Today's area games

East Lincoln vs. Ashe County

By: JournalNow Staff | COMPILED BY MASON LINKER
Published: March 05, 2009

• Class; time, site: 2-A boys; 5:30, UNCG's Fleming Gym

• Records: East Lincoln 26-4 (12-1 Southern Piedmont 2-A/1-A); Ashe 25-3 (11-1 Mountain-Valley 2-A)

• Coaches: Neil Hodges (East Lincoln); Marc Payne (Ashe)

• Last regional appearances: East Lincoln 2008 (Lost to Shelby 76-48 in semis); Ashe County first appearance

• East Lincoln's top players: Keith Rendleman (6-6 P, 21.4 ppg, 9.6 rpg); Spenser Sydney (6-3 G, 13.2 ppg); Drew Spear (6-6 P, 9.3 ppg, 7.0 rpg)

• Ashe County's top players: Tommy Spagnolo (6-7 F, 16 ppg, 9 rpg); Daniel Waln (5-10 G, 14.3 ppg, 4 apg, 45% 3-pt FG); Tatum Lemly (6-0 G, 11 ppg)

• Of note: East Lincoln, in the regional for the second straight season, has won 21 straight, including 18 by dougle digits. Senior Keith Rendleman is a two-time Southern Piedmont 2-A/1-A player of the year. Ashe County has a senior-laden team led by G Daniel Waln and C Tommy Spagnolo. Waln has made 83 3-pointers, shoots 64-percent inside the arc and averages three steals. Spagnolo is a mobile big man who holds down the post.

Mount Tabor vs. Myers Park

• Class; time, site: 4-A boys; 8:30, UNCG's Fleming Gym

• Records: Mount Tabor 28-1 (10-0 Central Piedmont 4-A); Myers Park 24-6 (13-1 Southwestern 4-A)

• Coaches: Andy Muse (Mount Tabor); Rick Lewis (Myers Park)

• Last regional appearances: Mount Tabor (2008, lost 71-68 to Charlotte Vance); Myers Park (1990)

• Mount Tabor's top players: C.J. Harris (6-3 G, 23 ppg, 8 rpg, 7 apg); Josh Hicks (6-2 G, 17 ppg, 8 rpg); Mike Grace (6-0 G, 19 ppg, 8 apg); Alex Fagg (6-5 P, 10 ppg, 12 rpg)

• Myers Park's top players: Odell Turner (6-6 P, 17.4 ppg, 8.4 rpg); Quan Alexander (6-5 F, 14.9 ppg, 6.7 rpg); J.D. Ely (6-5 F, 11.9 ppg, 10.1 rpg)

• Of note: Mount Tabor's only loss was to Greensboro Page. The Spartans avenged it by beating the Pirates twice, including 64-58 in a sectional final, and have won 24 straight. Mount Tabor's strength is in its guards, all Division I signees -- C.J. Harris (Wake Forest), Josh Hicks (Old Dominion) and Mike Grace (Yale). Myers Park won its first sectional title in 19 years, defeating Morganton Freedom 78-65. Three of the Mustangs six losses were to unbeaten Huntersville Hopewell, by margins of 3, 3 and 4 points. Myers Park's post starters are 6-6, 6-5 and 6-5 and the shortest starter is 6-2.