It is a rare Sunday slate at the City of Palms. There are four games today, the first one a quarter-final in the consolation bracket between Vashon out of St. Louis and New Orleans Isadore Newman. Vashon may have a bit of an advantage, having played Friday in the first game of the event while Newman played less than 24 hours ago. We’ll see if fresh legs make a difference.
The first four minutes to start the game had a lot of activity but no achievement. There were at least four missed dunks combined by both teams before a mid-range bucket from 6’6 senior Kennard Davis of Vashon broke the ice. Davis added a free throw a bit later. Newman didn’t get on the board until there was 1:21 left to play in the quarter on a drive from 6’1 senior Canin Jefferson. A three from Vashon’s 6’8 junior Nicholas Randall made it a 6-2 score with just over thirty seconds left in the period. Todd Jones, a 6’7 junior for Newman scored inside but an offensive rebound and scored from Vashon’s 5’11 sophomore Christian Williams put the score at 8-4 in favor of Vashon after one period of play.
Things got moving in the second quarter. Vashon scored early to make it a six-point lead but a three from Newman’s 6’0 freshman Jackson Williams cut that lead in half. Vashon responded with a bucket inside from 6’5 senior Anthoni Sandford but two free throws from Jones and from 6’4 senior Chris Lockett brought Newman to within one, 12-11, with just over five minutes to play in the period. Davis knocked down a three for Vashon but Newman got to within two with a pair of free throws from Jefferson. Vashon hit another three but Jefferson hit a free throw and Jones threw down a dunk in transition to make the score 18-16 in favor of Vashon with 1:19 to play. Another three from Vashon’s Davis gave them a five-point lead, but a three from Newman’s Williams and a lob dunk by Jones made the halftime score 21-21.
Vashon scored the first points of the third quarter but a three and steal and score, both by Lockett, gave Newman its first lead of the contest. It didn’t last long, as Vashon then went on a 12-0 run as they turned Newman’s misses and turnovesr into points. Newman’s dry spell lasted over four minutes and gave Vashon a 35-26 lead with 1:24 left in the quarter. Lockett completed a three-point play to get to within six, but the Vashon run wasn’t over. They scored the final six points of the quarter to go up 41-29.
Things did not improve for Newman in the final period. After an exchange of baskets, five straight points by Vashon built a seventeen-point, 48-31 lead. That hill was too high to climb and Vashon would win comfortably, 60-39.
Vashon got a game-high 17 points from Davis but ten Wolverines scored in all.
For Newman, Lockett led the way with 12 points.