The boys basketball team from North Mecklenburg, a top contender in the 4A West division, successfully progressed to the next round in an exciting away game against Mount Tabor. The Vikings entered as the 5th seed while the Spartans, playing at home, were the 4th seed.

Ultimately, Isaiah Evans, the 5-star commit to Duke basketball from North Mecklenburg, made crucial plays that resulted in a victory.

In the last moments of the game, the Vikings were ahead by three points against the Spartans. Evans made a crucial block on Mount Tabor’s top player Shamarius Peterkin, securing the win. Evans’ impressive arm span allowed him to block Peterkin’s attempt at a reverse layup.

Peterkin scored the most points in the game with 23. Evans had 21 points by the end of the night.

The player headed to Duke successfully made six shots from beyond the arc and also scored three points from free throws. Coach Andy Muse’s defensive strategy effectively limited Evans’ ability to drive to the basket. Evans only attempted one shot from inside the court in the entire game. However, when the team needed a boost on offense, Evans stepped up and made a shot from outside each time.

After the first quarter, Mount Tabor was in the lead with a score of 10-9. They maintained their lead with a score of 22-21 at the end of the first half.

Duane Lewis, coach of North Mecklenburg, attributed Muse’s strict coaching of Tabor’s offense and defense as the key factor in pushing the Vikings out of their usual routine.

The Spartans utilize a strategic and calculated offensive approach to lull their opponents into a state of drowsiness. On defense, the Spartans vary their tactics and execute the basics effectively, such as boxing out and securing rebounds.

In the third quarter, North Mecklenburg showed significant improvement in their offensive approach. They were able to secure two offensive rebounds, resulting in successful three-point shots by Evans.

At the conclusion of a more successful third quarter, the Vikings were ahead by a score of 34-32.

Lewis stated post-game that his team’s defensive efforts were greatly supported by every player. Zion Williams, a junior, provided valuable minutes as a substitute for the Vikings amidst some injury challenges.

With six minutes remaining in the game, Mount Tabor took back the lead thanks to a steal and dunk by Peterkin. Evans then responded with two successful free throws to tie the game at 5:52 left in the game.

With 5:52 remaining, Evans successfully completed two free throws, tying the score at 36. After that point, Mount Tabor was no longer in possession of the lead.

Afterwards, a penalty was called against Mount Tabor for crossing the backcourt, resulting in Evans scoring a three-pointer and taking a 43-40 lead with only a minute and thirty seconds remaining. On the following possession, Mount Tabor had a chance to score from the perimeter, but was unable to make the shot.

North Mecklenburg successfully drained enough time off the clock and made a few crucial free throws to maintain their lead.

Each team had only five players who scored. In the final score book for Tabor, Peterkin scored 23 points, Robinson scored 7 points, Blair scored 6 points, Shay scored 5 points, and Koonin scored 1 point. North Mecklenburg had Evans score 21 points, Traylor score 10 points, Pierce score 6 points, Young score 5 points, and Evans score 3 points in the scoring column.

Source: highschoolot.com