(CHAMBERSBURG, Pa.) – Wilson won its sixth consecutive game and avenged another loss earlier in the season as it defeated Cairn 60-51 in a battle between the top two teams in the CSAC.
Darryl Garib (Sr., Dallas, Texas / Forest Park) led the Phoenix with 19 points while the defense prevented any Highlanders from scoring in double figures.
The win snapped a four-game win streak by Cairn and keeps Wilson in a tie for second place with Rosemont. Both teams are now just a game behind the Highlanders for first in the CSAC.
The Basics
Score: Wilson 60, Cairn 51
Venue: Gannett Field House
Records: Wilson 13-8, 7-3 CSAC; Cairn 13-8, 8-2 CSAC
How It Happened
- As expected between these two heavyweights, this game was close throughout the afternoon. Wilson had the upper hand first and jumped out to an 8-3 lead following a layup from Garib on the feed from Gary Robertson (Jr., Washington D.C. / Potomac). Cairn eventually pulled even at 10-all before Garib answered with the next six points – the first three coming on the old-school three-point play after he was fouled on a jumper after making a steal and the second on the traditional 3-pointer behind the arc with 10:26 left in the first half.
- The Highlanders eventually turned the tide of the momentum pool and took a 28-25 lead after a Matt Lucas triple with 2:18 to go in the frame. Antonio Bussey (Sr., Aiken, S.C. / Aiken / Claflin) tied the game up with a layup and a free throw before Cairn's Jesse Rivera hit a free throw in the final seconds to take a 29-28 lead into the halftime break.
- After teams exchanged blows offensively to start the second, Ibraheem Bundu (So., Largo, Md. / CCBC Dundalk) separated a 33-all tie on a jumper. Rick Godwin Jr. (Sr., Largo, Md. / Largo / Southern Maryland) followed with a 3-pointer and Robertson added a fast break layup to cap a 9-0 run. Marcus Stephens (Gr., Goldsboro, N.C. / C.D. Hylton / Virginia Wesleyan) got into the mix with a 3-pointer and a layup before another Robertson layup put the Phoenix up 47-37 with 11:11 to play. It was their largest lead of the game.
- Cairn didn't give up, however, and closed the deficit to make it a two-possession game for the majority of the last eight minutes of the game. The Highlanders closed the gap to four multiple times, the last being after a Kameron Clark layup with under a minute to play, but Godwin answered on the opposite side with a deep three from the top of the key. That made the score 58-51 with 26 second to go and Jordan Miles (Sr., Waldorf, Md. / Westlake) put the finishing touches on the score with a couple of free throws.
Inside The Numbers
- Garib put up solid numbers once again as he led all players with 19 points. It's the fifth consecutive game he's scored at least 19 points.
- He was solid on the glass as well as he provided six rebounds. Four of them were on the offensive end where Wilson made the most of them by converting all of them into eight second chance points. The Phoenix led the Highlanders 16-5 in second chance points.
- Godwin and Stephens joined him in double figures with 10 points each. Both of them hit a pair of 3-pointers.
- Bussey was a force underneath once again as he led the battle on the glass with 12 rebounds. It's the sixth time this season he's reached double figures in rebounds.
- Robertson chipped in eight points and added five assists to lead the team.
- Wilson led the rebounding battle 39-32.
- Lucas and Rivera led the Highlanders with nine points each. Derian Bradford, who scored 20 points in the previous meeting between the two teams, was limited to eight today.
Up Next
A trip to Phoenixville is on tap for Wilson for its next contest. That will come on Wednesday as the Phoenix get set for their second meeting with Valley Forge. Tip-off with the Patriots is set for 7 p.m.
