Janus Shepherd, of the Doris Johnson Mystic Marlins, tries to block a shot by an Anatol Rodgers Timberwolves player in game one of the series.
The fourth seeded Anatol Rodgers Timberwolves made a statement with a wire-to-wire win in game one of the GSSSA basketball semi-finals.
Kirklyn Farrington scored 11 of his team high 15 points in the fourth quarter to help Anatol Rodgers withstand a late Doris Johnson Mystic Marlins fourth quarter surge. Tyrell Butler scored 13 while Kelson Riley, Jermain Mackey and K’Jay Nixon all scored six.
Joshua Burrows led the Mystic Marlins with 14 points, Janus Shepherd scored 12 and Jaythan Rolle finished with nine.
Butler scored the game’s first basket with a three-point play and Riley followed with a dunk on the next possession to set the tone early.
The Mystic Marlins were 0-5 from three-point range and struggled to score with just three field goals in the quarter. The T’Wolves’ lead reached double figures when Mackey scored back-to-back buckets to spark a 6-0 run. Anatol led 14-7 at the end of the first quarter after a late Butler fastbreak layup.
The run continued in the second when Paul Carridice got a dunk and Farrington finished a fastbreak for a 20-7 lead. Burrows got the Mystic Marlins back into the game with a pair of free throws then a floater. Shepherd followed with a pair of jumpers from the top of the key to pull within five (20-15).
Rodgers came out of the timeout with a Mackey layup to stop the run. Butler would again score the final basket late in the quarter to give the T’Wolves a 28-17 lead at the half.
Shepherd opened the third with a three and the Mystic Marlins began to spark a run, but the T’Wolves always had an answer. They responded with a run of their own and a Farrington layup pushed the lead back to 10 (32-22 and eventually 40-32 headed into the fourth).
Farrington’s fastbreak layup made the score 55-39 with just under four minutes left to play.
Malachi McCoy’s three-point play brought Doris Johnson within nine but they couldn’t get enough stops down the stretch to get back in the game.
Anatol Rodgers scored on four consecutive possessions to put the game away and take game one.
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