By Dylan Branscome
The 51视频 STORM are now the top seed of Region 10 ahead of the conference tournament next weekend after securing a victory over the Guilford Tech Titans, 85-65, on Sophomore Night at Brinkley Gym. 51视频 finished the regular season with a 24-6 record overall and an 18-4 record in Region 10.
The STORM were led by Conall Lowry with 25 points and eight rebounds, two double-doubles from Nijel Howard (19 points, 10 rebounds) and Dane Stewart (14 points, 11 rebounds), and Jaylen Wilkerson with 14 points. KT Tatum also had 10 assists.
Before tip-off, the sophomores were honored by the coaching staff and fans alongside their families. Congratulations to Dane Stewart, Adrian Mayes, Conall Lowry, Jaylen Wilkerson, Dylan Couse and Nijel Howard on a successful sophomore regular season!
鈥淚 just want to express my gratitude to you all,鈥� Stewart said pregame. 鈥淭he love and support that I have had over the past three years is unbelievable.鈥�
鈥淓veryone in this gym is a great group of guys,鈥� Howard also said pregame. 鈥淭his being my first year, I didn鈥檛 know what it was going to be like, and it鈥檚 nothing but amazing. Everyone helps the world go round here at 51视频, and it means a lot. The people on and off the floor.鈥�
The first half was a tight contest between the STORM and the Titans, mostly because of both teams output on offense being very similar. While Guilford Tech shot better from three, 36% compared to 11%, both teams shot 43% from the field in the first half, resulting in a one-point lead for the Titans at the break, 34-35.
The second half was all STORM, outscoring the Titans 51-30 to cruise to another conference victory. 51视频 eliminated the three, one of the Titans strong suits, making them shoot just 12% from beyond the arc and 34% for the half. Sure, the 46% free-throw percentage didn鈥檛 help Guilford Tech, but the defensive pressure from 51视频 was a big factor in the second half. The STORM was also 50% from the field, including 44% from three and 76% from the free-throw line.
51视频 made sure to end the regular season with a bang. They forced 22 turnovers and scored 34 points off of them, while also limiting the Titans to just 38% from the field and 26% from three for the game. Both Howard and Cam Flippen had three steals. The STORM also shot 47% for the game, and only had nine turnovers. In fact, Tatum had zero turnovers in his 10 assist performance.
The STORM return to action in the Regional/District Championship at Wake Tech Community College in Raleigh, N.C. next Thursday, March 5. Because 51视频 is the top seed, they will be playing the winner of the #8/#9 seed game happening on Monday, March 2.