Shine rips six 3-pointers for WR boys victory at Northside

mbrown@sunmulti.com

Juvaun Shine sank six 3-pointers Saturday, and Nathan Curtis

played the role of ‘garbage man’ to the hilt for Warner Robins High Saturday

for a big Region 2-AAAAA sub-region victory against the Northside High Eagles.

In the third meeting of the 2012-13 season between the two

city rivals (the first two won by Northside), Shine scored 24 points and Curtis

21 to give the Demons the win 78-60 and third victory overall in the 2-AAAAA

sub-region. It was Northside’s first league loss after four straight wins and

second overall setback after the Eagles had taken nine in a row.

Warner Robins went on an 11-1 run in the second quarter that

put it ahead by double figures. Northside trailed by eight at halftime, but

never pulled closer than six for the entire second half.

The largest advantage the Eagles had all game was six

points, and that came midway through the first period.

Shine established that he would have a hot stroke when he

scored the Demons’ first five points from long range. Kyle Johnson of Northside

matched him with the only 3-pointer he would make Saturday; otherwise, the

Eagles didn’t find much production from outside shooting beyond the opening

period.

Forward Robert Davis, though, had a strong game inside with

16 points and two shot blocks in one possession that gave the large gathering

of fans its first chance to make noise. When Northside brought the basketball

to its end, Jarius Smith stood two steps behind the arc and connected for the

first 3 of his team-high 19 points.

Starting sophomore guard Darrin Clark stole a Demon inbound

to earn an assist to Davis. That came around two second-chance scores recorded

by Curtis. Clark, over a 2-3 zone, scored a 3-pointer, and Trey Dennis’ steal

and score increased Northside’s lead to six, 15-9.

Carlos Scott, always used by coach Jamaal Garman as a spark

off his bench, sank his first 3-pointer and came up with an instant steal. Josh

King was in position to put back Scott’s ensuing miss.

All of this work put the Demons ahead 16-15. Eagle senior

guard Rodney Levine used a high pick to dish the basketball to Justin Burnam in

a corner. Burnam faked out his defenders, launched a 3 and gave Northside the

lead 18-16 going into the second quarter.

Donovan Brown, displaying some of that ‘garbage’ production

himself, scored six second-quarter points for the Demons in his reserve

frontcourt role. Two of his field goals came early, one by recovering a block

made by Davis. Brown put back a miss from the foul line for 24-19 Warner

Robins.

By this point of the game the Demons took over with the 11-1

spurt. Jefferson Murray, a backup guard for Garman, took a turnover and fed

freshman Marquez Callaway for two. Scott and Callaway each had steals, and at

2:37 Shine sunk a 3 making it 29-19.

Inside the final minute of the half, Smith scored one of his

two-steps-from-the-arc treys. But the Eagle press couldn’t stop the Demons,

Callaway getting inside for a missed shot that Curtis followed in. Curtis was

in position for more second-chance scoring when his foul-line miss led to a

scramble all along the baseline.

Northside trailed 35-27 at the half. It was 37-31 on Davis’

power move inside as Burnam stole a ball Callaway had taken away. Leon Perry,

though, of Warner Robins got into the offensive rebounding act, scoring two and

dishing another outside for a Shine 3 (40-31).

Shine later recovered a shot blocked by Christian Kennedy

and assisted two for Perry. With Shine throwing in 3 more at 4:24, the Demons

had a 9-0 run for 46-31. At the two-minute mark, the guard connected one more

time (51-35).

Curtis was not afraid to take the basketball in against the

6-10 Kennedy. Shine also stepped inside the arc to shoot over the center.

Curtis scored two more from a turnover under his own goal, and the quarter

ended at 56-39 Demons.

Smith had five quick points to start the fourth. Shine

countered with a bullet-like feed to Stephone Raybon at 5:34. Shine later

lobbed the ball for a slam by Curtis at 3:10 (69-50).

HHJ News