a mop-up role, Suggs added 10 points and six rebounds. The lanky Pittman managed eight points and Bailey five.
“I thought Pittman was really good,” Salter declared. “He had some hustle plays and was winning 50-50 balls.”
Pittman has moved into a starting role with injuries to Octavius Lacey and Cedric Kirby.
“I was sort of expecting it and I felt like I could do it,” Pittman said. “My role is to hit open shots when I get the opportunity, and I thought I played pretty well.”
Of the team performance, Pittman responded: “We dominated the whole game from both sides. We knew we had to stop penetration, get out on their shooters and double down on the weak side (against the Patriots’ 6-9 senior Milos Supica).”
Supica, who is headed for Quinnipiac University, ruled under the basket with 25 points. Senior Jayson Nash added 12 points and senior Trevor Jenkins 10.
The Knights set the tone midway through the opening quarter. With the score knotted at 8-8, White and McCadden triggered a 10-0 Greenfield run. The Knights led 24-13 after the first quarter.
A field goal and 3-pointer in succession from Bailey sent the Knights to a 36-20 lead in the second quarter. The Patriots pulled as close as 43-33 on freshman Manrique Alvarado’s 3-pointer with 1:09 left in the first half.
At halftime, White and McCadden matched Freedom’s 33 points with 19 from White and 14 from McCadden. Supica stuffed in 16 for the Patriots.
Freedom was not able to cut into a 45-33 halftime deficit and the Knights’ margin reached 17 points at 53-36 on McCadden’s bucket. Greenfield’s largest lead was 68-50 on a pair of free throws from White early in the final quarter. The Patriots drew as close as 11 points before Greenfield took command on a bucket each from Pittman and White.
“We turned the ball over way too much,” expressed third-year Freedom head coach Daniel Pruessner. “We had self-inflicted turnovers and we didn’t do a good job of getting the ball inside to Supica. We got outworked; they got the majority of the 50-50 balls.
“Coby’s special. What do you give him and what do you try to take away?”
Salter credited his Knights for “controlling the game in all aspects. We were in a really good rhythm offensively. We limited our dribbles; our spacing was good and we finished at the rim. And when we rebound like we did tonight, we’re tough.”
Of being in the lineup with the “Big Three,” Pittman replied: “It’s great. Every day in practice is getting me better.”
And as the Knights eye a deep run in the playoffs, Pittman sees expectations from him as providing “good minutes.”
“I think we’re headed in the right direction,” Salter concluded.
Greenfield welcomes archrival Wayne Country Day for a Friday night showdown that will likely decide CPIC regular-season superiority.
hammer@wilsontimes.com | 265-7819
FREEDOM CHRISTIAN (65)
Janic, Alvarado 3, Kristiech 6, Supica 25, Harvey 9, Jenkins 10, Nash 12, Kirkland, Wink, Stafford.
GREENFIELD (80)
White 39, McCadden 18, Suggs 10, Pittman 8, Bailey 5, Baker, Stone, Smith.
Score by quarters:
Freedom 13 20 14 18 — 65
Greenfield 24 21 19 16 — 80
‘Big Three’ leads Knights past Freedom
Tom Ham--Senior Staff Writer—WILSON DAILY TIMES
The Greenfield School varsity boys basketball team’s “Big Three” of 6-foot-5 juniors Coby White and Elijah McCadden and 6-4 senior Dorieon Suggs combined for 67 points — about the trio’s normal output — Monday night.
But timely contributions from the freshman duo of 6-5 Trey Pittman and Dji Bailey completed a sparkling performance that lifted the Knights to an 80-65 victory against North Carolina Independent Schools Athletic Association 2-A member Freedom Christian of Fayetteville in the Greenfield School gym.
“I was pleased,” summarized veteran Greenfield head coach Rob Salter. “We beat a really good team. We showed composure and did a lot of good things.”
The Knights of the NCISAA 1-A Coastal Plain Independents Conference upped their record to 18-12, while Freedom, which left the CPIC after last season, slipped to 9-13.
White and McCadden each posted a double-double. White poured in a game-high 39 points and claimed 11 rebounds, while McCadden tossed in 18 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. White also handed out five assists, while McCadden dished out seven.
In a mop-up role, Suggs added 10 points and six rebounds. The lanky Pittman managed eight points and Bailey five.
“I thought Pittman was really good,” Salter declared. “He had some hustle plays and was winning 50-50 balls.”
Pittman has moved into a starting role with injuries to Octavius Lacey and Cedric Kirby.
“I was sort of expecting it and I felt like I could do it,” Pittman said. “My role is to hit open shots when I get the opportunity, and I thought I played pretty well.”
Of the team performance, Pittman responded: “We dominated the whole game from both sides. We knew we had to stop penetration, get out on their shooters and double down on the weak side (against the Patriots’ 6-9 senior Milos Supica).”
Supica, who is headed for Quinnipiac University, ruled under the basket with 25 points. Senior Jayson Nash added 12 points and senior Trevor Jenkins 10.
The Knights set the tone midway through the opening quarter. With the score knotted at 8-8, White and McCadden triggered a 10-0 Greenfield run. The Knights led 24-13 after the first quarter.
A field goal and 3-pointer in succession from Bailey sent the Knights to a 36-20 lead in the second quarter. The Patriots pulled as close as 43-33 on freshman Manrique Alvarado’s 3-pointer with 1:09 left in the first half.
At halftime, White and McCadden matched Freedom’s 33 points with 19 from White and 14 from McCadden. Supica stuffed in 16 for the Patriots.
Freedom was not able to cut into a 45-33 halftime deficit and the Knights’ margin reached 17 points at 53-36 on McCadden’s bucket. Greenfield’s largest lead was 68-50 on a pair of free throws from White early in the final quarter. The Patriots drew as close as 11 points before Greenfield took command on a bucket each from Pittman and White.
“We turned the ball over way too much,” expressed third-year Freedom head coach Daniel Pruessner. “We had self-inflicted turnovers and we didn’t do a good job of getting the ball inside to Supica. We got outworked; they got the majority of the 50-50 balls.
“Coby’s special. What do you give him and what do you try to take away?”
Salter credited his Knights for “controlling the game in all aspects. We were in a really good rhythm offensively. We limited our dribbles; our spacing was good and we finished at the rim. And when we rebound like we did tonight, we’re tough.”
Of being in the lineup with the “Big Three,” Pittman replied: “It’s great. Every day in practice is getting me better.”
And as the Knights eye a deep run in the playoffs, Pittman sees expectations from him as providing “good minutes.”
“I think we’re headed in the right direction,” Salter concluded.
Greenfield welcomes archrival Wayne Country Day for a Friday night showdown that will likely decide CPIC regular-season superiority.
hammer@wilsontimes.com | 265-7819
FREEDOM CHRISTIAN (65)
Janic, Alvarado 3, Kristiech 6, Supica 25, Harvey 9, Jenkins 10, Nash 12, Kirkland, Wink, Stafford.
GREENFIELD (80)
White 39, McCadden 18, Suggs 10, Pittman 8, Bailey 5, Baker, Stone, Smith.
Score by quarters:
Freedom 13 20 14 18 — 65
Greenfield 24 21 19 16 — 80
