The Freedom boys basketball team rained 3-pointers from seemingly everywhere, and before Midwest No. 16 seed Concord knew it, a game that many thought could be a 3A first-round playoff war turned into a laugher. <\/p>\n
The West No. 1 seed Patriots (25-2) on Tuesday night at home trailed 5-4 early. Then in the span of less than three minutes, Freedom shot six 3s and drained them all, exploding to a 22-5 lead midway through the opening period and rolling from there in a 94-53 victory. <\/p>\n
Freedom made 17 3s in all, tying a single-game program record set earlier this season. In the process, the Patriots also eclipsed the school mark for 3s in a season, 241, set by the 2012-13 team. <\/p>\n
Weve talked about our ability to hit shots from the perimeter and the fact that we have a number of guys who can do it, Freedom coach Casey Rogers said. Tonight, I thought we did a really good job for the most part of continuing to get them off good, solid decisions. <\/p>\n
(Concord is) athletic, dangerous. Theyre the best 10-15 team in the state coming in, I really felt like that. Im happy for us to get a win and get a chance to keep practicing. This time of year, you have to be smart on offense, defend in the halfcourt and rebound, and we did all three. <\/p>\n
Patriots senior point guard Niguel Moore got the 3-point fest started when he assisted sophomore Fletcher Abee in the corner for a 7-5 lead, the hosts first. Moore again found Abee in the halfcourt for a 3, then located sophomore Jakari Dula for a transition trey. <\/p>\n
Senior Alex Lineberger joined the act for a 16-5 lead, and Moores fifth straight assisted bucket went to Dula versus the zone at the top of the key. Abee took a heat-check 3 and found nothing but net, prompting a Spiders timeout. <\/p>\n
Lineberger was true once more to end the quarter with the Pats seventh 3 for a 31-11 advantage. Freedom drained two more shots from deep in the first two and a half minutes of the next period, giving them nine in 10:30 to start the contest as the margin grew to 42-15. <\/p>\n
The margin grew to 30 for the first time at 63-33 on Abees seventh and final 3 midway through the third period. Michael Logan also made a 3 late in the third in the record effort. Needing four in the final frame to tie the single-game FHS record, Dula, Lineberger (two) and Ben Tolbert made it happen. <\/p>\n
The point total was Freedoms second-highest of the season and the 41-point margin their largest of the season. It was the Pats first mercy-rule win since the NCHSAA added the rule three seasons ago, as the spread reached 40 on a Kelvis Dula free throw with 3:25 left. <\/p>\n
Abee led all scorers with 25 points, Lineberger finished with 20 and Dula chipped in with 17. Moore had a game-high nine assists, and junior Tobias Kanipe had nine points and 15 rebounds. <\/p>\n
(Tobias) does all the little things so well, Rogers added. We preach to do the little things uncommonly well. He epitomizes that. <\/p>\n
An eighth straight win moved Freedom to 17-0 this year at home, where theyll stay to face Midwest No. 8 Monroe Piedmont tonight at approximately 7:15 p.m. (after the girls game ends). <\/p>\n
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The rest is here: <\/p>\n
Freedom waxes Concord in 1st round thanks to long-range barrage - Morganton News Herald<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The Freedom boys basketball team rained 3-pointers from seemingly everywhere, and before Midwest No. 16 seed Concord knew it, a game that many thought could be a 3A first-round playoff war turned into a laugher Continue reading