Landstown Advances to ER Quarters
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style='font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";
background:yellow;mso-highlight:yellow'>Strong Third Quarter Propels Eagles
Past Warriors:
style='font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>
style=>
line-height:115%;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>This time, there would be
no upset. Three years ago, the
class=SpellE>Landstown Eagles were Champions of the Beach District and a
#1 seed for the Eastern Region Tournament when the fourth-seeded Nansemond
River Warriors came to their gym and stunned them to halt an 18-game winning
streak and end the season of the state's fourth-ranked team at the time.
"Verdana","sans-serif"'>The script looked almost exactly the same, only this
time the Eagles weren't going to be denied as they edged the visitors from
Suffolk, 64-58 to move on to the regional quarterfinals at the Norfolk Scope on
Wednesday.
115%;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>Landstown
style='font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>
led just 32-30 at the half when a 19-8 bulge in the third quarter opened up the
game for them. Nansemond River would
make a mini comeback and pull within six, but got no closer as the Eagles sank
free-throws and got a bucket late to put the Warriors away.
"Verdana","sans-serif"'>"We didn't really trap them or anything early.
style=> We just played our regular zone defense
against them and I felt like we could put a little pressure on them and get
some turnovers in that third quarter," commented Landstown
Head Basketball Coach Dwight Robinson.
"I didn't want to do it early against
them so that they'd get in a rhythm of breaking it because they're fresh.
style=> I wanted to wait a little while before we
started pulling out some traps."
"Verdana","sans-serif"'>The subs enabled Landstown to
have flexibility with its lineup and not allow Nansemond River to get
comfortable.
"Verdana","sans-serif"'>"I think this year we've got a lot more experience
coming off the bench," believes Robinson.
"Guys like Malcolm Worthy,
style='mso-bidi-font-weight:normal'>Keanu Reuben,
style='mso-bidi-font-weight:normal'>R.J
normal'>. Nicholson played real well for us coming off the bench.
style=> Those guys played major minutes down the
stretch for us. We're really bringing
our starting point guard (Jordan
Roberson) off the bench, too. That
makes for a pretty good next five."
"Verdana","sans-serif"'>After losing to Green Run in the Beach District
Tournament semifinals, Landstown knew they had to
return home and give their fans something to cheer about and get any bad taste
out of their mouths.
"Verdana","sans-serif"'>"That loss gave us some motivation, but we knew we had
home court on Monday, so it gave us an extra day of practice and that kind of
helped us out a lot," said Eagles senior forward
normal'>Andre Stanley.
"Verdana","sans-serif"'>With the loss, Nansemond River's season, which started
out at 15-2, ends at 17-8 overall. It
marks the first time since 2009 that the Warriors won't be heading to the
regional quarterfinals after getting to Scope each of the past three years.
"Verdana","sans-serif"'>
mso-highlight:yellow'>Player of the Game:
style=> Landstown
senior forward Andre Stanley.
style=> Measuring in about 6-foot-3, Stanley isn't
quite as long or tall as Nansemond River's Ed
Drew (6-foot-5) or Daniel Wallace (6-foot-7),
who returned from injury for the first time since December, but he's well put
together and teamed with 6-foot-8 sophomore
normal'>Darius Bolstad to give the Eagles
interior scoring and rebounding.
"Verdana","sans-serif"'>Stanley ended up with 12 points, sharing team high
honors with Sebastian
class=SpellE>Sandifer, and collected eight rebounds, six on the
offensive end. That gave the Eagles
extra scoring opportunities, and proved to be really vital in the second half.
"Verdana","sans-serif"'>"Getting loose balls, watching our turnovers and making
sure we didn't give up second chance points were the main keys for us," Stanley
noted.
"Verdana","sans-serif"'>
mso-highlight:yellow'>Keys to Victory:
style='font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>#1
- - Balanced Attack:
style='font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>The
Eagles put four players in double-figures and got 11 steals from seven
different players. Equally important was
the lift they got off the bench with 17 points from reserves on the night
compared to 12 for Nansemond River.
"Verdana","sans-serif"'>There's no one superstar on their team or D-1 stud
opponents have to key in on like in the past with Stanley Pringle, Percy
class=SpellE>Harvin, Reggie Williams, Julian Norfleet,
Donte Morales and others, but that has worked to
their advantage in a lot of ways this year.
"Verdana","sans-serif"'>"Everybody on our team can score," Stanley said.
style=> "When that happens, it's easier to get points."
