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Second game of the night, South Meck and Independence battled it out in the Charlotte area to start the playoffs on the public-school side. Early on though, it was a struggle for both offenses, as they couldn’t find success in putting the ball through the basket for the first half of the first quarter. Even in a slow start, South Meck was able to get the early leg up with an 11-6 lead. They maintained that narrow lead throughout the second quarter, as Bishop Boswell got into the scoring column, all from the foul line, while Bryson Nesbit played strong and did a tremendous job in finishing at the rim with authority; freshman Sincere Rasul also played well. Independence was led by Jalen Hinton, who started to get going in the second but Indy still found themselves down 30-20 at halftime.
Second half, Independence started to pick up their intensity on the defensive end, create some turnovers and cut into the lead, making it a one or two-possession game. But South Meck answered late in the third quarter, especially with the play of Boswell who hit a big half-court shot at the buzzer to give the Sabres a 45-35 lead after three. Fourth quarter came along and South Meck continued to stay aggressive and get to the line, increasing their lead to 15+ points midway through. It seemed to be over by then, as South Meck enjoyed the road victory, defeating Independence 62-45.
South Meck: 11 – 19 – 15 – 17: 62
Independence: 6 – 19 – 15 – 10: 45
Stats:
South Meck:
Bishop Boswell 14 points
Joseph Ferrante 17 points
Bryson Nesbit 11 points
Independence:
Jalen Hinton 14 points
Landon King 6 points
Isaiah Thomas 6 points
Standouts:
2021 Bryson Nesbit (South Meck): Nesbit played really well and strong for his team, scoring well at the rim and with authority, showing off his athleticism and bounce, but also his solid footwork and impact on both ends of the floor. Extremely active on both sides of the ball in this one, making plays for himself and others.
2024 Bishop Boswell (South Meck): Boswell did a nice job in being assertive and putting the pressure on the defense, as he brings a tremendous frame and understanding of the game early on. He plays smart on the floor, doesn’t try to force anything and plays within the offense. Boswell also sees the floor really well and just has an understanding of how to manage the court.
2021 Joseph Ferrante (South Meck): Ferrante is still an unsigned senior and one that can help a team down the road. He moves really well without the ball, gets himself free and creates easy opportunities for himself. Love his hands around the basket and on the boards as well. Nice touch and a forward that can stretch the floor if needed.
2021 Jalen Hinton (Independence): The senior guard left it all out there on the floor. He plays with a ton of toughness and extremely hard each time. Though at 5’10, he has a nice bounce to his game, is quick out in transition, and excels in going north and south. Also, can be productive from the outside with the three-ball.