Gaffney gets past Vikings
By LARRY HILLIARD Ledger Sports Editor larry@gaffneyledger.com

Ledger photo by LARRY HILLIARD Gaffney center Bubba Wright shoots over a Spartanburg defender during second-quarter action on Friday. Wright had 10 points in the Indians' win over the host Vikings.

This time, the Spartanburg Vikings couldn't hold off their rivals.

Jeff Brown scored 18 points and Jazz Palmer added 16 to help the Gaffney Indians rally from a 12-0 hole to beat Spartanburg, 81-76, Friday and snap a 3-game region losing streak.

The victory avenged a 10-point loss earlier this month. In that game, the Vikings raced to an 11-point first-quarter lead.

On Friday, the Indians (14-5, 5-4) got off to a start reminiscent of the first encounter, turning the ball over on five of their first seven possessions and falling behind 12-0.

Unlike the first meeting, however, the Indians stormed back to tie the game at 23 at the end of the first quarter. Reserve Johnny Woods was big during the spurt, quieting the Spartanburg crowd by hitting three 3s. Woods finished with 15 points.

"I know who will be our first player off the bench," Gaffney coach Mark Huff said. "I know (Johnny Woods) will be our supersub. We know he brings energy and he plays hard."

The Indians also did a better job this time on Spartanburg center Omar Sanders, who was held to only 15 points after scoring a game-high 27 points and 18 rebound in the first game.

"We wanted to crowd him around the 3-point line," Huff said. "We wanted to take that away from him."

Woods and Brown also did a good job of bothering Sanders when he got the ball near the basket.

Gaffney improves to 5-4 in the region and pulls within a half game of Spartanburg, who drops to 5-3.

Huff said the win re-energizes a team that appeared to be fading.

"The kids are really excited in the locker room," Huff said. "This was a team win. Coming after what we had to deal with, this is a tribute to our kids."

After Zycorrian Robinson, who scored a game-high 29 points, pulled the Vikings within 76-74 with 1:18 left to play, Spartanburg couldn't convert on two chances to tie the score.

Brown then made four straight free throws to extend the Indians' lead to 80-76 with :10 remaining.

"I just told the kids I was as proud as I could be," Huff said. "Now we have to carry this over to next week."

Bubba Wright added 10 points for the Indians, who travel to Boiling Springs on Tuesday.

In girls varsity action, the Lady Indians dropped to 4-5 in the region with an 83-53 loss at Spartanburg.

Keisha Leach had 18 points and Tierra Phillips added 15 for the Lady Indians.

Spartanburg outscored the Lady Indians 21-4 in the second quarter to break the game open. Tierra Young scored 21 points and grabbed 28 rebounds to pace the Lady Vikings.