Grimsley 80, WS Reagan 52
Reagan -- 10-12-11-19 -- 52 Grimsley -- 19-12-24-25 -- 80
Reagan (15-10) Jalil Rogers 18, Kaden McKoy 10, Corbin 4, KJ Ford 4, Phillips 4, Razzak 3, Ellison 3, Grier 2, Quarless 2, Leonard 2.
Grimsley (24-3) Wiggins 18, Wall 13, Elliott 13, Albright 12, Watlington 11, Taylor 6, Bumpas 6, Davis 1.
Grimsley opened with authority & cruised to an 80-52 win over visiting Reagan in the first round of the North Carolina 4A State Playoffs Tuesday night on Phil Weaver Court in Greensboro. The Whirlies, who won for the 24th time in 27 games this season, made eight of their first 11 field goals (including the first five) and established a lead that would grow throughout the game to it’s largest lead at the finish.
Five Grimsley starters scored in double figures, led by Zacch Wiggins’ 18 points. He was one of three Whirlies–ranked fourth in the 4A West standings entering the tournament– with six rebounds in the game as the winners out-rebounded Reagan by 12 as they moved through to the second round of the playoffs Thursday night on their home floor.
Reagan withstood the furious Grimsley start, closing the deficit to four (21-17) midway through the second quarter, paced by Jalil Rogers who had a game-high 18 points. But the Whirlies expanded their nine-point halftime lead exponentially at the start of the second half, scoring 23 of the next 26 points over the first six minutes of the third quarter to blow the game open (52-25).
The Raiders finish the 2021-22 campaign at 15-10, their first 15-win season since 2014. They return all but seniors Quinn Corbin and Jack Leonard off their 16-man roster and add in players off their 20-3 JV team. Grimsley continues it’s climb back to prominence under third-year coach Darren Corbett, who won for the 52nd time in 66 starts as the Whirlies’ Head coach.
Courtesy of WS Reagan assistant coach Bill Armour