Wardrops Shot Propels Worcester Past NMH
NEW YORK, N.Y. -- Wes Wardrop's pull-up banker with :14 remaining in regulation propelled Worcester Academy to an exciting 54-53 semifinal round victory over Northfield Mount Hermon on Friday night at the Boys' Club of New York 2001 Holiday Classic.
Wardrop (pictured right) picked a good time to hit his only shot of the game. He drove to the right of the basket, pulled up and released an eight foot banker that caressed the glass to give Worcester the slim lead.
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The Hoggers from Northfield had a chance to win it in the final seconds, but Worcester pressured NMH point guard Tim Forbes at the halfcourt stripe and forced a turnover.
Jarrett Jack extended and punched the ball out of Forbes' hands, and the ball bounced toward the backcourt as time expired to preserve the Worcester victory.
Wardrop's basket capped a furious Hilltopper comeback. Leading at the half, Worcester fell behind 42-36 after the third quarter.
The Hilltoppers rallied to grab a 49-48 lead with less than two minutes to play. Dallas Baker's tip-in gave NMH a one point edge, but Jack countered with an old fashioned three point play to give the Hilltoppers a 52-50 lead with 1:02 remaining.
Friedrich Ebede then hit one of two free throws for the Hoggers to slice the deficit to 52-51 with 51 seconds left. When the crafty Forbes (headed to Division II Bentley College) picked Jack and dished up court to the super athletic Baker for a dunk, NMH had assumed a one point lead with :35 to play.
That set the stage for Wardrop's heroics and Jack's payback by helping to force the critical game ending turnover.
After being bottled up for three quarters, Boston College bound power forward Craig Smith got loose for nine of his team high 13 points in the final quarter.
Jack, who signed in the fall with Georgia Tech, added 11 points, while Indiana signee Daryl Pegram tallied nine for the winners.
Ebede, a 6-5 small forward, paced the Hoggers with 18 points, while the ultra athletic Baker (who was offered a scholarship in football by Florida according to the NMH staff) poured in 15 points.
Worcester will meet Blair Academy in the championship tilt of the holiday classic's NBA East bracket on Saturday afternoon at 3 p.m.