Harrison Leads Gonzaga To Tourney Win

WASHINGTON, DC -- Host Gonzaga College High School held off Mervo Senior High School from Baltimore, MD, winning 71-64 in an opening round match at the 14th annual DC Classic at Gonzaga's Carmody Center. Junior Antwan Harrison had 22 points in the win; Mervo's Paul Frazier led all scorers with 25 points.

Harrison made a traditional three-point play to give Gonzaga a 13-10 margin with 2:39 remaining in the first quarter. The host team was able to keep the lead from then on but was unable to break away from Mervo (formal name is Mergenthaler Vocational Technical High School - easy to see why Mervo works).

A three-pointer by Lorenzo Miles stretched the margin to 23-15. The second quarter started with a Harrison layup, two of his 18 points in the first 16 minutes, to up the lead to 10 at 25-15. Frazier's strong drive to the hole brought the score down to 29-22. Gonzaga's 9-4 run resulted in the halftime score of 38-26.

Mervo brought the lead down to six at 50-44 in the early minutes of the fourth quarter on Antwan Williams' layup high off the glass. Stanley Hodge's turnaround jumper increased the Eagles' lead to 58-47 with 4:28 left. Sophomore Antwon Lawrence's pass to senior guard Joe Marshall tightened the game at 62-54. Hodge's free throw at 1:26 rebounded the margin to 65-54. Mervo came back as Lawrence also had a traditional three-point play which brought the score to 66-59. Mervo got it down to six at 68-62 but three of four free throws in the final half minute sealed the win.

"Normally we're quicker than our opponents," said Gonzaga Coach Dick Myers. "But not with Mervo, they played really well. And they were able to penetrate against our zone."

"Antwan [Harrison]'s 18 points in the first half gave us an edge. And he pulled down some really key rebounds," Myers added.

Senior Taureen Marshall added 12 points for the victors, with Hodge and Miles contributing 11 each. Mervo's junior Chester Frazier pounded in 14 points and Lawrence added 11.

Gonzaga will meet Georgetown Prep (MD) in the semifinals Friday at 6:45 pm at American University's Bender Arena. Mervo will take on West Forsyth (NC) in a consolation match at 3:15 pm.