RallyNorth.net

Fri, Feb 08, 2008 06:30 PM @ Rockport

Team	1	2	3	4	Final
Georgetown	14	11	25	16	66
Rockport	14	12	7	13	46

Rockport leads by one at half but falters in second half

Friday, February, 08 By Richard Slate
Staff writer

Playing against a quality opponent like Georgetown, the host Rockport boys basketball team knew it had to come out hard to stay in the game. The Vikings (2-14) did that in the first half as they led 26-25 at the break but they lost steam in the second half as the Royals (10-6) showed the skill of a team that clinched a tournament spot last night. Georgetown went home with a 66-46 win.

"They pressured us all night on defense but we picked it up in the first half," said Rockport head coach Tim St. Laurent. "We didn't handle it well in the third quarter and as a result we only scored seven points. We didn't run as many sets as we'd like to."

Rockport and Georgetown both scored 14 points while the Vikings had a slight edge in the second quarter (12-11). Junior forward Mike Akers (12 points) and senior guard Cory Emerson (8 points) were the standouts for Rockport. Emerson, the lone senior on Rockport was honored before the game as part of Senior Night.

The Royals found their stride in the third quarter, scoring 25 points and holding the Vikings to seven. Georgetown star freshman guard Jaymie Spears was held to two points in the first half but he contributed in other ways all night.

"Junior forward Chris Fritz-Grace shut him down in the first half but then he came out and made some shots in the second," noted St. Laurent. "He also found the open man. He's a player, he creates so much defensively just roaming and trapping. He has such quick hands, he was the difference maker on the defensive end, not the offensive end. His steals and deflections led to easy baskets for his team."

It was the second win of the season for Georgetown over Rockport. The Royals had beaten the Vikings, 56-40 in the season-opener. In the process of clinching the postseason berth, Georgetown also snapped a four-game losing streak.

Rockport stuck with it in the final frame but Georgetown held a 16-13 advantage. Despite the loss, St. Laurent is excited about the future for Rockport boys basketball.

"I couldn't have been prouder of the kids and the way they played in the first half," St. Laurent said. "If we play a certain way: don't rush and run our sets though, we have the ability to be successful."