"Verdana","sans-serif"'>
#2 - - Running Clock:
style=> Basketball is a game of runs and most
were waiting for Nansemond River to make theirs.
style=> Landstown didn't
let them make a big one.
"Verdana","sans-serif"'>The Eagles looked like a football team trying to run
the ball, chew up yardage little by little and let the clock run out.
style=> Patience and passing the ball around the
perimeter until the right shot came open and taking it allowed them to maintain
their lead and prevent any type of dramatic Nansemond River comeback in the
final minutes.
"Verdana","sans-serif"'>That's something the Eagles have gotten better at since
losing a lead late in the season against Green Run in a game they lost in
overtime.
"Verdana","sans-serif"'>"We practice that a lot," Stanley said, "moving the
ball around, running different plays for us to score and controlling the ball
and clock."
style='font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>
#3 - - Glass Work:
style='font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>On
the season, Nansemond River out-rebounded foes by nine a game and that was a
critical aspect of their success.
class=SpellE>Landstown, known for its perimeter prowess over the years,
has morphed into a game that now can depend on its post players to close out
contests.
"Verdana","sans-serif"'>With Bolstad and Stanley as
well as wings that crash the boards effectively in Sandifer,
Worthy, Nicholson and Cameron Alston,
they're able to more than hold their own in that department.
"Verdana","sans-serif"'>"Rebounding is one of our strong suits," Robinson
remarked. "Darius, Keanu, Malcolm and R.J.,
and the smaller guys are real active.
Andre and Darius are big guys and they did a good job of blocking out.
style=> We know that they're a strong rebounding team
and we felt if we can rebound with them, then we'd be in good shape."
"Verdana","sans-serif"'>For the night, Landstown
out-rebounded Nansemond River 28-25, getting 14 offensive boards.
style=> No player reached in double-digits in boards
for the Warriors.
style='font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>
Up Next, the Defending
Champs:
font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'> A
year ago, the Landstown Eagles nearly played the
Hampton Crabbers in the regional semifinals.
But Landstown got tripped up in the regional
quarterfinals by #3 seed King's Fork, preventing that matchup from happening.
"Verdana","sans-serif"'>The two teams will square off on Wednesday night at
Scope with a spot in the regional semifinals on Sunday at stake.
"Verdana","sans-serif"'>Hampton won the State Championship last season and
returned most of its main pieces in NC State signee Anthony 'Cat' Barber, a
McDonald's All-American, and Jordan Baker, an Old Dominion signee, headlining
their attack.
"Verdana","sans-serif"'>"It's pretty good to go against them," commented Stanley.
style=> "To be the best, you've got to beat the
best. We feel confident going into that game."
"Verdana","sans-serif"'>Even though they are a #1 seed and the Crabbers are a
#2 seed, Landstown will be playing in an underdog role,
one they relish.
"Verdana","sans-serif"'>"Well, I think everybody plays that way now.
style=> It's either you win or go home.
style=> You've got to play all out, regardless of who
it is," Robinson stated.
"Verdana","sans-serif"'>"(Barber's) a special player and they have another
special player in Baker as well. You can't
forget about Tre Perry and Sammie [Royal].
style=> I think Sammie's really the heart and soul of
the team. Those guys played extremely
well last year, jelled at the right time.
Hopefully we're jelling at the right time as well and can compete."
style='font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>
class=SpellE>Landstown Coach Dwight Robinson
line-break'>
style='font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>Stats:
style='font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>Landstown
style='mso-bidi-font-weight:normal'>
line-height:115%;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'> 64:
style='mso-bidi-font-weight:normal'>
115%;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>
Andre Stanley - - 12Pts. 5-11FG, 8Reb. 3Ast. 2Stl.
Sebastian Sandifer - - 12Pts. 4-6FG, 2-3 3's, 3Reb.
3Ast. 2Stl.
Malcolm Worthy - - 10Pts. 5-6FG, 3Reb.
Cameron Alston - - 10Pts. 4-12FG, 3Reb. 4Ast.
Shyheim Swinson - - 7Pts. 3-8FG,
4Ast. 3Stl.
style='font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>Nansemond
River 58:
normal'>
Ed Drew - - 20Pts. 6-13FG, 8-8FT, 6Reb. 3Blk.
Devon Oakley - - 12Pts. 2-7FG, 4-4FT, 2Reb. 3Ast. 2Stl.
Scott Spencer - - 10Pts. 4-11FG, 2-3 3's, 7Reb.
Kendric Washington - - 4Pts. 2-6FG, 7Reb. 2Blk.
style='font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>
"Verdana","sans-serif"'>
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