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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mVd2PBmXVbA
Hornets swarm Cardinals en route to decisive victory
On a collision course all season, No. 1 Hoover and No. 2 Lincoln finally met in the Division II finals on Friday night at the University of San Diego. And it was the Hornets who remained standing, knocking off the Cardinals 58-51 to capture their first section title since 1996.
“This win means a lot to us. We’ve been working so hard in practice dreaming about this moment and it came true,” said Lincoln guard Rasean Simpson. “We are going to go out and celebrate and then get back in the gym for the state finals.”
Leading by 16 at the start of the fourth quarter, Lincoln (25-2) withstood a late Hoover rally. The Cardinals started the final quarter on a 13-2 run to cut the Hornets’ lead to single digits, but couldn’t get any closer than seven down the stretch.
“We kind of just got started late,” said Hoover head coach Ollie Goulston. “Once we found our rhythm we were good, but we just ran out of time.”
Prior to the fourth quarter, the two-time defending champion Cardinals looked out of sync. Lincoln’s pressure flustered Hoover (26-6) to start the game as the Hornets held the Cardinals scoreless for the first three and a half minutes and raced out to a 12-3 lead.
“Watching CIFs in the past, I felt like the aggressor is the team that always wins and I let them know that we had to come out aggressive and that’s what we did,” said Lincoln head coach Jason Bryant. “We came out aggressive, we pressed them and pressured them the whole game and it worked out well for us.”
Lincoln led by 11 after a somewhat dominant first quarter. And the Hornets kept the pressure turned up in the second quarter, taking a lopsided 36-19 lead into the break.
“We weren’t surprised,” Simpson said. “We knew we could get the win and we knew we were the better team.”
The Hornets stayed aggressive in the third quarter and Hoover finally started to match their intensity. Lincoln held a comfortable lead headed into the fourth quarter before Hoover made their run.
“I knew they’d be motivated to play this game,” Bryant said. “We’ve been waiting for Hoover all season and I knew we would show up today.”
After spending most of the season looking up at top-ranked Hoover in the rankings, Lincoln simply outplayed the Cardinals in the win. The Hornets gave Hoover a taste of their own pressure to stake a claim as the best team in the section.
“Prior to today, we hadn’t done anything, so we didn’t deserve the accolades yet,” Bryant said. “But I think now we put it together this year and we did a good job and I think it’s well-deserved.”
Four Lincoln players finished in double figures, led by Simpson and guard Tyree Robinson, who each finished with 12 points. That type of balance could serve the Hornets well headed into next week’s state playoffs.
“We have all the pieces to make some noise,” Bryant said. “As long as we keep playing Lincoln basketball – hard, smart and together – I think we should be able to make a run.”
For Hoover, center Angelo Chol scored a game-high 25 points and guard Dame Ndiaye added 14. The loss was the Cardinals’ first all season to a San Diego team.
“I wish it was like the NBA Finals and we could play best of seven. These two teams would go head-to-head every night,” Goulston said. “We made a lot of mistakes and we deserve what we got.”
Lincoln – 58 (19-17-12-10)
Tyree Robinson 12, Powell 11, Maxey 10, Tyrell Robinson 6, Dean 6 (starters) Simpson 12
Hoover – 51 (10-9-13-19)
Chol 25, Ndiaye 14, Ingram 6, Wells 4, Jones 2 (starters)
Lincoln guard Tyree Robinson (left) and forward Victor Dean pressure Hoover guard Terrence Ingram
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mVd2PBmXVbA
Hornets swarm Cardinals en route to decisive victory
On a collision course all season, No. 1 Hoover and No. 2 Lincoln finally met in the Division II finals on Friday night at the University of San Diego. And it was the Hornets who remained standing, knocking off the Cardinals 58-51 to capture their first section title since 1996.
“This win means a lot to us. We’ve been working so hard in practice dreaming about this moment and it came true,” said Lincoln guard Rasean Simpson. “We are going to go out and celebrate and then get back in the gym for the state finals.”
Leading by 16 at the start of the fourth quarter, Lincoln (25-2) withstood a late Hoover rally. The Cardinals started the final quarter on a 13-2 run to cut the Hornets’ lead to single digits, but couldn’t get any closer than seven down the stretch.
“We kind of just got started late,” said Hoover head coach Ollie Goulston. “Once we found our rhythm we were good, but we just ran out of time.”
Prior to the fourth quarter, the two-time defending champion Cardinals looked out of sync. Lincoln’s pressure flustered Hoover (26-6) to start the game as the Hornets held the Cardinals scoreless for the first three and a half minutes and raced out to a 12-3 lead.
“Watching CIFs in the past, I felt like the aggressor is the team that always wins and I let them know that we had to come out aggressive and that’s what we did,” said Lincoln head coach Jason Bryant. “We came out aggressive, we pressed them and pressured them the whole game and it worked out well for us.”
Lincoln led by 11 after a somewhat dominant first quarter. And the Hornets kept the pressure turned up in the second quarter, taking a lopsided 36-19 lead into the break.
“We weren’t surprised,” Simpson said. “We knew we could get the win and we knew we were the better team.”
The Hornets stayed aggressive in the third quarter and Hoover finally started to match their intensity. Lincoln held a comfortable lead headed into the fourth quarter before Hoover made their run.
“I knew they’d be motivated to play this game,” Bryant said. “We’ve been waiting for Hoover all season and I knew we would show up today.”
After spending most of the season looking up at top-ranked Hoover in the rankings, Lincoln simply outplayed the Cardinals in the win. The Hornets gave Hoover a taste of their own pressure to stake a claim as the best team in the section.
“Prior to today, we hadn’t done anything, so we didn’t deserve the accolades yet,” Bryant said. “But I think now we put it together this year and we did a good job and I think it’s well-deserved.”
Four Lincoln players finished in double figures, led by Simpson and guard Tyree Robinson, who each finished with 12 points. That type of balance could serve the Hornets well headed into next week’s state playoffs.
“We have all the pieces to make some noise,” Bryant said. “As long as we keep playing Lincoln basketball – hard, smart and together – I think we should be able to make a run.”
For Hoover, center Angelo Chol scored a game-high 25 points and guard Dame Ndiaye added 14. The loss was the Cardinals’ first all season to a San Diego team.
“I wish it was like the NBA Finals and we could play best of seven. These two teams would go head-to-head every night,” Goulston said. “We made a lot of mistakes and we deserve what we got.”
Lincoln – 58 (19-17-12-10)
Tyree Robinson 12, Powell 11, Maxey 10, Tyrell Robinson 6, Dean 6 (starters) Simpson 12
Hoover – 51 (10-9-13-19)
Chol 25, Ndiaye 14, Ingram 6, Wells 4, Jones 2 (starters)
Lincoln guard Tyree Robinson (left) and forward Victor Dean pressure Hoover guard Terrence Ingram