Gaffney holds off Vikings

Photo by LARRY HILLIARD Gaffney's Josh Corry tiies to block a shot by Spartanburg's Daquan Fuller during first-quarter action on Tuesday. Corry had 16 points to help lead the Indians to a 48-46 victory and a season sweep over over their rival. The Indians (10-2) open region play Friday against York. When the Gaffney Indians are rolling, they are creating chaos on defense and making the extra pass on offense.

Neither was happening much in the first half Tuesday against Spartanburg.

But that changed in the second half when the Indians forced several turnovers and began finding open shots against the Vikings' trapping defense to secure a hard-fought 48-46 victory and season sweep over their rivals.

"We made a little adjustment at halftime against their 1-3-1 halfcourt trap," Gaffney coach Mark Huff said. "I thought we did a much job against it in the second half. We were also able to get a couple of steals out of our press."

The indians led by as many as 11 points with two minutes to go but had to survive some shaky free throw shooting. Gaffney made just two of their 11 free throws during that stretch.

After Jeff Brown missed two free throws, Brad McCullough pulled the Vikings within 47- 44 with :17 remaining. Three seconds later, Chase Smith made one of two free throws to give the Indians a 48-44.

The Vikings used up most of the remaining seconds on the clock before McCullough's basket at the buzzer.

"We were just lucky we had a big enough lead," Huff said.

Brown had 19 points and Josh Corry added 16 to lead the Indians, who improve to 10-2.

Huff also praised his team's effort on the boards.

"The first time we played (Spartanburg) they got 15 offensive rebounds," he said. "We gave up a few but I thought we did a better job."

Both teams struggled to find an offensive rhythm in the first half. Daquan Fuller's layup put the Vikings on top 13-9 at the end of a lowscoring first quarter.

Brown's 3-point play gave the Indians a shortlived 19-18 lead before consecutive baskets by Fuller and Harpe sent the Vikings into halftime with a 23-19 lead - marking the first time this season the Indians trailed at halftime.

Early in the fourth quarter, the Vikings failed to score on seven straight trips down the court. Gaffney took advantage of the Vikings' woes to build a 39-31 lead. The Indians lead by as many as 11 points on Corry's 3-pointer but the game tightened considerably in the final two minutes when Gaffney began misfiring on the free throw line.

Michael Harpe had 12 points and McCullough contributed 11 for the Vikings.

Gaffney opens its region schedule Friday against visiting York.