Dominant performance sends New Hanover back to state championship game

Perhaps a challenging game in the second round of the NCHSAA 4A playoffs was exactly what top-seeded New Hanover needed. 

After surviving with a 62-52 overtime victory over No. 17 Heritage, veteran coach Kirk Angel had a talk his two senior leaders – Rodmik Allen and Zeus Batts. 

“This year has been all about getting back to this point,” Angel said Wednesday following the Wildcats’ dominant 83-55 win over Sanderson in the East final. “In the first two rounds, they were tense and I could feel it. I sat them down after the second round game and told them to relax, and that no matter what happens, their legacies were already cemented.” 

In the three games since, New Hanover (30-2) has won by 46, 20 and 28 points.

The contest against Sanderson (27-4) was one-sided from the opening whistle. An 11-0 run to start the game forced the Spartans to burn an early timeout. It didn’t stop the momentum, as the Wildcats hit 11 of their first 12 shots and led 24-9 after the first quarter. 

It was 41-24 at halftime thanks to 17 points from Kellum Brown. The junior finished with a career-high 26 by going 13 of 19 from the field. He is now averaging 16.6 in the playoffs. 

New Hanover shot an incredible 64 percent from the field (37 of 58) and held a 29-3 edge in fastbreak points. The Wildcats also had a massive advantage in points in the paint (64-12).  

Four other players joined Brown in double figures – Allen (14), Batts (12), Jazir Wright-McGhee (11) and CJ Kornegay (10). 

New Hanover is back in the state championship game for a second straight season and the 22nd time in school history. The program has 14 titles, with the last coming in 2012. 

“These guys do an unbelievable job of upholding the standard,” Angel said. “They play for the guys that put the jerseys on before they put it on. They were little guys running around Brogden Hall watching Kadeem Allen and Freddie Jackson. Now, they are doing the same for little ones coming up next.”

Saturday’s opponent is a familiar one. North Mecklenburg is back to try and defend its title. The Vikings defeated Chambers by a score of 64-56 earlier in the day. 

When the teams met a season ago on the same stage, North Mecklenburg prevailed by a score of 57-47 thanks to 23 points from now-Duke freshman Isaiah Evans. 

Evans was able to end his illustrious high school career by hoisting the trophy. Perhaps the same thing will happen for Allen and Batts on Saturday. 

“We want the rematch,” Allen said. “The stage is set, so we’re just going to try and come out on top.”