Weddington’s run continues with win over North Mecklenburg in NCHSAA 4A West final
Gary Ellington knows his Weddington boys’ basketball team doesn’t impress all the fans in warmups.
“I’m sure people see our team, with our lack of height and everything, and figure we’re not very good,” Ellington says.
That changes when the whistle blows. And it really changes when the game is on the line.
Much as it did Tuesday night against Chambers, Weddington forced turnovers and made big shots in the final minute Saturday afternoon, rallying past North Mecklenburg 72-69 in the Western 4A Regional finals.
The Warriors (30-0), winners of 48 in a row and defending 3A state champions, will get a chance Saturday to win another title, this time at the 4A level.
“The Navy SEALS have a saying,” Ellington says. “They say, ‘You don’t rise to the occasion. You fall to the level of your training.
“Our guys train for this.”
North Mecklenburg (28-4) appeared ready to blow Weddington out of McDowell High’s field house, racing off to a 24-13 lead after the first quarter.
Those skeptics who might not have been impressed with Weddington in warmups would have expected what happened in the opening eight minutes. The Vikings outran Weddington, dominated the boards, and piled up a big lead.
But in the second quarter, Weddington began to play its game.
The Warriors started making 3-point shots, grabbed some key rebounds, and fought their way back into the game. North Mecklenburg’s lead was cut to 40-36 at intermission.
Weddington took its first lead of the game, 43-42, on a Chase Lowe basket with 5:23 left in the third quarter.
But the Vikings, behind six points by Davion Cunningham, re-established themselves and led 52-44 late in the period.
The fourth quarter followed a pattern. The Vikings would extend their lead to five or six points, and then Weddington would battle back.
North Mecklenburg led 69-63 on a pair of Jordan Crawford free throws with 52 seconds left. Those were the last points the Vikings got.
Kyle Frazier hit a pair of free throws, then the Vikings turned the ball over, and Frazier hit a 3-pointer. That cut the deficit to 69-68 with 33 seconds to go.
Then came another North Mecklenburg turnover, followed by a Evan Morton basket for Weddington with 20 seconds left.
The Vikings missed a shot, Frazier got the rebound, was fouled, and made two free throws for a 72-69 lead with 4.6 seconds to play. North Meck managed to get off a 3-point shot just before the buzzer, but it fell short.
The last-minute rally was reminiscent of what Weddington did against Chambers on Tuesday.
“We have trained for this,” Ellington said. “We have worked hard for this.”
PHOTOS: North Meck vs. Weddington
Those who made a difference
Kyle Frazier, Weddington: A 6-3 senior, Frazier scored a game-high 28 points, including the two final free throws.
Isaiah Evans, North Mecklenburg: A 6-6 sophomore forward, Evans scored 17 points and led his team in that department.
Chase Lowe, Weddington: A 6-5 senior forward, Lowe scored 24 points and did the lion’s share of Weddington’s rebounding.
Just noting
▪ Ellington had a tough decision to make in the fourth quarter, when Lowe picked up his fourth foul with 6:34 to play. Lowe went to the bench, but Ellington decided to put him back in the game with 3:10 left. “Chase is smart,” Ellington says. “He knows how to avoid fouls. He gets in foul trouble because we ask him to do so much. He’s been in foul trouble a lot this season and hasn’t fouled out very often.”
▪ Frazier was a key to Weddington’s second-quarter rally. He scored 12 points that period. And Lowe was the fourth-quarter standout, with 11 points.
Box score
North Mecklenburg 24 16 14 15 – 69
Weddington 13 23 11 25 – 72
NORTH MECKLENBURG: Isaiah Evans 17; Davion Cunningham 14; Jordan Crawford 15; Maxwell 0; Tyree Bracey 12; Maxwell Coles 11; Jenkins 0; Foy 0.
WEDDINGTON: Ellyson 3; Chase Lowe 24; Morton 6; Cook 9; Tah 0; Kyle Frazier 28; Brosterhous 2.
