Log in Subscribe

Vikings fall in heartbreaker in season opener

By RICKEY CLARDY ~ Sports Writer
Posted 11/16/22

UNIONVILLE – After trailing for the entire game, the Community Vikings fought back to take a 57-56 lead with six seconds left before the Fayetteville Tigers took the ball the length of the …

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Please log in to continue

Log in

Vikings fall in heartbreaker in season opener

Posted


UNIONVILLE – After trailing for the entire game, the Community Vikings fought back to take a 57-56 lead with six seconds left before the Fayetteville Tigers took the ball the length of the court and scored on a layup with one second left as the Vikings fell 58-57 in a Hall of Champions game to open the season Tuesday night.
The gritty Vikings were behind by double digits for a large part of the game before mounting a comeback in the final minutes.
The Vikings could only manage five points in the opening quarter as the Tigers jumped out to a 14-5 lead heading to the second quarter.
After trailing 20-5, the Vikings warmed up as Jason Cullum scored seven points and Jacob Flannagan added five.  Community ended the quarter with 16 points to match the Tiger output as Fayetteville took a 30-21 lead into halftime.
The Vikings cut the Tiger lead to 41-34 with 1:15 left in the third quarter, but Fayetteville scored the final five points to take a 46-34 lead to the fourth quarter.
Community still trailed 51-41 with 5:17 to play before coming back.
Led by eight points each from Cullum and Flannagan, the Vikings cut the margin to 55-52 with 1:28 to play. 
After a Tiger free throw, Flannagan scored from inside to cut the Tiger lead to 56-54 with 1:06 left.
The teams traded turnovers late with a Tiger turnover giving the Vikings possession with 17 seconds left.  After a timeout, Landon Lovvorn found a sliver of daylight and drilled a three-pointer to give the Vikings their first lead at 57-56 with six seconds left.
But the Viking excitement quickly faded after a Tiger timeout as Teondre Love took the inbounds pass and drove for a layup with one second left to give Fayetteville the 1-point win.
Camaurionn Taylor led three Tigers in double figures with 20 points.  Love added 14 while Wyatt Groce had 11.
Flannagan had 19 points and Cullum added 18 to lead the Vikings.
The Tigers were 18-of-34 at the foul line while the Vikings were 13-of-19.
Community travels to Jackson County for a 7:30 p.m. Hall of Champions game Thursday night.                                                                           
        
Fayetteville  14  16  16  12 — 58
Community    5  16  13  23 — 57
 
Fayetteville: Camaurionn Taylor 20, Teondre Love 14, Wyatt Groce 11, Phillip Bonner, Jack Fincher, Latral Brown 6, Eli Groce 3, Conner Townsend 3, Jayden Thomas 1.
Community: Jacob Flannagan 19, Jason Cullum 18, Landon Lovvorn 7, Cole Crockett 2, Corey Paterick, Ramone Hernandez 6, Sawyer Fults 5, Moe Berman, Landon Berman, Dallas Grooms, Judd O'Neal.
3-Point goals: Fayetteville (8): Taylor 3, Brown 2, Love, E. Groce, Townsend; Community (2): Lovvorn, Fults.
Halftime score: Fayetteville 30, Community 21.