Johnathan Lawwell takes aim and drills a three-pointer for the Vikings. Lawwell had three treys and led Community with 19 points. (Post Photo by Rickey Clardy)
By RICKEY CLARDY
Sports Writer
UNIONVILLE — The Community Vikings rolled to a 50-30 halftime lead and used a staunch defense to only allow the Moore County Raiders 12 points in the second half as the Vikings defeated the Raiders 80-42 in a basketball contest Friday night.
With the guard tandem of Johnathan Lawwell and Charlie Haskins leading the way, Community (6-2) came out hot in the opening quarter.
Lawwell had nine points and Haskins added six as six players scored in the opening quarter. Andrew Tocchio also scored five points as the Vikings ended the quarter with a 26-18 advantage.
It was more of the same in the second quarter as the Vikings added to their lead. The Vikings scored the first six points of the quarter to complete an 11-0 run as Community started to pull away. Lawwell scored eight points while Tocchio had six and Joshua Powers added five as the Vikings lighted the scoreboard for 24 points and took a 50-30 lead into the break.
“We made a real big emphasis on getting to the paint but playing under control and kicking out and finding the open guy,” Coach Hunter Ferrell of the Vikings said.
“Obviously you’re happy with 50 points offensively, so it’s hard to be too negative, but we thought we gave them a lot of easy ones,” Ferrell added.
With the directive from Ferrell to be tougher on defense, the Vikings responded while increasing the margin in the second half. Haskins led the Vikings with six points as Community scored 15 points in the third quarter while the Raiders scored 10 as the Vikings took a 65-40 lead to the final quarter.
The Vikings added 15 more points, including the first 12 points of the quarter, but the Community defense was lights out as the Raiders could only score two points in the final minute as the Vikings pulled away for the big win.
Lawwell had 19 points to lead four Vikings in double figures.
Haskins had 16 points while Powers and Tocchio each had 11.
Colton Morey led the Raiders with 16 points.
The Vikings had eight treys and were 10-of-17 at the line while Moore County had four three-pointers and was 4-of-10 at the charity stripe.
“We looked at what we did not really well on Monday against Eagleville,” Ferrell said.
“We just want to make sure that we’re doing the things that aren’t just going to beat anybody on our schedule. We want to do the things that are going to beat the best teams on our schedule.”
The Vikings travel to Huntland for a 7:30 p.m. game Tuesday night.
Moore Co. 18 12 10 2 — 42
Community 26 24 15 15 — 80
Moore Co.: Colton Morey 16, Tristyn Gray 6, Deacon Liles 5, Cooper Dickey 3, Avery Rogers 2, Anderson Sharpe 5, Braylynn Hill 2, Rylan Stovall 2, Drew Hardison 1, Kason Ferrara, Callen Van Buskirk, Knox Hall, Jace Deal, Joe Graham.
Community: Johnathan Lawwell 19, Charlie Haskins 16, Joshua Powers 11, Masyn Hill 3, Jaxson Williams 1, Andrew Tocchio 11, Zach Leathers 7, Maddux Thompson 7, Cordell Dukes 3, Karson Boyce 2, Boone Gray, Logan Reed, Kaeden Hensel.
3-Point goals: Moore Co. (4): Morey 2, Sharpe, Dickey; Community (8): Lawwell 3, Tocchio 3, Powers, Dukes.
Halftime score: Community 50, Moore Co. 30.