Puttin A Wrap On Basketball Season

Lady Gryphon Basketball lost three games all season.  Those three teams were 13-2 in the State playoffs in 2012.  Millbrook won the 4-A Title going 6-0 in the playoffs.  Burlington Williams (5-1)lost the 3-A title game to Harding University.  I know Pam Gainey had a hard time sitting in the stands Saturday as Williams got scorched in the finals knowing her Lady Gryphons should have been there.  Northern Nash went 2-0 until they were knocked out by the Lady Gryphons.

Rocky Mount boys are 20-0 in 2012.  That 20 game win streak they averaged 81 points per game.  They gave up 52 per contest.  The six games of the playoffs they played four conferences champions along the way and averaged 81 points per game against the better teams while allowing 64.  They never sweated near the end of any playoff game  as they won by double digits in all including the  14 points in  the Championship game.

Terrill Hilliard and Tevin Taylor become the first Gryphon athletes since 1964 to win at least two titles in any team sport.  They were both on the 2010 State Champions team.

Former Gryphon Phil Ford spoke to the team in the locker room before the Gryphons took the floor Saturday.  Ford last week was named to the 2012 class of the College Basketball Hall Of Fame.

Like 2010 the entire area came out to support the Gryphons.  I saw North Edgecombe fans, Nash Central fans and surely there were people there that I have not seen at a game all year supporting the Gryphons.

I don't think the crowd was quite as big this year and I guess Hickory had a bunch but I don't think as many as Concord had  in 2010.  I think about 7,000 were wearing blue for the Gryphons.

The PA announcer this year pronounced the Gryphons correctly, not Griffins

Normally the starters play about 20 minutes per game.  Saturday Terrill Hilliard came out for one minute and Donte Battle two minutes. Tabias Hilliard, K J Peoples and Levon Brutus all had 23 minutes or more for the game. The second team didn't make much of an impact in the first quarter  when Hickory was making every shot.  The Hines brothers and Tevin  Taylor were part of the second half defensive pressure that caused Hickory to shoot 27% in the second half.

Down by eight at the end of the first quarter Rocky Mount won quarters 2,3 and four 68-42.

Rocky Mount was 0-9 in three point attempts but countered that by out scoring Hickory 50-16 in the paint.

After having 30 turnovers last week in Regional finals the Gryphons reduced that to 18 Saturday.

The net cutting ceremony in the gym at midnight Saturday  was over 900 in attendance.  Both sides were over half full.  2010 they only had one side of bleacher out and that one side was near full then.

Mike Gainey has now won two state titles.  He is now getting into the area of ELITE basketball coach.

Spoils go to the victors:  Sunday the team appeared on WHIG-TV on the All New Sports Show and tonight they will be in the City Council Chambers of Rocky Mount as they will be honor by the city.

The 2012 3-A State Champions  The ROCKY MOUNT GRYPHONS