Eagles First Half Run Sinks St. Clair
Sullivan used an extended first half run to overcome a slow start and knock off St. Clair on Tuesday in the first round of the FCNB Bank-It Tournament.
From late in the first quarter to early in the second, the Eagles outscored St. Clair 19-2 and ran away with a 58-51 victory to advance to Thursday’s semifinal against Farmington.
Jordan Woodcock led Sullivan with 18 points, while Owen Farrell poured in 15.
Kolton Keen added 11 points.
It was a completely different lineup than the one that last took the court nine months ago in quarterfinals at Waynesville. Woodcock, Farrell and Keen last season scored a combined seven points.
The Eagles were a 3-point shooting dynamo last season, but against St. Clair, they struggled from deep. Sullivan was just 4-for-20 beyond the arc.
However, they shot 65 percent on two-point shots. Woodcock and Keen combined to go 8-for-10 as they worked the paint.
Josh Wiese added six points, Noah Stegeman had four, Logan Kilburn scored three and Dallas Blankenship added one.
Jacob Hatcher pulled in nine rebounds, including four on the offensive glass.
Sullivan took care of the ball, turning it over just nine times.
They fell behind 13-8 with two minutes left in the first period, but ended on an 8-0 run. Farrell scored with time running out to give the Eagles a 16-13 lead.
With 4:50 left in the half, Woodcock drained his second 3-pointer to open up a 24-15 lead.
Farrell later knocked down a second chance 3 that gave the Eagles a 27-15 lead.
St. Clair would crawl back to within seven on a 3-pointer by Drayton Turner and a fast break layup by Justin Hoffman, making it 32-25.
Sullivan restored a double-digit lead on a backdoor cut by Farrell and a long jumper by Wiese at the buzzer. He was fouled on the play to get the unconventional three-point play. The Eagles led 37-25 at the break.
St. Clair would outscore the Eagles 16-10 in the third quarter and briefly cut Sullivan’s lead to 41-39. With two quick baskets to start the fourth, the Eagles pulled away.