Wakefield boys basketball
Wakefield junior Xavier Saddler-Mee (24) slips to the basket for two points during the Wolverines' 68-43 victory over Knightdale Monday, Nov. 23.
Wakefield knocks off Knightdale
Wolverines' 8-0 run to close first quarter leads to victory
Although early foul trouble forced starter Maurice Nash — who dropped 30 points in the Wolverines' previous contest — off the floor in the first quarter of Monday's game at Knightdale, the Wakefield boys basketball team didn't lack for firepower.
With Nigel King subbing in Nash's place, the junior torched the Knights' defense for 10 first-quarter points, including back-to-back treys in the final minute of the period, igniting a 8-0 Wakefield run.
After taking a 24-12 lead in the first, the Wolverines never looked back, thumping Knightdale 68-43, and improving its early-season record to 3-0.
For Wakefield head coach Pat Kennedy, King's performance — he finished with 12 points — kick-started a team-wide effort.
In fact, the Wolverines had five players score eight or more points.
"Maurice picked up three quick fouls, and Nigel just stepped right in and just gave us a lift right away," the coach said. "But we all know Nigel can score, what I like is that Nigel is playing some defense. He was guarding some pretty good guards, who can shoot it, and they couldn't get it over him."
Keith Armstrong came up big on the glass, pulling down 14 rebounds and 11 points in the victory.
Click here for highlights from the Wakefield/Knightdale contest.
It is the senior's third straight double-double to start the season, though Kennedy believes the post player is just scratching his talent.
The 6-foot-5 post player is a force inside, but the Wakefield coach wants him to harness his play just a little, explaining he moves too quickly on offense.
"He would be scoring in the 20s if he just slowed down a little bit," Kennedy said, pointing out Armstrong missed a handful of close looks Monday.
Kennedy explains this is the first time Armstrong has been called upon to be his team's main post presence, and it's a transition he is just beginning to make.
"All the teams he's been on, he's never been the go-to post. And he is our go-to post," the coach reasoned. "He's so used to having to rebound, and working hard to get his points.
"But he just needs to learn that he is so strong, slow down a little bit, he will finish. I know he will make a change."
Point guard Dominique McDonald helped set the first-quarter tone, dropping in eight of his 12 points in the opening session.
When it was open, the junior attacked the basket aggressively, but also stroked two mid-range jumpers with ease in the first quarter.
McDonald and King were the main offensive forces early on, and Xavier Saddler-Mee stepped up in the second quarter, nailing a trey with six minutes before half, giving Wakefield a 30-12 advantage. The basket culminated a 14-0 Wolverine run.
Saddler-Mee later scored a three-point play, driving through traffic, drawing the foul and hit the foul shot.
Nash, who drilled Holly Springs for 30 points Friday night, added nine in Monday's victory. Jake Lenox added six points and 13 boards.
Kennedy lauded Nash's all-around game, explaining he is a match-up problem for most teams because of his strength.
"When he has the three, he'll shoot it, and when he feels like he can take his man to the basket, he does," the coach said. "He is a terrific rebounder, too. He is a hard guard for some of the smaller players to defend because of his size."
Although Abe Maingi scored just two points, the captain came off the bench to six rebounds.
It's the type of effort you'd expect from the forward, Kennedy reasoned.
"Every team, if you are going to be a good team, you need people to accept their role as a sub," he said. "And Abe totally understands what his job is, and he gives it to us game in and game out. I've never questioned his effort in a practice or a game. He is going to give you everything he has."
Kennedy said several of his players, noting Tony Stephenson, Floyd Patton, DeAngelo Marsh and King, benefitted from another year of maturity and growth
"Things that would have caused us problems in the past, we are better at because they played varsity last year," he said. "Last year, Knightdale's pressure would have bothered us.
But we weren't phased by it this year."
Though Kennedy explained Monday's win wasn't a complete game, pointing out a sluggish second half and a poor night at the foul line. (Wakefield went nine for 19 in the first half — 14 for 25 overall — from the charity stripe.)
"In a close game that might hurt us," Kennedy said. "Our goal is to shoot 70 percent, which we have no problem doing in practice. We just need to do it in games now."
The Wolverines return to action Tuesday, Dec. 1, at East Wake. The contest with the Warriors begins at 7:30 p.m.
