Season Finale Provides Excitement

   In Friday night's Mid-State 2-A Conference season-finale games between Graham and Cummings, one could assume the sense of a heavy-weight prize fight, going three rounds, or of the popular TV Series "Survivor", even though no conference championship was depending on the outcomes. Blow after blow was thrown, and the capacity crowd was emotionally involved until the final horn of the final game sounded. No game was determined until late in the 4^th quarter, as the final margin of victory in all three games was 17 total points.

   The Cummings JV boys outlasted Graham's JV boys 58-52, Graham's varsity Girls outwitted Cumming's Varsity girls 48-41, and the Cummings varsity boys outplayed Graham's Varsity boys 71-67.
 

   In the evening's opening game, the Cumming's JV boys built up multiple double digit leads, only to see Graham's JV boys respond with a run of their own to claw and scratch their way back to within one or two points. Each Cummings run took more out of the Red Devils, as the final Cavalier run proved too much for the Red Devils to overcome. Cummings delivered the final blow late in the fourth quarter to win 58-52.

   With the Devil's Den filled to capacity and the Graham Crazies rocking to the music "Jump Around", Graham's Varsity girls set out on a quest to win the conference title outright, even though a loss the previous night by the Cavaliers at Northwood had assured Graham the title. Coach Ward said "We preserved. These girls didn't want to back into first place. They wanted to show that if (Friday night's game) was for the championship they'd have won it anyway."

   Senior Courdne Miles was honored in pre-game festivities by being named Graham's 12 member of the elite 1000-point club. She joined fellow Senior Beth Miller, who earlier in the year broke 1000 points. Miller is now 4 points away passing Essence Chambers for 3^rd place, and 30 points behind Ivey Ghee for 2^nd place.

   The Red Devils (21-3, 17-1) were focused from the start, jumping out to a 12-7 1^st quarter lead and led 21-17 at the half. Both teams fought tooth and nail on every possession. Cummings (16-6, 14-4) managed to catch the Red Devils with 2:47 remaining in the 3^rd quarter as they took a 28-27 lead. The Cavaliers stretched their lead to 4 points with 1:05 remaining in the 3^rd. A free throw by Beth Miller and a 3-point shot by Kiki Allen brought Graham back into a tie as time ran out in the quarter.

   There were 5 lead changes and one tie until 4:25 remaining in the 4^th quarter, when Graham's Courdne Miles converted a basket off of a feed from Beth Miller. The Red Devils then turned up their defensive intensity, and stole the ball on 4 consecutive Cavalier possessions (Courdne Miles, 4:25; Kaila Lea, 2:50; Beth Miller, 2:40, and Roc Watson, 1:40), converting 3 for baskets, to take a commanding 7 point lead with 1:40 remaining in the game.

   In the final 4:25, the Red Devils outscored the Cavaliers 12-4. Graham held Cummings to one 4^th quarter basket.

   On Senior night, Courdne Miles led Graham with 16 points, 13 rebounds, 8 steals, and 4 blocks. Fellow Senior Beth Miller added 9 points and 5 assists. Freshman Caroline Enoch continued her strong inside play with 8 points, 11 rebounds, and 2 blocks. Shelby Hall added 6 rebounds.

   Shea Mebane of the Cavaliers led all scorers with 19 points, while teammate Nakia Johnson added 11.

     Graham, the #1 seed, will host Raleigh Charter, the #8 seed, Tuesday evening in the 1st round of the Mid-State 2-A Conference Tournament.

   The nightcap proved to be the evening's premier event. Like a prize fight, each team traded blows, and neither team backed down. There were 11 ties and 6 lead changes during the contest. The Cavaliers managed to get some uppercuts in late in the game, fueled by Wake Forest recruit JT Terrell, who excited the crowd with several show-stopping, 2^nd half dunks. Terrell scorched the nets in the 2^nd half for 20 of his game-high 26 points.
 
   Cummings had already locked up first place in the conference earlier in the week. Graham was playing for a higher seed in the conference.
 

   Graham led 56-53 with 6 minutes remaining, when Cummings (18-6, 16-2) had a 10-0 run that provided the cushion the Cavaliers needed. The Red Devils (13-11, 11-7), didn't let the game end without putting some fight back into the event. With about 3 minutes remaining and some of the fans heading to the exits to beat the massive traffic jam on Trollingwood Road, Graham fought back by scoring 7 consecutive points. Graham pulled to within 3 on a basket by Marquise Richmond with 30 seconds left.
 

   With 14 seconds remaining, Graham elected to foul Cummings Quinton Morrow. Morrow missed the front end of a one-and-one, and the Red Devils secured one more chance to deliver a final blow. But shooting guard Michael Wooten misfired on a long 3 point attempt with 5 seconds remaining, and the Cavaliers weathered the last blow.

   Cumming's forte was their free throw shooting, as they converted 22 of their 34 attempts. Meanwhile, the free-throw shooting proved to be the Red Devil's Achilles Heel, as they only managed to connect on 14 of their 30 attempts.
 

   Neither team had much success from behind the arc, as Graham managed 1 of their 14 attempts, while Cummings only scored on 2 of their 9 attempts.

   For the Red Devils, the leading scorer was Marquise Richmond with 18 points. Richmond also snared 13 rebounds, added 2 assists, and had 2 blocks. Dominique Pass, added 10 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists. Geronki Coble had 10 points.

   For the Cavaliers, JT Terrell led all scorers with 26 points. Quinton Morrow added 16, while Kriss Crisp tossed in 13.
 

   With the loss, Graham fell to 5^th place in the league, meaning they will have to travel to Raleigh Monday in the opening round of the Mid-State 2-A Conference tournament to take on 4^th place Cardinal Gibbons, who have beaten the Red Devils twice this season.

 To view the Times-News article concerning this game, click HERE