Quick Take: West Charlotte 81, Smith 66 | HSXtra | Greensboro High School Sports | greensboro.com – Greensboro News & Record

No. 5 seed Smith’s basketball season ends with an 81-66 loss to No. 8 West Charlotte in a NCHSAA Class 3-A West boys regional semifinal.

What

NCHSAA Class 3-A West Regional boys basketball semifinal

Where

Bob McAdoo Gymnasium, Greensboro

Why the Golden Eagles lost

Smith’s first four possessions ended in turnovers without getting off a shot. That allowed West Charlotte to lead 10-0, and it didn’t get much better from there. The Lions were up 22-5 with 2:25 left in the first quarter and never led by less than seven points the rest of the way.

For much of the first half coach Derrick Partee’s Golden Eagles floated passes that led to interceptions and run-outs and were unable to beat West Charlotte defenders off the dribble. Every loose ball seemed to end up in the Lions’ hands.

“We were really timid as a team,” Partee said.

Down 41-29, Smith went to a half-court zone to open the second half and cut the deficit to seven. “We had to try something different because everything was too easy for them,” Partee said.

West Charlotte adjusted, though and coach Jacoby Davis’ Lions went on a 9-0 regain control of the game.

“Coach Partee does a good job with his group, and we expected to see that from the first time,” Davis said of the zone. “I reminded our kids that the first game was going back and forth until about four minutes to go in the fourth quarter.”

Smith cut the deficit to 10 early in the fourth quarter, but missed six of seven free throws in the final five minutes while West Charlotte went 6-for-7.

“Those are the things,” Partee said. “If you want to be a championship team you have to make free throws and not turn the ball over.”

Three things we learned

1. Richard Goods was very good. Smith’s 6-7 sophomore forward scored 24 points and was dominant at times inside against the smaller Lions. “He could’ve had 40, but we couldn’t get the ball across half-court without turning it over,” Partee said. “We didn’t do a good job of getting him the ball.”

2. Smith did some good things this season. The Golden Eagles lost to West Charlotte during the regular season (55-33) and the playoffs, but they won the Mid-State 3-A Conference regular-season and tournament titles and beat rival Dudley four times on the way to the regional semifinals. That’s a very good year for a lot of programs.

3. West Charlotte is crossing its fingers about Alius Bowser. The 6-4 junior wing had eight points when he left the game after suffering a right high ankle sprain with 1:46 left in the first half. The Lions hope to have him back Saturday for the regional final.

What they said

“When it’s all said and done you’re super upset tonight, but when you sit back and look at it, maybe in 10 years they look back and say, ‘We were really good that year.’ Sometimes it takes that long to realize it.” — Derrick Partee, Smith coach

“We’re a really good team defensively. Our goal starting back in 2019 was to be the best defensive team in the state. If you’re there, you have a chance to be in states.” — Jacoby Davis, West Charlotte coach

Next up

West Charlotte: vs. No. 2 seed Central Cabarrus (30-0), site TBA, Saturday for the regional championship

Box score

West Charlotte              25  16  17  23   —   81

Smith                             13  16  16  21   —   66

West Charlotte (20-9) — Chancellor Morrow 23, Landon King 17, Josh Mahatta 11, Chadlyn Traylor 10, Ollie Alford 8, Alius Bowser 8, Darion Rivers 2, Mari Day 2.

Smith (25-6) — Richard Goods 24, Markquan Gilbert 14, Gage Lattimore 12, NayShaun Hale 11, Braylon Collins 2, Nick Aikens 2, Xavier Partee 2.

Contact Joe Sirera at 336-373-7034, and follow @JoeSireraSports on Twitter.