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Huge 4th powers Vikes to region semis

By RICKEY CLARDY ~ Sports Writer
Posted 2/27/22

UNIONVILLE — The Community Vikings had trouble getting any rhythm going in the first half, but the Vikings exploded for 44 second-half points and took the lead for good early in the fourth …

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Huge 4th powers Vikes to region semis

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UNIONVILLE — The Community Vikings had trouble getting any rhythm going in the first half, but the Vikings exploded for 44 second-half points and took the lead for good early in the fourth quarter as Community defeated the Stratford Spartans 60-47 in a Region 4-AA quarterfinal game Saturday night.   
Stratton Lovvorn had 25 of his game-high 30 points in the second half, including a 16-of-19 performance at the free throw line as the Vikings capitalized on their height advantage down low.
Community (15-15) had trouble finding the basket early on as the Spartans used offensive rebounds to gain a 9-6 lead after one quarter.
Lovvorn had four free throws in the second quarter, but Viking turnovers helped contribute to a Stratford 19-16 lead at the break.
"In the locker room, we talked about there's no tomorrow," Viking coach Robbie Davis said. "We're either going to do it the next 16 minutes or we're not."
The Vikings got their offense going in the third quarter as Lovvorn had nine points, but the Spartans created steals to keep the game close. 
The lead changed hands six times as Stratford took a 34-33 lead to the final quarter.
Jason Cullum, who had five points in the quarter, scored with 6:54 left to give the Vikings the lead for good at 38-36. 
With the combination of pounding the ball inside to Lovvorn and using their quickness at the guard positions, the Vikings went to the free throw line early and often and started to pull away. 
Lovvorn scored 11 of the next 13 Viking points as Community increased its advantage to 51-40 with 2:37 remaining. 
Lovvorn scored 16 points in the quarter, including a couple of dunks while Maki Fleming added six points as the Vikings finished with the double-digit win.
Fleming scored 10 points to join Lovvorn in double figures for the Vikings.
JaQuez Hinton had 14 points and Malik Fuller added 11 to lead the Spartans.
The Vikings attempted 30 more free throws than the Spartans and finished 25-of-35 from the line while Stratford was 4-of-5 from the stripe.
"We rebounded well and there were a lot of guys that really stepped up in the second half," Davis said.    
"We know that different teams are going to guard Stratton and we figured out a way to get him around the basket where doubles were going to be hard to come from," Davis added.
"And I guarantee that Maki Fleming had 15 rebounds and took care of the basketball," Davis said.  
Community advances to semifinal play in the Region 4-AA tournament and will take on East Nashville Tuesday night as the remainder of the tournament shifts to Whites Creek High School. 
Game time is 7:45 p.m. 
East Nashville, the top-seed from District 7-AA, defeated Grundy County 97-52 in another quarterfinal game.
                                        
Stratford        9  10  15  13 — 47
Community    6  10  17  27 — 60
 
Stratford: JaQuez Hinton 14, Malik Fuller 11, De'vonte Burleson 9, Nikolai Flennoy 9, Key Anthony Stewart 4, Willie Johnson, Ja'Cori Hardiman, Mike Brown, Austin Hutchison.
Community: Stratton Lovvorn 30, Maki Fleming 10, Jason Cullum 7, Trace Broiles 5, Landon Lovvorn 3, Jacob Flannagan 2, Noah Newkirk 2, Cole Crockett 1, Corey Paterick, Ramon Hernandez.
3-Point goals: Stratford (3): Fuller 2, Burleson; Community (1): L. Lovvorn.
Halftime score: Stratford 19, Community 16.