Freedom goes cold as Hickory runs away

GREENSBORO --

The Freedom boys basketball team had been known for its decisive scoring runs this year.

But Friday's 3A boys West Regional semifinal was decided mostly during a 24-5 outburst by Hickory that lifted the Red Tornadoes out of an early deficit and into a 27-12 lead by the beginning of the second quarter in a 81-63 victory.

The Tornadoes' ability to stay in front by double digits (they led 38-28 at halftime) despite center Gavin Huffman picking up his third foul at the 5:56 mark of the second quarter was paramount.

"That spurt right there at the end of the second quarter, we felt like if we could continually put pressure on them, we could do that," Hickory eighth-year coach Shawn Johnson said.

Freedom (26-3) cut the lead to 35-28 and had a 3-point shot just before half that could have trimmed the lead to four points, but got no closer.

"There were a couple of sequences like that," Freedom coach Casey Rogers said. "We had a chance to do something to get back in it, did not, and they did on the other end."

Hickory (27-3) scored the most points of any Freedom opponent this year, and things went no better on the offensive end, where Freedom was held below 70 points for just the second time in 14 games. The point total was the Patriots' lowest since December.

Freedom had lost its only two games by nine combined points.

Hickory shot 46 percent for the contest while limiting Freedom to a 21-for-65 performance (32 percent). Freedom was also just 17 for 40 from the free throw line.

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Freedom goes cold as Hickory runs away