Published: 12:29 AM, Sat Dec 15, 2012
Pine Forest boys shut down South View for 43-39 win
Pine Forest's David May said he'd always thought of himself and his staff as being defensive-minded.
This year, he's taken coaching defense to another level.
"I've never preached defense the way I'm preaching it this year," May said. "We spend an hour and a half of our two-hour practices on defense."
That investment paid dividends Friday as the Trojans shut down the potent offense of visiting South View for a 43-39 win.
The Trojans (7-1, 1-0 Mid-South) held the Tigers (7-1, 0-1) to their lowest point total of the season, 30 points below their 70-point average.
May said part of the reason behind his team's focus on defense is because the Trojans lack the offensive power they had last year when they reached the NCHSAA 4-A Eastern Regional final.
No Trojan is averaging in double digits, but Pine Forest guard Terquan Foster notched a team-high 14 points Friday.
He was 7 of 8 from the foul line, including five free throws in the fourth quarter that helped preserve the Trojans' lead.
May said Foster earned a start Friday because of his strong defensive performance in recent games.
"Coach has told me that I've really been a threat on the defensive side in games, that I've been stepping up and shutting down the players that I've been guarding," Foster said.
Foster and the rest of the Trojan defense targeted Tigers' standout Rian Holland on Friday.
Holland, the top scorer in Cumberland County, managed a game-high 16 points, but that total is well off his average of 27.8 points per game.
The Trojan defense drew two offensive fouls from Holland, the second of which pushed his personal total to four and earn him a seat on the bench early in the third quarter.
Tigers coach Wendell Wise said sitting Holland cut into South View's offensive options.
"We had to go without our top scorer, and we couldn't get into a rhythm," Wise said. "It took away our aggressiveness when we got some charge calls."
Where the Tigers' offense cooled, the Trojans' defense poured on the pressure.
Pine Forest's tenacious defense garnered 12 steals, led by four by guard Travis McEachern. The team is averaging 11.4 steals per game.
Holland broke loose in the final quarter, when he scored nine of his points, but when the Tigers starting fouling to stop the clock, Foster was solid at the line to save the win.
Staff writer Jaclyn Shambaugh can be reached at 609-0651 or shambaughj@fayobserver.com.Pine Forest 43, South View 39
South View
9
9
9
12-39
Pine Forest
11
7
11
14-43
SOUTH VIEW- Booker 2, Rian Holland 16, Jewell 5, Vinson 2, Wiggins 4, Crockett 1, Patterson 9
PINE FOREST- Redden 8, McEachern 5, Brooks 3, Simpson 3, Ray 4, Terquan Foster 14, Jensen 6
Fouled out: SV - Booker, Wiggins
Technical fouls: None
3-point goals: SV - Holland 2, Jewell; PF - Redden, Brooks, Simpson, Foster
Records: South View 7-1, 0-1; Pine Forest 7-1, 1-0