For a third straight season, the Millbrook Men’s Basketball team will find themselves in the championship game of a holiday tournament. Faison Brock’s fourth consecutive double-double propelled the Wildcats (8-0, 3-0) to the 74-58 victory over Center Point (Birmingham, Alabama).
Brock opened the game a perfect 5-5 from the field, and with the help of two free throws, and a layup from John Burwell, Millbrook went on a 16-7 run in the opening four minutes of play. After head coach Scott McInnes made wholesale lineup changes, the Wildcats were able to inflate the score to 21-7. Monte’ Harris was able to pick up three of his 8 points by getting the hoop and harm in the lane, then sophomore, Adrian Scarborough scored his only two points on the night when he put back an offensive rebound. Scarborough also added five rebounds in the victory.
ZaMarea Davidson helped keep the Eagles in it early on with eight first half points. LeKarmeren DeRu was just a point behind Davidson with seven at break. Center Point managed to make it four point game toward the latter end of the first half but, Jordan Whitfield, Trejon Jacob, and Monte’ Harris would all cash in three pointers on assists from John Burwell; Millbrook led, 40-27 at halftime.
Burwell added six early points in the second half to blow the game out of proportion. He would finish with 14 points on the night, but the telling stat of how the senior guard performed was his 4 steals, and career high 8 assists, the final one coming on a lob to Jacob for two points. That basket got Trejon going as he stole passes on the next two Center Point possessions, and took them to the rack for a dunk, and a three point play that would extend the Millbrook lead to 24 points.
The Eagles failed to go quietly through the Myrtle Beach night as their point guard, Bryant Bernard led all scorers with 18 points, 15 coming in the second half of play. Center Point’s leading scorer entering the game, Darius Curry also added 8 points in the second half for a total of 14 before fouling out. It is the third consecutive game in which Millbrook was able to get the opposing team’s leading scorer to reach five fouls.
With every Center Point basket, there would be a Wildcat response. Whitfield drained two more from downtown for six of his 11 points in the game. Burwell pulled up a step in front of the three point line and sunk his final basket of the game, then Faison Brock came away with a steal and nifty move to the cup for the final two points of his night. Brock led Millbrook with 10 rebounds, and 7 steals to go with his 15 points. “I’ve starting attacking the basket early in the game more often” says Brock who registered a double-double for the fourth game in a row, “I’m starting to let the game come to me, and guys like John (Burwell) are looking to get the ball to me… it also doesn’t hurt to have other guys out there that are threats to score.”
Millbrook’s starting five combined for 62 of the team’s 74 points, the final four coming from Rashad George who scored 6, and Trejon Jacob who ended up leading the team with 16. Austin Cobb managed to close out the Wildcat offensive line with a jumper from the short corner with 1:54 left to play.
With the win, Millbrook will advance to the Shootout By The Sea championship game on Wednesday evening against AC Flora out of Columbia, South Carolina. The Falcons (11-1), who were victorious over Dorman High School on Tuesday have appeared in the last two 3A State Championships in South Carolina, winning it all two years back. The Wildcats will look to right several wrongs over the last few seasons as they lost in the Leon Brogden Championship (Wilmington) to East Carteret in 2013, and the HSOT Invite Championship to Broughton last season. Millbrook’s last holiday tournament championship came in 2009 when Tyre’ Washington’s buzzer beater topped Hoggard in the Brogden Championship. Tip-off on Wednesday night from Myrtle Beach will be at 7:30, admission is $7.