jmccann@heraldsun.com; 419-6601
CHAPEL HILL — No. 1 Chapel Hill remains unbeaten after handling No. 5 Southern Vance 60-41 in the second round of the Carolina 6 Conference Tournament on Wednesday at home.
This one was close in the first half, but the Runnin’ Raiders lost their way during the final two periods about when Chapel Hill senior point guard Denzel Ingram began filling it up.
“Pretty pleased,” Chapel Hill coach Tod Morgan said. “You hold a team to 41 points, that’s a pretty good defensive effort. I knew they were going to be physical, so that’s good — we need to play against a team that’s physical so we can see how we can match up against them.”
Ingram finished with a game-high 18 points, and Chapel Hill junior Anthony Vanhook also was in double figures for the Tigers with 11 points.
None of the Runnin’ Raiders scored in double figures.
So now Oxford Webb, the No. 2 seed, gets another crack at Chapel Hill on Friday at 8 p.m. when the two squads go at it for the third time this season. This time, the conference championship will be on the line. UNC recruit Isaiah Hicks is expected to be in the Warriors’ lineup, and a bunch of Tar Heel fans probably will be in the Tigers’ gym.
In the second round of the girls Carolina Conference Tournament, No. 1 Chapel Hill took care of the home court with a 61-43 win over No. 5 Northern Vance.
Chapel Hill has a textbook post player in Catherine “Cat” Romaine (6-1), who rarely made herself small by taking a dribble once she received an entry pass down low, instead staying big by catching and shooting, which she did at a high percentage for a game-high 18 points.
The Tigers ran away from Northern Vance in the first half, but the Lady Vikings played better during what turned out to be the final 16 minutes of their season.
“I told them we have to win the tournament to get to the playoffs, and just got to come out and play with some fire,” Northern Vance coach Randolph Crews Jr. said. “They were a little disappointed with some foul calls, and I said, ‘They’re the No. 1 seed at home. What kind of calls you think you’re going to get? So you’ve just got to play through it.’ But we’ve got a young team, only two seniors, so we expect to be in the thick of things for the next two or three years.”
Chapel Hill will have homecourt advantage against Southern Vance when the two teams tip it up for the conference championship on Friday at 6 p.m.
GIRLS’ SUMMARY
Chapel Hill 61, Northern Vance 43
NORTHERN VANCE — Kendall Wilson 9, Jazmine Norwood 4, Kechae Parker 8, Jasmine Evans 12, Kenya Perry 5, Tanana White 5.
CHAPEL HILL — Alexandra Kimball 4, Laura Musalem 3, Arianna Jacobs 9, K’la Noel 12, Jessica Wall 4, Raziyah Farrington 2, Catherine Romaine 18, Jamella Smith 9.
Northern Vance|10|5|19|9—43
Chapel Hill|19|13|13|16—61
Records—Northern Vance 6-16, 2-9 Carolina 12; Chapel Hill 23-2, 10-1.
BOYS’ SUMMARY
Chapel Hill 60, Southern Vance 41
SOUTHERN VANCE — E.J. Miles 8, Jahvan Ricks 9, Jeremy Bullock 2, Miller Allen 9, Malik Robinson 9, Josh Young 2, Shaq Lemay 2.
CHAPEL HILL — Anthony Vanhook 11, Andrew Grant 7, Denzel Ingram 18, Elliot Orenstein 5, Dillon Winters 6, Ryan Hegedus 7, Karl Hill 2, Brian Thornton 4.
Southern Vance|11|11|9|10—41
Chapel Hill|13|15|18|14—60
Records—Southern Vance 9-11, 2-9 Carolina 12; Chapel Hill 25-0, 11-0.
