Sanderson survives late Enloe rally to win Cap 6 boys basketball tournament
Enloe entered Friday's Cap 6 Conference tournament championship game with the highest of stakes: win and make the state playoffs. A loss meant the season was over.
Sanderson had already clinched a playoff spot after a second-place finish in the conference during the regular season, but the Spartans were seeking something that has alluded them for a very long time — a conference title in boys basketball.
When the buzzer finally sounded at the end of the game, it was the Sanderson student section that rushed the court. The Spartans beat Enloe 55-52, ending the Eagles' season.
Enloe entered the conference tournament having won just six games during the regular season. An improbable run in the conference tournament included wins over Leesville Road and regular season conference champion Cardinal Gibbons. And Enloe had a chance at the end against Sanderson too.
With the Spartans ahead by two points with 4.1 seconds left, freshman Kendrick Pulley split a pair of free throws to give Sanderson a three-point lead. The rebound off the missed second shot came down to Enloe's Owen Pedersen, who passed ahead to Jamyr Coleman. At the buzzer, Coleman let off a shot from the volleyball line that hit the right side of the rim and bounced out.
Enloe was inches away from forcing overtime.
Puley was a key to securing the win for Sanderson in the fourth quarter. The Spartans entered the quarter with a 46-34 lead over Enloe, but the Eagles held Sanderson to just two field goals and nine points in the quarter. Pulley was 5-of-6 from the free throw line in the fourth quarter, he finished with nine points.
Sanderson trailed early in the game, as. Enloe led 16-15 through the first quarter, but Sanderson outscored the Eagles 16-6 in the second quarter to take a 31-22 lead into halftime. Sanderson added to that lead in the third quarter with a 15-12 advantage.
Nathan Fife led Sanderson in scoring with 18 points. Patrick Dalton added 12 points =, and Ben Ellison scored 10 points.
Enloe was led by Zarion Hobbs' 13 points and Pederseon's 11 points. Gift Moses added 10 points for the Eagles.
Sanderson will find out on Saturday who and where it will play in the first round of the N.C. High School Athletic Association 4A state playoffs. Brackets will be released on Saturday afternoon. The Spartans are now 18-8 overall and won the Cap 6 tournament title after ending the regular season with a two-point loss at Leesville Road.
In the latest HighSchoolOT Playoff Projections, Sanderson is projected to receive the No. 24 seed in the 4A East and travel to No. 9 New Bern in the first round.
Enloe's season will come to an end with Friday's loss. The Eagles finish the season with a record of 8-19, but they finished the season winning five of their last six games.
