02-19-11
BY JACK BULLOCK
NEOGA – Quickness is a trait that can't be taught or simulated. But it is also a great attribute to have.

The Egyptian Pharaohs are a very quick team. The Neoga Indians found that out on Saturday.

Making a 340-mile round trip journey up north to Neoga – the Pharaohs proved that this was no pleasure cruise.

Coach Matt Mandrell's team was all business in the impromptu game and the result was a resounding 75-52 win on the road.

With both teams losing snowed out games this season – the two clubs matched up on Saturday evening in a varsity only contest that started at 5 pm.

But this matchup proved to be no contest as Egyptian rolled out to an early lead and never looked back in improving to 21-6 on the season.

“We can't simulate their size or their quickness in practice and when you can't do that it is hard to go up against that,” said Neoga head coach Jason Hanson about Egyptian. “We don't play many teams that are that quick. Having said that I thought that we got some good looks in the first half but we didn't knock them down. We missed six or seven lay ups in the first half. You have to be able to make those. Against a good team like Egyptian you can't afford to miss those shots.”

Egyptian proved to be way too quick and physical for the home standing Indians as Coach Jason Hanson's club dropped to 15-12 overall heading into its regional at home next week.

Meanwhile the Pharaohs are one of the hottest teams in the 1A South – having dispatched rival Goreville at home on Friday night to improve to 6-1 in the South Egyptian Conference.

“That (pressure defense and using our quickness) is how we have got to play and when we came in my hope was that we would get off to a good start tonight and give them trouble with our pressure. And luckily we did,” said Coach Mandrell. “I wasn't sure how we would respond to a two-and-a-half hour drive. But we came out and got a good start. Our quickness was the difference in the game.”

Forward Keyontae Woodson – a 6-foot-3 junior – topped the Pharaohs with 18-points while teammates Darmez Nelson and Marcus Marable added 16-points each while Jhermarien Terry tossed in 11.

Marable was a big part of a demoralizing rebounding effort by Egyptian. This 6-foot-1 junior forward muscled his way to 12-rebounds to go with his 16 markers.

Egyptian owned the glass to the tune of 39-25 and - despite 17 turnovers - they improved their overall stock heading into the postseason next week at the Goreville Class 1A Regional.

Pressuring Neoga by using its zone extended – the Pharaohs made it a miserable night for the hosts.

In the early going Neoga played well enough to keep the Pharaohs in sight.

Back-to-back scores by junior guard TJ Roy – including a 3-pointer from the left wing – gave the Indians its only lead of the game at 7-5 with 6:10 left in the opening quarter.

However Egyptian got rolling late in the stanza – finishing off the frame with a 10-0 run highlighted by what turned out to be the difference in the contest.

Marable, Woodson and Devaunte Price all scored after collecting rebounds and Terry made a steal and scored on a fast break lay in as Egyptian led 23-12 at the first horn.

The Pharaohs' quickness forced Neoga into 16-turnovers in the contest and five of those came in that opening eight minute span as Coach Mandrell's club made four steals in that stretch.

The 10-0 run that ended the first quarter turned into a 19-0 run early in the second quarter as Egyptian forced six more Neoga turnovers in the second quarter.

Nelson and Terry each scored in the early part of the run and reserve Steven Salzman got into the act with a 3-pointer from the left wing that gave Egyptian a 32-12 advantage with 5:25 left before the half.

“Again we are fortunate to have three good guards and we don't have to rely on one,” Coach Mandrell explained. “Jhermarien Terry is a good point guard and we have gotten a lot better as the year has gone on.”

Neoga made a couple of runs in the contest and one was in the middle part of the second quarter.

Senior Travis Cornell picked up a rebound bucket after grabbing a missed fast break lay up by Adam Probst and Coach Mandrell called timeout at 32-19.

The Pharaohs got a bit sloppy in the second quarter committing five turnovers in the period but put together another brief run to lead 40-24 at the break.

Price took a nice pass from Marable for a score and a pair of free throws by Woodson closed the half with the Pharaohs up by 16.

Six-consecutive points by Egyptian in the mid point of the third quarter gave them a 51-30 lead.

A moment late in the third quarter defined this dominating offensive rebounding performance by Egyptian.

In the waning seconds – Egyptian missed three consecutive shots but grabbed all three misfires.

“Even when we came up with a good defensive stop and got them to miss they got the offensive rebound and put it in,” added Coach Hanson. “We've got to do a better job of boxing out.”

The fourth time turned out to be the charm as 6-foot-4 senior Lawrence Lewis grabbed the rebound and stuck home a short bank shot to give the Pharaohs a 58-36 lead at the buzzer.

“Luckily we have three big men in there and all of them can move and are pretty athletic,” added Coach Mandrell. “They have some strength and that has been a key all season to control the boards and we have been fortunate all year. Because of our size and quickness we hurt them (Neoga).”

Neoga – to its credit – didn't fold up the tents and made an 8-2 run to cut the lead down to just 15-points with 4:42 left.

A conventional three-point play and a drive to the basket by Cornell got the score to 62-47.

But Egyptian woke up from its mini siesta to finish off the game with a resounding 11-0 scoring surge.

Nelson and Price each scored four points in the run and when Price scored on another fast break – the Pharaohs led 74-49 before the reserves got out the mops and buckets.

During that run – Neoga missed five consecutive shots.

“Their (Egyptian) quickness gave us a lot of problems and got them some easy lay ups,” added Coach Hanson. “They either got around us (on offensive rebounds) or they went over us. They are just bigger guys and can jump and get to those boards. We could not keep them out of the paint and that is something that we have to do a better job of.”

Coach Mandrell's team hit exactly half of its shots (30-of-60 overall) and were 3-of-7 from behind the 3-point arc.

Seventeen offensive rebounds would make any coach smile and this groups' effort on the glass was notable.

“I think we are playing really well right now and I was happy with today's performance,” finalized Coach Mandrell. “They (Neoga) play hard and they play a tough schedule and I didn't know what to expect today. But I think we are coming on at the right time. Our regional you could just pick a team out of a hat. It is anybody's regional.”

Neoga was a very average 18-of-44 from the field and were just 4-of-15 from downtown.

Cornell topped the Tribe with 15-points while teammates Roy and Dalton McFarland added 14 and 11.

“The reason we scheduled this game is because I knew that they were a good team and I knew that this would help us for the postseason,” added Coach Hanson. “We learned some things that we have to do better.”

Egyptian (75) – Shaw 0 0 1-2 1, Santamaria 0 0 0-0 0, Terry 4 1 0-0 11, Nelson 5 1 3-4 16, Price 4 0 0-0 8, Salzman 0 1 0-0 3, Prewitt 0 0 0-0 0, Woodson 7 0 4-4 18, Marable 6 0 4-4 16, Lewis 1 0 0-2 2.
2FG-27, 3FG-3, FT-12-16, PF-10.
Neoga (52) – Pikowski 2 1 0-0 7, Cornell 7 0 1-1 15, Smyser 0 0 0-0 0, McFarland 5 0 1-1 11, Roy 4 2 0-0 14, Cole 0 0 0-0 0, Probst 0 0 2-2 2, Roberts 0 0 0-0 0, McKimmy 0 1 0-0 3, Walk 0 0 0-0 0, Ludwig 0 0 0-0 0.
2FG-18, 3FG-4, FT-4-4, PF-12.
Fouled Out - None.
Technical Fouls – None.