Rock Hill held off a challenge from Vinton County Tuesday night winning 61-58 and advancing to the Division II finals against Portsmouth Saturday.

Wednesday, February 23, 2000

Rock Hill held off a challenge from Vinton County Tuesday night winning 61-58 and advancing to the Division II finals against Portsmouth Saturday.

"We didn’t play our best game but we got the win and that’s what counts," Redmen coach Rick Scarberry said. "We gave them too many chances. We’ll have to play better against Portsmouth, that’s for sure."

Brent McCoy led the Redmen with 22 points, Brian Tennant had 14 and David Schug 13.

The offensive show belonged to Vinton’s Josh Patterson. The junior forward lit things up the second half as he single-handedly brought the Vikings back from a double-figure deficit. His linescore for the night went: 37 points, eight rebounds, five assists, two steals, and two blocks.

"He was on fire and we were not stepping up to stop him," Scarberry said. "That was one good 3-17 team."

Patterson scored six of his points in the first quarter including a 5-footer that put the Vikings up 12-8 with 2:07 left in the first quarter.

Tennant also scored six points in the quarter four of which came in the last minute tying the game at 14-14.

Vinton then went cold, for the entire second quarter. Meanwhile, the Redmen were busy. Schug hit a pair of jumpers and Tennant and Tanner Heaberlin hit short shots upping the Redmen lead to 30-20 at the half.

After the Redmen had done all that work in the second quarter the Vikings undid it in less than three minutes tying the game 31-31. Patterson had 19 points during the quarter. He gave his team the lead on a layup and a 3-point play making it 38-34.

McCoy kept his team in striking distance hitting a 3-pointer and an 8-footer cutting the score to 41-38. He tied the game at the outset of the fourth quarter with another 3-pointer at 43-43.

Tennant put the Redmen up by a point with 4:06 left hitting a shot from 15 feet out but Patterson converted another 3-point play putting the Vikings up 53-51.

McCoy struck again from long range rattling home a 3-pointer and giving the Redmen the lead for good at 54-53 with 3:25 left.

Rock Hill hit 7-8 from the line over the last couple of minutes and 9-11 for the quarter.

"We hit our foul shots and clutched up at the end when we needed it. It’s time to buckle down. All games are tough this time of year," Scarberry said.

VINTON CO. – 17 3 23 15 – 58: Sean McManus 0 0 0-0 0, Jason Eberts 0 0 2-4 2, David DeAloia 0 0 0-0 0, Scott Long 1 0 0-2 2, Josh Patterson 9 4 7-8 37, Josiah Hauck 0 0 0-0 0, Garth Fri 3 0 1-2 7, Nathan Yates 0 0 0-0 0, Mike Eberts 3 1 1-4 10. Totals: 21-49 (5) 11-20 58. Rebounds: 24 (Josh Patterson 8). Blocks: 2. Steals: 6 (Josh Patterson 4). Turnovers: 20. Team fouls: 18. Fouled out: Garth Fri.

ROCK HILL – 16 14 10 21 – 61: Brent McCoy 5 2 6-8 22, David Large 0 0 0-0 0, Ryan Townsend 1 0 2-2 4, Brian Tennant 6 0 2-4 14, Brent Clagg 0 0 0-0 0, Nate Lambert 0 0 0-0 0, Tanner Heaberlin 3 0 2-2 8, David Schug 4 0 5-5 13. Totals: 21-45 (2) 17-22 61. Rebounds: 26 (Tanner Heaberlin 7, Brian Tennant 7). Blocks: 3 (Brian Tennant 3). Steals 6 (Ryan Townsend 2). Turnovers: 15. Team fouls: 16. Fouled out: none.