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Win over Falcons keeps Lake Norman unbeaten, atop NPC
Regan Hill
Lake Norman's Matt Denyes goes up for two of his 12 points Wednesday in the Wildcats' 71-68 win over West Rowan.
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Published: January 8, 2009
Updated: 01/08/2009 06:00 am
MOORESVILLE - The first 12 games were anticlimactic for Lake Norman.
No. 13 wasn't, but the ultimate result Wednesday night was the same.
West Rowan misfired on a pair of potential game-tying 3-pointers in the final 15 seconds, and unbeaten Lake Norman emerged from a tight North Piedmont 3A battle with a 71-68 victory.
"It feels good to finally get a close game and come through and pull it out," Lake Norman guard Kevin Canevari said.
Thirty-point romps had become the norm prior to the Wildcats' run-in with the Falcons.
Lake Norman coach Brandon Jolly expected nothing less than an all-out challenge in a game pitting two of the state's top 3A squads. The Wildcats are ranked No. 3 in the latest NCPreps.com media poll, and the Falcons are No. 9.
"Two great teams going toe-to-toe, and one team had to win," Jolly said. "It just happened to be us tonight. We made it interesting though in the fourth quarter by missing all those free throws."
The Wildcats (13-0, 8-0 NPC) were 4 of 10 from the foul line over the final 1 minute, 38 seconds.
West Rowan (9-2, 5-1 NPC) trimmed a 10-point third quarter deficit to 69-67 with 20 seconds left in the fourth.
After Reggie Price made one of two free throws to push the lead to 70-67, Kaleb Kimber lined up the equalizer, but his 3-pointer was off the mark. K.J. Sherrill was fouled on the offensive rebound.
Sherrill, who spent much of the night in foul trouble, made one of two from the line to make it 70-68 with 6 seconds remaining.
The Falcons fouled on the ensuing inbound pass. Dorian Albritton connected on the first freebie, but clanked the second. West Rowan reserve Keshun Sherrill boarded the miss and dribbled up court. His 23-footer bounced off the rim as time expired.
Price paced Lake Norman with a game-high 23 points off the bench. He was 5 of 6 from the field in the eight minutes leading up to halftime.
"He sparked us in the second quarter," Jolly said of Price, who made 8 of 11 shots for the game.
Paul Larsen added 15 points and 13 rebounds for the Wildcats.
B.J. Sherrill led West Rowan with 16 points, and Jason Grant and Jordan Kimber supplied 13 apiece.
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