LIVE from Chapel Hill — Kinston vs. Trinity in the 3A state championship
It’s 6:43 p.m. and we’re 47 minutes from tip-off. Keith Spence is alongside me here and he’s going to start posting some pictures from the pre-game. Any questions — leave a comment and one of us will get to it.
6:51 p. m. - Pre-game countdown has started. Clock shows 28:32 and counting.
6:53 p. m. - Vikings take the court for pre-game warmups.
The Vikings get ready for their official team picture:
Vikings warm-up photos
Starting Lineups:
TRINITY
G Josh Pittman 5-11, Jr.
G David Grant 6-0, Sr.
F Josh Jones, 6-3 Sr.
F Eric Potts 6-4, Sr.
C Zack Williams 6-4, Sr.
KINSTON
G Tremaine Miller 6-1, Sr.
G Dory Hines 6-1, So.
F Bo Ingram 6-4, Sr.
F Reggie Bullock 6-7, So.
F Akeem Sutton 6-3, Sr.
A nice contingent of Kinston fans made the trip to Chapel Hill. However, the Trinity crowd is HUGE, and the Bulldogs’ school colors are Carolina Blue, which looks right at home in the Dean Dome. Both crowds are very vocal and the Dome is rocking.
FIRST QUARTER
Vikings win opening tip
7:24 - Bullock hits 2 FT’s. KHS 2-0
7:12 - Trinity turnover
6:40 - First shot by Trinity leading scorer Pittman (25 ppg) is an air ball
6:18 - Vikings still lead 2-0
5:37 - Sutton follow up dunk. KHS 4-0
5:21 - Trinity time out. They have turned the ball over 3 times in their first 4 possessions. KHS leads 4-0
4:53 - Grant offensive foul. Trinity’s 4th turnover
4:38 - Bullock 10 footer. KHS 6-0
4:01 - Trinity’s 5th turnover. Nerves playing a part early on
3:41 - Bullock for 3. KHS 9-0
2:52 - Ingram tip-in. KHS 11-0. Trinity calls 2nd timeout
2:30 - Bullock layup. Beautiful pass from Miller. KHS 13-0
1:39 - Trinity finally scores. Pittman for 3. KHS 13-3
:59.4 - Demarcus Quinerly for 3. KHS 16-3
:34.5 - Quinerly on line for 2. Hits 1. KHS 17-3
:11.0 - Grant layup and foul. Hits FT. KHS 17-6
End of 1st Quarter: Kinston 17, Trinity 6.
Bullock has 9 points already. He looks right at home on UNC’s home court.
SECOND QUARTER
7:42 - Ingram on the line for 2. Hits 1. KHS 18-6
6:16 - Josh Jones follow shot. KHS 18-8
6:07 - Ingram for 2. KHS 20-8
5:50 - Josh Jones inside for 2. KHS 20-10
5:28 - Ingram short jumper. KHS 22-10
5:07 - Pittman for 3. KHS 22-13
4:57 - Pittman for 3. KHS 22-16. Vikings call time out. Pittman starting to get untracked (9 points)
4:21 - Pittman another 3. KHS 22-19. Trinity on 9-0 run (all 3 pointers by Pittman)
3:54 - Ingram for 2. KHS 24-19.
3:10 - Williams short jumper. KHS 24-21
2:52 - Ingram layup. KHS 26-21
2:30 - Ingram picks up 2nd foul and leaves game
1:55 - Marquez Jones for 2. KHS 28-21
1:09 - Josh Jones inside for 2. KHS 28-23
:46.3 - Marquez Jones 2 FT’s. Trinity’s Eric Potts picks up 3rd foul. KHS 30-23
HALFTIME: Kinston 30, Trinity 23
Scoring:
Kinston - Bullock 11, Ingram 9, M. Jones 4, Quinerly 4, Sutton 2.
Trinity - Pittman 12, J. Jones 6, Grant 3, Williams 2.
KHS is 11 of 26 from the field (2 of 8 from 3-point range). Trinity is 9 of 28 (4 of 13 from Pittman, who is 4 of 10 from 3-point territory).
Kinston is controlling the boards by a 22-12 margin, including 9 offensive rebounds. Bullock and Ingram have six each to lead the way.
Vikings have committed 11 turnovers to 8 for Trinity. The Bulldogs committed just one miscue in the 2nd quarter.
Kinston has led the entire game so far. Their biggest lead was 17-3 late in the 1st quarter.
THIRD QUARTER
Vikings ball to start the 2nd half
7:32 - Ingram reverse layup. KHS 32-23
7:26 - Chris King for 3. KHS 32-26
6:52 - Bullock reverse layup. KHS 34-26
6:12 - King for another 3. KHS 34-29
5:42 - Eric Potts tip in and foul, misses FT. KHS timeout. KHS 34-31
5:28 - Pittman for 3. Ties game 34-34
4:57 - Bullock follow shot and foul, misses FT. KHS 36-34
4:44 - Potts on line for 2 FT. Hits 1. Ingram picks up 3rd foul. KHS 36-35.
4:22 - Josh Jones layup. Trinity’s 1st lead, 37-36
4:02 - Ingram layup. KHS 38-37
3:17 - Josh Benoit on line for 2. Hits 1. KHS 39-37
3:17 - Bullock suffers ankle injury and is taken to locker room
2:19 - King layup ties game, 39-39
1:52 - Miller for 2. KHS 41-39
:57.5 - Dallas Best put back. KHS 43-39
:42.6 - Josh Jones tip in. KHS 43-41
:28.2 - Benoit short jumper. KHS 45-41
End of 3rd Quarter: Kinston 45, Trinity 41
Vikings played last 4:44 of quarter without Ingram (3 fouls) and last 3:17 without Bullock (injury)
Leading scorers:
Kinston - Ingram 15, Bullock 13.
