New Hanover basketball erases huge deficit, overcomes Panther Creek in NCHSAA playoffs
New Hanover basketball is final four bound.
The No. 1-seeded Wildcats curtailed a playoff quarterfinals losing spell Friday, rallying from an early 15-point deficit to defeat No. 12-seeded Panther Creek 63-61 to advance to the 4A East Regional final of the NCHSAA postseason tournament for the first time since 2012.
"They punched us in the face," New Hanover coach Kirk Angel said of Panther Creek early on. "We weathered the storm and settled down, and I can't say enough about our two freshmen."
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New Hanover started slow, trailing 19-4 in the first half. A late third-quarter rally saw the Wildcats take a five-point lead entering the final period.
Panther Creek didn't go without a fight. Leading scorer Chris Uwayo tied the game at 61-61 with less than 10 seconds in the fourth quarter while being fouled. The senior missed the ensuing free throw, and New Hanover's Rodmik Allen snagged the rebound and raced down the court, scoring the game-winning layup with seconds left to play.
"In my head, I was just praying he missed it," Allen, who scored 15 points, said. "Once I get it in transition, it's hard to stop me, and I know I'm going to finish that layup."
Freshman Kam Witherspoon led all Wildcats scorers with 16 points, while senior Parker Crittenden finished with 15.
Since winning a state title in 2012, New Hanover (31-0) has won more than 70% of its games, reached the playoff quarterfinals four times, and gone 129-16 in conference play. None of that, however, felt quite as good as Friday's win.
"4A basketball in this state is big boy basketball," Angel said. "It's really hard to win playoff games, there's so many quality teams in this state. For us to be down to the final four, it's really hard to get there."
Before Friday, the Wildcats had gone 0-3 in their last three playoff quarterfinal matchups. This season, challenging nonconference opponents and resilience pushed the team further.
But for all the triumphs the Wildcats have had this season, their success on the court isn't as linear as it might appear.
In January, the team lost 6-foot-5 forward CJ Kornegay to a season-ending knee injury. The junior not only scored when needed but also provided a sense of security at the rim that's hard to replicate.
"People have been doubting us all season, saying we're undersized," Allen said. "We knew what it was going to take to get here, but with all the doubters and people talking we just locked in."
Whatever the obstacle, New Hanover seems to have the answer, a reality that's led the team to the NCHSAA 4A East regional final next week, where it will face No. 2-seeded Richmond in Winston-Salem.
"I'm super proud of these kids," Angel said. "They just set the school record for wins in a season (31), and no matter what happens next week, that's something that can never be taken away from this bunch."
This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: New Hanover basketball overcomes Panther Creek in NCHSAA playoffs
