Vikings pick up Red Carpet trophy
Published 11:27 pm Saturday, January 21, 2012
Finally, after a long six-year drought, the Warren Central Vikings won a Red Carpet Classic trophy.
In the last, and easily best game of the six-game Classic, the Vikings came up roses in the final 30 seconds.
Four free throws by junior forward Kourey Davis handed Warren Central a thrilling 62-59 win over Bailey Magnet Saturday night at WC. It was the Vikings’ first win in the annual tournament since 2006 against Cleveland.
Davis delivered the day’s best performance with 28 points and 12 rebounds for the Vikings (9-12). He said he used last Tuesday’s loss at Madison Central as a motivator.
“I felt like I lost the game at Madison Central and needed to step up,” Davis said. “I just had to get to the goal, and if fouled, make free throws. It feels great to finally win this.”
First-year WC coach Chareck Cable was elated as well.
“This was a good win over a Jackson team,” Cable said. “We want to play better here at home, but like how we’ve been on the road, we’ve had trouble finishing games. We’ve taken baby steps. Kourey stepped up.”
That he did. Davis scored 22 of his 28 points in the second half.
Bailey (11-8) held a 54-51 lead when Davis tied the game on a 3-pointer with 3:40 left. His pass led to a basket by Eric Howard that put the Vikings ahead, and Jermaine Smith converted a long rebound off a missed 3-pointer by the Knights for a 58-54 lead with 1:55 remaining.
Bailey answered with five straight points, including a 3-pointer by Wilson to take its last lead at 59-58.
With 29.8 seconds left, Davis was fouled in the backcourt. It was a one-and-one situation and he made both ends for a 60-59 lead.
Bailey’s Dominique Singleton was fouled with 8.8 seconds left but he missed both free throws. Davis grabbed the rebound on the second miss and was fouled. Again, he converted both shots.
Down 62-59, Bailey got a chance at the tie but Singleton’s shot went long.
Howard had eight points and four assists for WC. Smith had six points and five rebounds.
Lee Montgomery led Bailey with 22 points, followed by Jaquaylon Wilson with 17 and Iury Dixon with 12.
(G) Brandon 66,
Vicksburg 46
The Lady Vikes (8-13) missed 41 shots and Brandon (17-4) went home with a Red Carpet Classic trophy.
Brandon led by 15 in the second quarter before WC got it down to 12, 33-21, by halftime. A 16-8 third quarter put the game away for Brandon.
Doshua McCray had 17 points to lead Brandon. Ten other Lady Bulldogs scored, but none in double figures.
WC was led by Rolanda Lovette with 12, followed by Symone Stamps with 11 and Alexis Daniels with 10.