Trinity - Pittman 15.
FOURTH QUARTER
Kinston ball to start the quarter. Ingram still on bench
6:47 - KHS still leads 45-41
6:40 - Best on line for 2. Hits 1. KHS 46-41
6:22 - Josh Jones for 2. KHS 46-43
5:49 - Ingram back in game. KHS still leads 46-43
5:23 - Bullock returns from locker room but still limping noticeably
5:09 - King layup. KHS 46-45
4:08 - Charging foul on Grant, his 4th. Bullock returns to the game for KHS.
3:38 - Ingram driving layup. KHS 48-45
3:12 - Still limping, Bullock leaves game
2:53 - Pittman for 3, ties game, 48-48
2:27 - Miller for 3. KHS 51-48
2:24 - Sutton steals inbounds pass and is fouled, will shoot 2. Trinity timeout
2:24 - Sutton misses 1st, hits 2nd. KHS 52-48
2:15 - Trinity turnover
1:37 - Pittman 3-pointer. KHS 52-51
1:16 - Sutton shooting 2 FT’s. Hits both. KHS 54-51
1:05 - Pittman driving layup (his first 2-point basket). KHS timeout. Vikings lead 54-53. Incredible atmosphere here at the Smith Center
:46.1 - Sutton misses inside but Ingram grabs offensive rebound to keep possession. KHS timeout. Vikings lead 54-53
:34.9 - Ingram fouled, shoots 1 and 1. Calmly hits both. KHS 56-53
:19.5 - Grants misses drive, Miller grabs rebound and is fouled. Will shoot 2
:19.5 - Miller drills both free throws. KHS 58-53
:5.8 - Pittman misses 3 pointer but Williams tips it in. Trinity timeout. KHS 58-55
:4.9 - Ingram fouled on inbounds pass. Will shoot 2
:4.9 - Ingram hits both. KHS 60-55
:00.4 - King hits long 3 pointer as buzzer sounds
FINAL: KINSTON 60, Trinity 58
VIKINGS win first state championship since 1965!
Bo Ingram earns championship game MVP honors (21 points, 8 rebounds, 4 of 4 from the FT line in final 35 seconds). As
a team Kinston was 8 of 8 from the FT line in the final 1:16. Talk about clutch.
Congrats to Kinston and Coach G on their hard faught win and State Championship. Being from Goldsboro I told many people around ECU and other boards that Kinston would win it this year. I guess i was right for once
Comment by canyoureadthis — March 15, 2008 @ 8:01 pm
Congrats to the Vikings. Bo knows how to play like a MVP…
Comment by devil27 — March 15, 2008 @ 8:04 pm
congrats to KHS, should be many more to come in the 2A ranks.
Comment by GWhitley — March 15, 2008 @ 8:06 pm
Congrats to the Vikes. Seems like a hard faught, and very well deserved victory. Good job guys, way to bring that title back east.
Comment by bhatcher — March 15, 2008 @ 8:08 pm
Hats off to the Vikings. They played some great games in the playoffs.
Comment by randycapps — March 15, 2008 @ 9:00 pm
It was a very entertaining game to watch, even if I did have to tolerate an arena full of Carolina blue.
Major props to the Vikings for holding on with some very clutch plays in the fourth quarter.
Trinity’s Josh Pittman (No. 10) is one of the best pure shoooters I’ve seen in a long time. He had a hand in his face on the majority of his seven 3-pointers. I’m just glad he didn’t have eight.
My girlfriend just said: “Y’all are going to run out of room for giant pictures in your gym.” Here’s hoping…
Comment by Mr. Awesome — March 15, 2008 @ 9:01 pm
shoooters!
Looking at my typo, I have now decided the extra “o” in shooters is for “oh my god, not again.”
Comment by Mr. Awesome — March 15, 2008 @ 9:04 pm
Nice job guys for bloging the play by play. There are more people than you know that were able to follow the game because of it. Several overseas. Fantasic drama with the injury and the foul situation. Thanks again for the play by play and the pics.
Comment by ritch — March 15, 2008 @ 9:31 pm
Congratulations to the Vikings. I was a 2-month old embryo the last time K-Town High won a state title.
Comment by PaulD — March 15, 2008 @ 10:06 pm
Congratulations KHS on the 3A State Title. It was a great game to watch. It reminded me of a Unc V.S. Duke matchup. Trinitys Josh P.(No.10) was on fire with threes. He is a fantastic shooter from the three. Bo Ingram had a great game also. Again Congrats to KHS!!!
Comment by bbscout40 — March 15, 2008 @ 11:16 pm
That’s the second time I’ve heard that Duke-UNC comparison. One of the security guards I talked to after the game said the same thing.
Comment by Mr. Awesome — March 15, 2008 @ 11:55 pm
Here we go Vikings, Here we go. For those that were not at the game it was a hard f-o-u-g-h-t game til the end. Way, to go s-u-p-e-r t-e-a-m. Way to step up Josh. Community Pep Rally!!!!!!!!!!
Comment by VikingFan — March 17, 2008 @ 7:40 am
Way to step up was in reference to Josh Benoit on KHS team. Mr. Capps, we finally agree on something.
Comment by VikingFan — March 18, 2008 @ 1:58 pm