Sports
Parkview Girls, Berkmar Boys Reach 8-AAAAA Final
Both teams use defense in semifinal victories.
Berkmar’s boys are riding their defense into today’s Region 8-AAAAA basketball finals.
The Patriots (19-7) held Central Gwinnett to 12 first-half points en route to a 52-41 win over the Black Knights (16-9) Friday night in the region semifinals at Parkview High School. Berkmar, which has won five straight games, will play either Archer tonight at 7:30 for the region championship.
Berkmar led 10-5 after the first quarter and 23-12 at halftime. The Patriots used a 7-0 run to end the half, including Brandon Thompson’s rebound basket at the buzzer.
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Berkmar then built the lead to 19 points in the second half. Central could get no closer than 11.
Thompson led the Patriots with 15 points. Tim Rowe and Yonel Brown added 11 each. Senior Ivan Harden contributed eight points, including a big steal and layup in the fourth period to stop a Central rally.
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Central was led by Eman Westmoreland’s 10 points.
"We had some guys step up and make some unbelievably good shots," said Berkmar head coach Greg Phillips. "We just have to do a better job of finishing games, hitting free throws, taking care of the basketball. As we get to the state tournament every game is going to be a tough one."
Phillips drew up a big alley-oop play with less than a minute to go in the first half and felt that was a big momentum swing going into halftime break. "That's what we pride ourselves on — defense and making plays," Phillips said.
Parkview’s girls also advanced to the region final, scoring the first 13 points of the second half to break away for a 65-27 victory over Berkmar. Parkview (22-4) held Berkmar to eight second-half points.
The Lady Panthers started with a 9-0 run to open the game before Berkmar took a brief lead in the second period on a Teanna Robinson basket that gave the Lady Patriots a 17-15 lead with 4:01 left in the half.
Parkview went on a 24-6 run in the third period, highlighted by nine points by Katie Carroll, who finished with a game-high 22 points. Carroll scored 17 in the second half. Erika Joseph had 19 points, 13 of those coming after halftime.
Parkview, which will play Brookwood in tonight’s region final at 6, led by as many as 40 points. Kenisha Watkins had nine points to lead Berkmar (18-9), which will play South Gwinnett today at 3 p.m. in the third-place game.
