First Half
After a thriller in the girls' varsity game, the boys came out in front of a ruckus crowd in Gastonia as Kings Mountain took on Burns Monday night. Both teams looked to push the pace early in the first quarter, attacking as much as they could and getting downhill. Burns and Kings Mountain stayed aggressive, getting to the rim and really sharing the ball well as Burns took a 22-18 lead after the first quarter. The scoring slowed down tremendously for both in the second quarter but the pace/tempo stayed the same; shots just weren't falling for either team.
However, Kings Mountain used a late run towards halftime to push their lead to 11 points. Burns struggled to put the ball in the basket; some of that was due to Kings Mountain using their speed and speeding up Burns but also shots just not falling.
Halftime: Kings Mountain 35 ' Burns 24
Second Half
Kings Mountain continued to keep their double-digit lead for much of the second half.' Their ability to share the ball, play in the half-court set, or allow their defense to get their offense going was just too much in the end for Burns.' Burns though continued to attack and stay within striking distance until about the four-minute mark before Kings Mountain simply put it away.
Final: Kings Mountain 80 ' Burns 54
Stats:
Kings Mountain: Isaiah Tate 20 points/ Kobe Paysour 18 points/ Weston
Hughes 16 points
Burns: JQ Wells 12 points/ Ty Goodson 10 points
Standouts:
Kings Mountain
2022 Isaiah Tate: There is one thing that you will get with Tate and that he is NOT going to shy away from looking to score the ball. If he is open, he is going to let it fly. He started out missing a few outside shots but started to find his groove when he attacked, got out in transition, and stayed aggressive on both ends. Making those extra effort plays helped him rack up a few more buckets. But don't let that fool you as well, as he showed some great touch and vision on the floor as well.
2021 Kobe Paysour: Already a fantastic football player, he has the skills to play on the court as well. With a 6'4 frame and football frame, he excels when he is going north and south on the floor, as he can show off his craftiness in scoring but also underrated and tremendous vision. Fun young man to watch on the floor and a playmaker for this team.
2021 Weston Hughes: Tough guard that made multiple plays, mixed it up down low and finished strong. Loved his activity on both ends of the floor on his way to a solid double-figure performance.
Burns
2020 JQ Wells: This young man was absolutely everywhere for Burns on the night. With his long frame and versatility, he was tough to keep out but his motor was what stole the show. Staying aggressive every play, getting on the glass, and using his mobility and length to his advantage around the rim helped him secure a double-double on the road. Wells is a player that coaches love to coach and have, as they just make winning plays for their team.