Alcantara comes up big for Hales

Updated: March 23, 2011 9:24AM

The situation was ripe for an upset. Hales was missing its all-round player and coming off an emotional conference victory that set the stage for next week's Catholic League championship.

Fortunately for the No. 6 Spartans, Eddie Alcantara continued his rapid-fire ascent into the upper echelon of the state‘s top juniors.

The transfer swingman scored 16 of his game-high 24 points in the second half as the host Spartans fought off a valiant and persistent Harlan team 74-62 Saturday night.

The final was misleading. Behind the superb perimeter and inside game of guard Deonte Johnson (17 points, seven assists) and forward Shaquille Hines (16 points, seven rebounds), the Falcons trailed by just one at the break and used a 10-3 third quarter flourish to turn a 10-point deficit into a single possession, 50-47 in favor of Hales to start the fourth quarter.

Hales senior star Aaron Armstead sat out the game to nurse a slight groin injury. "Our big game for the Catholic League championship [against De La Salle] is Friday," Hales coach Gary London said. "This was a trap game, coming off a tough conference last night and playing against a team from the Red-South that has played as good if not better competition than us the whole year."

Alcantara and junior Aaric Armstead, Aaron's younger brother, were both scintillating for the Spartans (20-3). Alcantara converted his third three-pointer of the second half at the start of the fourth quarter. His basket fueled a game-changing 14-4 Hales' burst. Aaric Armstead (16 points, eight rebounds, four assists, four steals) made two spectacular baskets, a length of the floor drive and a pull up in traffic.

Alcantara's two free throws and an 18-footer capped the run.

"With Aaron out, he's a senior and the leader of the team, that put a bigger burden on me to step up and make plays," Alcantara said.

"We're a tough team when we're all together because not many teams can stop me, Aaron and Aaric in the same game. Without Aaron, I had to fill a different role. Sometimes I made some bone-headed plays out there, like some bad shots, but mostly I was able to come through."

Hales' senior center Dominique Walls also stepped up by scoring 15 points and adding eight rebounds and three blocked shots. Reserves Jerry Humphrey and Kenneth Thigpen contributed seven and five points, respectively.

Anthony Knight added 10 points and six rebounds and Derek Nathaniel contributed eight points for the Falcons (11-13).

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