Post Photo by Rickey Clardy Maki Fleming of the Vikings drives to the basket against a Forrest defender in the opening quarter.
By RICKEY CLARDY
Sports Writer
CHAPEL HILL — It was a sluggish game for the Community Vikings against the Forrest Rockets Friday night, but after the Vikings scrambled to take a 35-24 lead w
ith 3:52 left in the third quarter, it appeared Community had turned the corner.
But the Rockets came from behind with a 20-point fourth quarter and held on down the stretch to defeat the Vikings 53-50 in the District 9-AA contest.
Community (7-11, 1-1) fell behind 7-2 in the opening quarter but used a 9-0 run to take an 11-10 lead to the second quarter.
Landon Berman of the Vikings scored four early points in the quarter to help extend the Community lead to 17-10, but the Rockets bounced back to cut the Viking lead to 18-16 with 2:08 left.
At that point, Landon Lovvorn scored seven conse
cutive points in a little over a minute to extend the Viking lead to 25-19 at the intermission.
Lovvorn continued his hot shooting with eight points in the third quarter as the Vikings took their 35-24 lead.
Forrest rebounded to score the next six points as the Vikings took a 39-33 advantage to the final quarter.
The game took a turn in favor of the Rockets in the first two minutes of the quarter.
With the help of a Viking technical foul, Forrest went on an 8-0 run, including five points on a single possession with the help of the technical as the Rockets went ahead 41-39 with 6:26 remaining.
Lovvorn stayed hot and scored eight points in the quarter, including the next four points as the Vikings retook the lead at 43-41.
The Rockets proceeded to find the mark on their shots and used a 10-3 run to take a 51-46 lead with 48 seconds left.
Two field goals by Lovvorn in a 5-second stretch cut the Rocket lead to 51-50 with 23 seconds remaining.
After two Rocket free throws gave Forrest a 3-poin
t lead, the Vikings could not connect on a game-tying trey in the final seconds as the Rockets took the district win.
“I told them exactly what was going to happen if they didn’t come out in the second half and stretch the lead out,” Coach Robbie Davis of the Vikings said. “When you have done this as long as I have, you can feel how things are going to play out and unfortunately it did.”
“You can’t go on the road in district play and expect any team to just roll over and give you a win,” Davis added.
Ben Villazon scored 18 points and Tristan Good h
ad 17 to lead the Rockets.
Lovvorn had 23 points and was the only player in double figures for the Vikings.
Forrest was 11-of-18 at the free throw line while the Vikings were 6-of-12.
“We were not ready to play. Our effort in practice was one like we have accomplished something with one district win,” Davis said.
“All of the good Community teams have had multiple guys who led on and off the court,” Davis added. “There are going to be some changes in the rotation to see if we can find some guys wh
o want to play hard for 32 minutes win or lose.”
Community 11 14 14 11 — 50
Forrest 10 9 14 20 — 53
Community: Landon Lovvorn 23, Landon Berman 9, Charlie Haskins 6, Maki Fleming 4, Austin Stickler 4, Joshua Powers 2, Jaxon Williams 2, Moe Berman, Judd O’Neal.
Forrest: Ben Villazon 18, Tristan Goad 17, Bray McCown 8, Jimmy Bond 6, Houston Matlock 2, Josh Doud 2, Kelley Toombs.
3-Point goals: Community (2): Lovvorn, Haskins; Forrest (4): Goad 2, McCown, Bond.
Halftime score: Community 25, Forrest 19.
