Surprise Lash win for Glenn
Not much was expected of Glenn’s Bobcats in this year’s Lash-Chronicle Holiday Classic, but Coach Clarence Hosch’s squad didn’t pay much attention to pre-tournament expectations.
The Bobcats, seeded 11th in the 14-team field, pulled off a surprising 69-51 victory over sixth-seeded East Forsyth in the opening round last Saturday at Carver High School. With the win, the Bobcats advance to tomorrow’s quarterfinal round against #3 Mount Tabor.
“I’m not surprised,” said Hosch, referring to Glenn’s upset win. “We have a solid corps of players. It’s only a matter of time before they begin to gel. They’re coming along.”
Glenn (5-2) took control of the game in the second quarter. The Bobcats went to their full-court press and forced several turnovers, which led to fast-break points in transition. By the end of the quarter, they had built a comfortable 34-19 lead. Josh Jenkins, Reshaad Daniels and Kyrie Thompson were the prime contributors during that stretch as Glenn outscored its Kernersville counterparts by a count of 21-8.
“We did a much better job of communicating on defense in the second quarter and it helped that our shots started to fall,” said Jenkins. “This win gives us a big confidence boost. We’re showing that we’re better than where we were seeded.”
Alec Wiomer and Jenkins scored 14 points each to pace Glenn’s offense. Thompson chipped in with 13 points.
East Forsyth (6-2) never recovered from Glenn’s second-quarter blitz. The Eagles managed to trim the deficit to 54-44 with 6:09 left in the fourth quarter, but could get no closer. Glenn converted enough free throws over the final five minutes of the game to maintain its double-digits lead.
East’s Brody Lawson and Brandon Tate finished with 10 points each. They entered the tournament with two starters out because of injuries. Power forward Jackson Oakley is out for the season with a torn ACL. Point guard Jaylen Lyles was sidelined by a bruised knee and a laceration on his shooting hand. Lyle is expected to return to action when tournament play resumes tomorrow.
In other first-round play, Mount Tabor beat Atkins 86-47, Parkland beat North Forsyth 52-38, Glenn beat East Forsyth 69-51, Reagan beat Carver 82-63 and Reynolds beat Lexington 64-56.
The schedule for the Lash/Chronicle Holiday Tournament below:
Dec. 20 Quarters @ Carver
Reagan vs. Forsyth Country Day, 5 p.m.
Reynolds vs. West Forsyth, 6:30 p.m.
Dec. 20 Quarters @ Winston-Salem Prep
Glenn vs. Mount Tabor, 5 p.m.
Winston-Salem Prep vs. Parkland, 6:30 p.m.
Dec. 21 Semifinals @ Carver 4:30 and 6 p.m.
Dec. 23 @ Carver 3rd place consolation, 4 p.m. Championship, 5:30 p.m.
