The boys’ basketball team will host W.D. Mohammed on Saturday night in the opening round of the GHSA playoffs. The Patriots (19-9) are the top seed from Region 5, while the Caliphs (18-8) are the No. 4 seed from Region 9. Game time is 7 p.m. for the game, which will be played in the Drummond Center, located on Pisgah’s East Campus.
“Gritty is the one work I would use to describe how the team is playing right now,” said first year head coach Marvin Latham. “We are doing what we have to do to win the ball game, which is a good thing.”
Pisgah tuned up for the state tournament by winning the Region 5-A championship last weekend. The Patriots defeated Providence 64-54 in double overtime in the championship game.
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Freshman Aaron Winchester led the way for the Pisgah scoring 15 points against Providence. Sophomore John Towne scored 13 points, while senior Kyle Sloter added 12 points and seven rebounds. Freshman Rondy Brownlee finished with nine points.
Pisgah (19-9) finished fourth in their sub-region, which meant having to win four games last week to win the Region championship. The Patriots cruised by Pinecrest 75-43 on Monday, and then traveled to Holy Innocents on Wednesday, where they upset the Bears 59-55 in overtime. Friday night the Patriots again traveled into hostile territory, beating host Wesleyan 52-51.
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Pisgah started the season strong winning 11 of their first 12 games, including the Blue Ridge Division at the Carolina Day School Basketball Holiday Classic. The Patriots struggled once sub-region play began, losing six of seven in January. But a late January win over Providence and an upset of Wesleyan in early February boosted Pisgah as they headed into the post-season.
“After the [Christmas] tournament we went from being the hunter to the hunted. We just didn’t know how to deal with success. For this program we were in some uncharted waters,” said Latham on the January swoon.
The 19 wins posted by the Patriots this season is the most for the program since entering the GHSA. Pisgah finished 23-3 and won the GISA state championship in 2006.
Pisgah’s East Campus is located at 9875 Nesbit Ferry Road in Johns Creek.
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