Wednesday, March 01, 2000
Wilson leads Lloyd past Dixie
Juggernauts avenge earlier loss this year
BY RAY SCHAEFER
Enquirer contributor
FORT MITCHELL — Lloyd senior center Ryan Wilson was nursing a sprained ankle when the Juggernauts lost to Dixie Heights in January.
In Tuesday's 34th District semifinal at Beechwood, the 6-foot-6 Wilson showed Dixie what happens when he is healthy. Wilson's 23 points and 21 rebounds led the Juggernauts to a 62-51 victory.
“I wanted to prove if we were at full strength, we're tough to beat any night,” Wilson said.
Lloyd (15-10), ranked ninth in The Enquirer's Northern Kentucky coaches poll, meets either Scott or Beechwood for the district title at 7p.m. Friday. The Juggernauts have qualified for next week's Ninth Region tournament at Ryle, and they go for their second straight district championship.
Wilson missed three weeks with the bad ankle, including a 61-43 loss to Dixie on Jan.7. Tuesday he shot 10-of-13 from the field and 3-of-4 from the free throw line.
Sophomore forward Michael Hopkins backed Wilson with 15 points for Lloyd, and senior guard Damann Jamison had 10 points and four assists.
Hopkins and Jamison were just following orders. Hopkins said the wife of Lloyd athletic director J.T. Mulligan told him to score 20 points, and Jamison took Lloyd coach Bryant Gillis' advice and drove to the basket whenever he saw an opening.
“There (wasn't) anybody out there as quick as me,” Jamison said.
Like Wilson, Gillis mentioned the January loss to Dixie Heights. He said it was a tie after three quarters before his team tired down the stretch.
Gillis' strategy Tuesday was simple: get the ball to Wilson, which he said freed Hopkins or Jamison for open shots.
After No.6-ranked Dixie started with a 7-2 lead, Wilson scored four points and Hopkins added three in a 9-2 Juggernauts run.
A two-minute stretch of the second quarter illustrated Wilson's dominance.
With 4:16 left, Wilson grabbed an offensive rebound and scored. When Dixie's Andy Schneider later blocked Jamison's shot, Wilson picked up the loose ball and scored, and his basket with 2:19 to go gave Lloyd a 23-18 lead.
“He was a man among boys,” Dixie coach Scott Draud said. “We were trying to double down on him. Once the shot went up, he got a lot of offensive rebounds.”
Dixie (18-8) managed just 35 percent from the field.
Still, the Colonels closed Lloyd's lead to 41-38 with 6:24 left on senior center Steve Bramlage's 3-point play. But Wilson and Jamison made it 47-40 with 4:54 left.
First, Wilson grabbed a rebound and found Jamison alone at the other end of the court for a layup, and on the next possession, Wilson scored on Jamison's pass across the lane.
Dixie never came closer than six points the rest of the game. Schneider led the Colonels with 17 points.
LLOYD (62) — Jamison 5 0 10, Quinn 2 2 6, Hollenkamp 2 3 8, Hopkins 7 1 15, Wilson 10 3 23. Totals: 26 9 62.
DIXIE HEIGHTS (51) — Howard 0 2 2, Garrard 1 0 2, Kampe 5 3 13, J. Bramlage 2 0 4, Schneider 5 5 17, S. Bramlage 5 3 13. Totals: 18 13 51.
Lloyd ....... 11 17 10 24—62
Dixie Heights ....... 9 13 11 18—51
3-point goals: L-Hollenkamp. DH-Schneider 2. Records: L 15-10, DH 18-8.
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