Top-ranked Keenan dominant in blowout win over Mid-Carolina
Keenan coach Zach Norris picked the right time to unleash his team’s full-court press on the opposition.
The Raiders’ full-court pressure set the tone early in Friday’s Class 3A playoff matchup against Mid-Carolina. Keenan’s pressure defense played a big part as it began the game with a 26-0 run on its way to a 76-33 win over of the Rebels in the second round of the playoffs.
Keenan will host defending state champion Southside on Tuesday with the winner advancing to the 3A Upper State championship in Greenville on Feb. 23.
“We have been saving it for the playoffs,” Norris said of the team’s full-court press. We have been working on it and working on it. We would show it now and then. But tonight, we stayed with it. We were focused, let’s hope we can maintain that focus for three more games.”
The Raiders’ suffocating pressure defense gives them another wrinkle to an already-potent attack. Keenan’s dominating performance reiterates why many think they are the team to beat in Class 3A. Keenan has been No. 1 all season with its lone loss coming to Dorman, the top-ranked team in Class 5A and two-time defending state champion.
“It started off practice this week. It seemed like everyone had their heads into the zone,” senior Asanti Price. “Everyone is on the same page and just stepped it up. After our last game (against Liberty), we felt like we should have won by more and we had to make a statement tonight. … We can beat anyone as long as we play together.”
Keenan held the Rebels without a basket for the first six minutes of the game and led 29-3 after the first quarter in recording another blowout win. The Raiders have won their last six games by an average of 31.5 points and held the Rebels to a season-low point total.
Keenan also did a good job of distributing the ball on offense as four of the five starters scored in double figures. Class 3A Player of the Year Raekwon Horton led the way with 19 points. Asanti Price had 17 followed by Dillon Jones (14) and Q’Dardrius Sanders (10).
“There are enough of points to go around,” Horton said. “The better we play on defense the more people that can score.”
Darian Bookman scored nine points to lead Mid-Carolina. The Rebels finished second in Region 3-3A and won a school-record 17 games.
MC: Bowers 4, Brooks 8, D. Bookman 9, Schumpert 4, Dewalt 2, Boyd 4, Boland 2. K: Raekwon Horton 19, Asanti Price 17, Dillon Jones 14, Q’Dardrius Sanders 10, Desant 2, Taylor 3, Morris 2, J. Sanders 2, Williams 3, A. Jones 3.
This story was originally published February 15, 2019 at 10:40 PM.
