Settles, Boyd lead Warriors
By JONATHAN GUTH
MVI Sports
Vernon Settles and Zach Boyd combined for all but five of Elizabeth Forward’s points in the Warriors’ 42-38 Section 3-4A victory over Mount Pleasant Friday.
Settles scored a game-high 20 points and Boyd had 17. Settles, a freshman, connected on eight field goals, including two 3-pointers, and was 2 for 6 at the foul line. Boyd, a sophomore, made six field goals (three 3-pointers) and was 2 of 3 at the line.
“You would like if a couple more guys would chip in a few more points here and there, but at the same time, Zach and Vern have been our go-to guys this year,” EF coach Matt Loftis said. “We didn’t really shoot the ball well tonight with the way Mount Pleasant was playing that zone. I thought Mount Pleasant did a great job defensively, but Zach and Vern really carried us, especially in that second half.”
Settles made the defensive play of the game when he blocked a three-point shot by the Vikings (6-8, 4-5), stole the ball, and converted on layup for a four-point lead with 35 seconds left. Mount Pleasant missed its next shot and Elizabeth Forward (8-3, 8-1) secured the rebound to close things out.
“The defensive play he (Settles) made are those that win games,” Loftis said. “We love the threes and the stuff in the lane, but that block at the end of the game kind of sealed it for us, and those are the kinds of things that are going to win you basketball games in the playoffs. Some of the stuff he does as a freshman is unbelievable. He does a lot of things not a lot of kids can do in his age group. He made some big plays down the stretch, but that block was the biggest, in my opinion, regardless of how many points he had.”
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