Scotland freshman guard Dominique Green rises in the lane for a shot over a South View defender during Thursday's 63-50 win.
Scotland upped its record to 13-0, bringing the Scots three wins from a perfect season. With no playoff system in freshman hoops, a 16-0 regular season is as close as you can come to a championship.
The biggest threat to Scotland's quest for perfection is Lumberton, and the Pirates loom in a Monday evening matchup that will take place on 6:30 p.m. in the SHS gymnasium. Scotland beat Lumberton 67-62 back on Dec. 15; it was the team's only game this year that ended with a margin of single digits.
"We were up 15, they cut it to six, and they stayed with us the rest of the game," said SHS head coach Steve Hamilton of his team's first meeting with the Pirates. "It was tough for my guys to get a call there.
"There were players getting slammed to the floor, and we couldn't get no calls."
Hamilton said despite what he saw as unbalanced officiating at Lumberton, he expects a close game at home on Monday.
"Lumberton will give us a real good game," he said. "We've got to limit our turnovers, make free throws, run our press well and make our shots inside."
Isaiah Robinson made three 3-pointers and totaled a dozen of his game-high 21 points in the first quarter for Scotland against South View. Robinson had more points than the Tigers in the first period, which ended with SHS up 23-9. The Scots led 35-23 at the half.
South View scored the first four points and the last four points of the third quarter, but the Tigers were outscored 17-6 in between, and Scotland led comfortably, 52-37, going into the fourth period.
South View scored eight more unanswered points, capping a 12-0 run with a 3-pointer to cut Scotland's lead to 52-45 with 5:02 remaining. Tony McRae had a steal and pushed the ball to Robinson, who hit a jumper. A steal and lay-in by Robinson put the lead at 56-45 with 3:54 to go, and the Scots led by double digits the rest of the way.
Hamilton thinks that his team might be worn down at this point of the season. Many of the Scots' players are also involved in weight training and conditioning during the school day, and the ninth-grade team practices three times and averages two games per week.
"I think my guys came out a little bit nervous," said Hamilton. "I think we're tired too.
"During the school day, they do a lot of weight lifting, a lot of conditioning and a lot of running. I think it's starting to tell on them.
"They have young bodies, but they need rest too."
Scotland center Seyyan Moody had 14 points, Cody Bryant scored nine and Dominique Green added seven for the Scots.
Darian Jenkins led South View with a team-high 16 points, and Jeremy Matthews had 13 points for the Tigers.
Scotland hosts Lumberton Monday at 6:30.
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