Hoke Avenges Last Year's Loss

Hoke County got its revenge Friday, beating New Hanover's boys 72-63 in the Leon Brogden Holiday Basketball Tournament semifinals. The Bucks were still smarting after the 33-point beating they took against New Hanover last season in the 4A regional finals. And they showed their displeasure by breaking open the game in the third quarter. New Hanover kept the game close with strong play from Trevon Brown and Nigel Holley. But with the score tied at 39 in the third quarter, Hoke County broke loose. The Bucks reeled off a 19-2 run to close the third quarter and lead 58-41. "The defense was really key in just keeping the ball out of (Trevon Brown's) hands," Patterson said. Brown led New Hanover with 18 points, but wasn't able to stifle Hoke County's offense. The Bucks had five players in double figures. Tarique Thompson kept the Bucks in front, pouring in 23 points to lead all scorers, and Hoke County led by as many as 18 with three minutes to play. Thompson only had two points in the second quarter as New Han-over came back. "(Brown) is a great defender, and he was on him, but Tarique took himself out of the game," Patterson said. "He was trying to get the other players involved." Patterson said he noticed an uptick in intensity from his players given the previous meeting's outcome, but said he tried to downplay the significance of the two teams' history. "I think they did," Patterson said. "But I had to remind them that the last game was in the Eastern regional finals, and to play hard and to use this as a steppingstone to get to the next step of where they wanted to go."

BROGDEN TOURNAMENT GLANCE Friday's Results Boys Hoke Co. 73, New Hanover 62 North Myrtle Beach 51, Laney 47 Ashley 54, Frederick Douglass 42 Hoggard 48, Ashbrook 46 Girls Laney 50, New Hanover 38 Havelock 41, Conway 39 Ashley 49, Hoggard 36 Socastee 47, Ravenscroft 41
Saturday's game (TC-Trask Coliseum, HH-Hanover Hall) Boys Laney vs. Frederick Douglass, 2:30 p.m., HH New Hanover vs. Ashbrook, 4:30 p.m. TC North Myrtle Beach vs. Ashley, 5:30 p.m., HH Championship: Hoke vs. Hoggard, 7:30 p.m., TC Girls Conway vs. Ravenscroft, 4 p.m., HH Havelock vs. Socastee, 7 p.m., HH New Hanover vs. Hoggard, 3 p.m., TC Championship: Laney vs. Ashley, 6 p.m., TC