Boys Basketball: Rashaun Stimage powers Farragut past North Lawndale

Updated: January 18, 2012 9:30PM

Farragut was desperate.

“I told the guys before the game, in my 20 years of coaching, this was the first time I ever lost four in a row,” Admirals’ coach William Nelson said.

Rashaun Stimage was the answer to the question. And he made sure the Admirals started a new steak in a different direction.

The 6-7 Farragut star scored 14 of his game-high 25 points in the second half as the visiting Admirals reversed an eight-point halftime deficit in beating North Lawndale 68-63 Wednesday to snap a four-game skid.

Stimage added 10 rebounds and six blocked shots in a game featuring dramatic runs by both teams.

Farragut (8-7, 5-2 Red-West) hit three consecutive three-pointers at the start which they parlayed into a 16-6 early advantage.

The Phoenix (12-5, 4-3) forced seven Farragut turnovers and senior forward Antwon Smith (15 points) and star senior guard Davonte Johnson quickly shot North Lawndale back into the game.

Johnson (16 points, four steals, three assists) scored six consecutive points to end the first quarter, fueling a 24-9 run leading into the second quarter.

Johnson and Smith also keyed a destabilizing press that caused seven Farragut turnovers in the second quarter. Sophomore Keith Mack scored seven of his 10 points in second quarter. Antwon Singleton drilled a three-pointer from the right wing for a 35-27 North Lawndale lead at the break.

Stimage and senior guard Lavell Boyd drew the line there. Boyd (17 points, four assists) drilled two three-pointers in the third quarter and Stimage keyed a 22-6 Admirals’ run with seven points, three blocks and two rebounds.

“Coach [Nelson] said we were settling for outside shots in the first half, and we had to attack the basket,” Stimage said. “I wanted to be aggressive in attacking the basket.”

Stimage’s three-pointer from the right baseline punctuated a 16-4 burst. Boyd scored 10 points in the quarter. Sparked a quarter ending three-pointer by freshman guard Demontre Enos, North Lawndale made a gallant push of its own.

Down by as many as 11 (52-41), the Phoenix rallied behind Johnson, who scored nine of his 16 points in the fourth quarter. His steal and lay up pulled the Phoenix with 63-61 with 1:24 remaining.

Stimage scored his final basket on a tough inside move. Sophomore Ashawn Jones sealed the victory with tip in. Just as important, Stimage registered five of his six blocked shots in the fourth quarter.

“I love playing defense and blocking shots,” he said. “We needed to keep them getting to the basket.”

Deonte Terrell contributed 12 points and John Carter added eight points for the Admirals. “We had all those turnovers for no reason in the second quarter, and they made their run,” Nelson said. “In the second half, we were a lot more patient and ran our offense.”

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