Evans propels Wildcats past Z-B

Neuqua Valley’s Dwayne Evans scores against Zion-Benton.
(Scott Powers/For the Sun-Times News Group)

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Dwayne Evans put Neuqua Valley’s fate in his own hands against Zion-Benton on Monday.

“It was 0-0 going into the fourth quarter,” Evans said. “I knew I was going to have to play a big role for us to come up with the win.”

He was right.

Evans went off for 13 of his game-high 22 in the fourth quarter and put down a monster dunk with time expiring to lead the No. 11 Wildcats to a 68-54 win over No. 15 Zion-Benton at Hononegah’s Martin Luther King Tournament in Rockton.

For a team that doesn’t get as many opportunities as some to prove it belongs with the state’s elite, the Wildcats’ win over Zion-Benton and 3-0 record against the tough Hononegah field was a positive step.

“Nobody knows about us,” Evans said. “I’m sure nobody expected us to be 3-0. As a team, we expected this.”

Zion-Benton coach Don Kloth was convinced.

“Neuqua Valley can score in the post, can score outside, can rebound,” Kloth said. “They got a really good team.”

Evans’ late heroics were needed when the Wildcats (18-1) were unable to hold onto what was once a 14-point lead.

Neuqua Valley came out flying from the start of the game, forcing the Zee-Bees (12-6) into nine first-quarter turnovers and building its biggest lead to 38-24 in the second quarter.

In the second half, Zion-Benton fought back. The Zee-Bees opened the third quarter on a 13-4 run and later took a one-point lead. Neuqua Valley scored only five points in the quarter, but tied it 44-44 heading into the fourth.

“I thought from the middle of the first quarter to end of the third quarter we played some of the best basketball we’ve played all season,” Kloth said.

Neuqua Valley answered back in the fourth quarter from the free-throw line. The Wildcats sank 14-of-21 free throws in the quarter and pulled out the win.

Evans was 9-of-10 from the line after hitting just 1-of-4 in the previous quarter.

“You have to have amnesia about free throws,” he said. “My stroke was off.”

Zion-Benton’s star big man Markus Yarbrough missed his third consecutive games due to a foot injury. He’s expected back in a few weeks.

Derek Raridon did most of the Wildcats’ damage in the first half. He scored 15 of his 16 points in the opening two quarters.

Quintrell Love (19 points, five rebounds, four assists), Lenzelle Smith (11 points, eight rebounds), Owen Worthington (10 points) led Zion-Benton.

The Zee-Bees committed 20 turnovers to Neuqua Valley’s 10.