Balanced attack helps top-seeded Pikeville to MSC Tournament title; Beats Georgetown 96-71 - Mar 10, 2014

Josh Whitaker led five players in double figures with 21 points and Chris Cantino (6'8''-F) posted 13 points and 16 rebounds, as second-ranked Pikeville (Ky.) dominated the glass in a 96-71 victory over Georgetown (Ky.) in the championship game of the 2014 Mid-South Conference Men's Basketball Championships presented by GoJohnnyGo 5K/10K Run/Walk here Sunday at the Dallas Floyd Recreation Center.
The Bears (30-2) will head into the NAIA National Tournament on a 16-game winning streak and avenged their only conference loss of the season to the Tigers (22-10) on January 16. Pikeville outrebounded Georgetown, 44-27, scoring 58 points in the paint.
The first half went back-and-forth until the Bears netted the final eight points of the period, including a pair of 3-pointers by Elisha Justice (5'10''-PG-90). Pikeville posted seven of the first 10 points in the second half as well, stretching the lead to 10 with the aid of three free throws by Bruce Reed, who finished with 19 points.
Georgetown stayed in striking distance until a 12-5 spurt from the Bears midway through the period pushed the lead to 72-55. Reed started the run with five straight points and Whitaker added five as well, with his bucket at the seven-minute mark the final blow in any comeback attempt for the Tigers.
Keala King (6'5''-G) added 16 points and Kenny Manigault (6'5''-G/F-91) posted 13 points off the bench for the Bears.
Noah Cottrill (6'3''-G)l led the Tigers with 17 points, while Monty Wilson (6'4''-G) netted 16 and was 9-for-10 at the foul line. Deondre McWhorter (6'8''-F) recorded 15 points as well for Georgetown (22-10).
Pikeville dominated play in the paint in the first half, turning 10 offensive rebounds into 11 second-chance points and hitting 13 of its 19 field goals inside the lane. Despite those struggles on the defensive end and a sluggish offense at times, Georgetown hung around and took a one-point lead twice in the half.
Whitaker netted six of his team's first 10 points and Reed added four more, as the Bears took a 16-10 advantage with 14:48 left in the opening half. The Tigers put together a 9-2 spurt midway through the period, with McWhorter posting a pair of buckets. Jaylen Daniel (6'7''-G/F)'s 3-pointer from the wing capped the run, giving Georgetown a 21-20 edge.
Cantino's short jumper on the next possession put Pikeville back ahead, but the lead was no more than four until the final minutes of the half. DJ Townsend's trifecta from the corner gave the Tigers a 36-35 lead with 1:42 remaining before the break, but UPike registered the final eight points, with a pair of 3-pointers by Justice, including one from straight ahead with three seconds left before intermission, giving the Bears a 43-36 advantage.
Whitaker led the Bears with 10 points, but Reed, Cantino, King and Manigault combined for 23 points, mostly in the painted area. Cantino alone grabbed six of the 10 offensive boards. Wilson and McWhorter paced the Tigers with nine points each.

Courtesy of MSC

MSC Tournament Final: Pikeville - Georgetown 96-71

MSC Tournament Semifinals:
Pikeville - Lindsey Wilson 78-72
Georgetown - Cumberlands (KY) 76-69, OT

All-MSC 1st Team 2014

Cantino

Clark

Gaines

Justice

King