Game Report on East Forsyth-Butler Boys Basketball:Eagles fall in Round Two of NCHSAA Playoffs

EAST FORSYTH - 5- 11-15-12 -- 43
BUTLER -       15-6- 13-17 -- 51

EAST FORSYTH (19-6) Shemar Watkins 14, Hairston 6, Mahaffey 5, Nichols 5, Hall 4, Samuels 3, Sparrow 2, Brintley 2, Jones 2.

BUTLER (24-5) DJ Little 20, Gerrale Gates 13, Raquan Brown 12, Gibson 4, McPhatter 2.

East Forsyth fought back from a 12-point early deficit but went cold down the stretch & dropped a 51-43 decision to Charlotte’s David W. Butler HS in the second round of the North Carolina 4A State Playoffs in Kernersville Thursday night.

The Bulldogs, who won 30 straight a year ago before losing on a last-second shot in the 4A semifinals, scored 15 of the game’s first 18 points over seven+ minutes before East managed it’s first FG of the game against the taller visitors. The Eagles chipped away at the early deficit throughout the second quarter in & used depth & defense to wear down Butler and take the lead (24-23) two minutes into the third quarter.

The game remained tight for the next seven minutes with East Forsyth tying the game at 41-41 with 3:10 left on a three-pointer by Shemar Watkins. The Eagles, who finished the year 19-7 after winning the Central Piedmont Conference championship, would not score again until a layup by Jimmy Nichols inside ten seconds, as shots rimmed out on three consecutive possessions while made eight of ten free throws down the stretch to seal the win.

The Bulldogs’ DJ Little led all scorers with 20 points, while Gerrale Gates scored 13 points & grabbed a game-high nine rebounds. Senior Watkins led East Forsyth in his final game with 14 points.

The win for Butler was its 24th against five losses, including three close defeats to second-ranked Charlotte Independence in league play. The Bulldogs advance to Saturday’s third round of the state playoffs with the win.