GIAA boys region tournament: Mount de Sales advances to semifinals, FPD loses at home

Mount de Sales had a pair of wins over Piedmont this season, winning by seven and by 20.

The third meeting combined a lot from the two different games into one, as the Cavaliers kept the Cougars at bay for a 68-61 win Tuesday night in the GIAA District 6-3A/4A tournament at FPD.

Mount de Sales, 15-10, now faces top seed Tattnall at 8 p.m. Thursday in the semifinal. Piedmont fell to 6-20 under first-year head coach and Stratford grad Christian Palmer.

What bore more resemblance to the Cavaliers’ 66-46 win Jan. 29 eventually looked a lot like the 59-52 win four days earlier.

Mount de Sales was cruising, taking a 22-10 lead after one and expanding it to 35-20 halftime, boosted by 13 points from Zavion DeShazier and 10 from Jackson Rowley.

“We took care of the ball in the first half,” Mount de Sales head coach Deion Taylor said.  “I emphasized to my guys about limiting turnovers and holding teams to one possession, being able to rebound after the first miss.

“I think we were able to do that exceptionally well tonight.”

Not much changed as the aggressive and quicker Cavs opened up a 53-35 lead after three.

Piedmont came into the game with the momentum of two straight wins after a close loss, and regained some of it in the fourth quarter. The Cougars were sharper on both ends and improbably got within 62-57 on two free throws by Corbett Crews with 2:21 left.

The Cougars were still within striking distance at 64-58 with 1:35 left, but DeShazier apparently got miffed at the rally and got two trips to the line — hitting 3 of 4 — and then Caleb Linder added another one, all while the Cougars came up empty and the lead returned to double figures.

Crews went off for 29 points, going 15 of 18 at the line, Piedmont getting 14 from Chase Taylor and 11 from Camden Moss.

Mount de Sales showed impressive balance, with 16-point nights from DeShazier, Rowley, and Alex Roseboro.

“I think we’re playing decent,” Taylor said. “Not our greatest. I don’t think we’re at our peak right now. There’s room for improvement. I think we’re going forward. We’re looking for some momentum going into our game Thursday against a tough opponent.”

John Milledge 57, FPD 36

The latest trip to FPD for John Milledge wasn’t much different from the first one.

That was a 56-30 win almost a month ago.

The 9-12 Trojans didn’t waste time taking control, charging out to a 23-7 lead after one with 10 points coming from Isaiah Johnson.

Both offenses slowed down in the second quarter, but the Trojans led 33-13 at the break. The official knockout punch came in a 21-11 third quarter with six Trojans scoring, with five each from Brayden Faulkner and Bryce McDaniel.

Johnson led John Milledge — which put eight in the scoring column — with 12 points, Jones Handberry turning in a game-high 17 points for FPD (5-20).

The Trojans now get No. 2 Stratford at 5 p.m. Thursday in the semifinals. Stratford won 57-47 and 53-38 in their meetings.