4SHOT Sports

2008-09 GHSA State Championships
5A Finals - Wheeler vs. Milton (Boys)
By Rod "Kut" Freeman
Mar 13, 2009, 08:30 EST

2009 GHSA Class 5A Finals

Wheeler “Wildcats” vs. Milton “Eagles”

Limpscomb does it again

"Wildcats 5^th title, 4^th since 2002”

The Gwinnett Arena – Duluth, GA

Wildcats Head Coach Doug Limpscomb.

Duluth, GA – After losing twice in the regular season to the Wheeler “Wildcats”, the Milton “Eagles” look to turn things around in the Georgia High School Association class 5-A finals. Both teams feature stellar athletes in the Eagles super sophomores Julian Royal, Shannon Scott, Dai-Jon Parker and freshmen sensation Evan Nolte. The Wildcats on the other hand would bring in to power tools in Richard Howell (NC State Signee), Arti Stewart (Wakeforest signee) and junior point guard Phil Taylor. The Wildcats have come up short in the state finals in their last 2 tries, losing one to the Norcross “Blue Devils” and the other to the Beach “Bulldogs”. After beating the Blue Devils in the quarterfinals (Ending a three title run), can the Wildcats retake the throne as the class 5-A boys kings? The Eagles make their first trip to the finals but with a young team, this is just the experience they need in order to return to the big dance in the future. The stage was set as we look to see if the Wildcats would make it title number five or would the youngsters win the one that counts?

Phil Taylor drives hard to the basket for two points.

The first period would start off fast with a jumper from Howell, a lay-up Phil and a Dunk from Stewart. If it was a game you wanted to see, then it was this one. The Eagles would not go away as Scott converted a lay up and Nolte drain a three-pointer from the corner. The first period would end with the Wildcats on top 11-10.

The Wildcats would start the second period on a 4-0 run before the Eagles head coach David Boyd would call a quick time out. Phil and #4 would both score on lay ups. After the timeout, Stewart would get the foul and the basket to push the score to 18-10 with 6:26 left in the first half. Coach Boyd would have to burn another timeout with 3:27 left before halftime as the Wildcats went on a 9-4 run moving the score to 27-14. An intentional foul by Stewart would give the Wildcats the opportunity to at least keep the lead down to 11 points 29-18 at the half.

Richard Howell and Julian Royal battle it out.

Kut at the half: I believe the fact that Wheeler beat Milton twice in the regular season played on their mentality in a way that some of the players might have felt like they couldn’t beat them. Any things possible!

At the end of the third period the Wildcats would be up by 14 points 47-33. The Eagles would get as close as 6 points but when the super freshmen Charles Mitchell start scoring, you then that the end was close approaching.

At the end of the day, the Wildcats were just too much all around period. The Eagles gave a valiant effort but with the two bigs in Stewart, Howell, along with the outside play of the Wildcats guards did it. The Eagles will continue to grow and get better but tonight the Wildcats would reclaim the throne.

The Final Score

Wheeler 73 – Milton 53

Scoring Recap:

Wheeler: Arti Stewat scored a gamed high 21 points along with 17 rebounds and Richard Howell 20 points 8 rebounds.

Milton: Julian Royal 15 points and 8 rebounds. Dai-Jon Parker 14 points.