In need of a win to earn a fourth game in the Lake City Classic, Millbrook knocked off Georgia’s third-ranked 4-A team, Cartersville, 70-63.
Adrian Scarborough grabbed 13 rebounds, and set a career-high in points for the second time in his last three games. His 19 points, paired with 15 from Jabari Brown, and 11 from Collin Lewis helped guide the Wildcats to victory.
The Hurricanes came out with a hot hand.
Furman recruit, Jaylon Pugh scored the team’s first 11 points as Cartersville held a 17-13 lead in the final seconds of the first quarter.
With 0.7 seconds left on the first quarter clock, Bradley Barnes let a half court heave fly, and it banked-in as time expired to get Millbrook within one after one.
“Defense was our strength tonight” noted head coach Christopher Davis, “I thought many of our guys, especially Jabari (Brown) brought the most energy and defensive effort that I have ever seen them bring”.
Brown scored five in the second frame, including hitting one of his two three-point baskets. Scarborough added five of his own, and after a Collin Lewis three, the Wildcats had its largest lead of the game 31-16.
Millbrook would hold the Hurricanes to only nine second quarter points as it took a 33-26 lead into the halftime break.
Scarborough kept the Wildcat intensity up in the third quarter. Eight points fell for the senior including all four shots from the free throw line, and an alley-oop dunk with a defender in his face.
“Our seniors were excellent tonight. Having them contribute what they did (tonight) is something that we are going to need from them as conference play picks up” added Davis.
The Wildcats outscored Cartersville, 19-12 in the period to take a 52-38 lead into the final eight minutes.
Pugh would not go quietly through the night. Four of his nine three-point baskets fell in a 25-point Hurricane fourth quarter. TJ Horton added six in the fourth as Cartersville narrowed the gap to as little as four points.
Pugh led all scorers with 38 points, 18 in the fourth quarter alone.
Millbrook would hang on as it hit 13 free throws in the final stanza, seven from Brown.
“Tonight felt like a playoff game; being one of only eight teams to earn a fourth game in this tournament is really important to us” said Brown.
The Wildcats will play Alpharetta (GA) for seventh place in the 16-team tournament. Millbrook defeated the Raiders in 2012 for seventh place in the Upward Classic in Spartanburg, SC. Carlee Clemons lead the Wildcats past the Raiders with a 21 point performance that morning.