High School Boys Basketball:
Sterling Upsets Heights to Advance

Friday, March 3, 2000

By Charlie Barker
SJSports Staff Writer

Balanced scoring and a quick start allowed the Sterling Silver Knights to defeat the top seeded Haddon Heights Garnets, setting up another rematch with the rival Haddonfield Bulldogs for the Group 3 championship to be played on Monday. The old axiom that it's hard to beat a team three times in a season came true, with Sterling running out to a 17-4 lead at the beginning of the game. Ernest Turner scored 12 of his game high 28 points during the Knights' 1st quarter 25-15 run.

The Garnets were able to pull back to within three by the half, 40-37. But the Knights kept up the pressure, expanding the lead to 61-54 by the end of the 3rd. The Garnets went on a 12-5 run in the 4th to tie the game at 66 all with less than three minutes left. Sterling then responded with an 11-0 run to take a 77-66 lead, which would be enough to hold off a last minute rush by the Garnets, as the final score was 80-75.

In addition to Turner's 28 points, Jamal McLeod scored 16, Pat Keane 13 (a season high), Dave Cogan 7, Rob Carson 6, Dan Terrell 6, Nique Washington 2, and Jamal Watkins 2.

Tim Moore led Heights' scoring with 26, followed by Kurtis Scott 14, Bill Kirk 13, Aaron Berry 5, Mike Bradshaw 2, and Sean Gemmell 2.

Photos by Forrest Robleto