Junior, Collin Lewis set career highs in points and made three-point baskets as Millbrook earned its first win of the 2017-18 season.
Collin Lewis buried a career-high 23 points as Millbrook went on to defeat Apex, 84-77 in its season opener. Phillip Burwell and Jabari Brown added 17 points apiece in the victory.
The Wildcats jumped out to an early 10-3 advantage. Burwell got the offense going with a layup, and Brown followed with back-to-back three point baskets. Freshman, William Felton maneuvered through the paint for two of his first four career points scored.
For every Millbrook run, Apex seemed to answer with one of its own. Sal Curcuru sunk two of his four three's, and tallied 9 of his 18 points in the first quarter. Chavis Coachman and Denzel Jacobson combined to add nine points of their own, tying the score at 18-18 through one.
Lewis and Burwell sparked a 19 point second stanza. Burwell got things going with a three point basket while drawing a foul, then Lewis stepped into his second three of the game. Millbrook held a 34-29 lead with just over two minutes remaining in the half following a 5-0 run from Lewis.
"Shots happened to fall for me early in the game, but I didn't feel like I really got things going until the second half", noted Lewis.
Coachman kept the Cougars close with 10 of his 21 points in the second quarter. Apex went into the break trailing 37-36 after a Jaylon Gibson putback slam was waived off at the buzzer.
Millbrook started the second half hot. Burwell canned his third three of the game, then followed a Sam Hood basket with a three-point play. Gibson added five points for Apex in the third including a two-handed jam, but Bradley Barnes would enter for the Wildcats and notch consecutive three-point baskets to extend the Wildcat lead to 54-48 through three.
Brown and Lewis guided Millbrook down the home stretch with a combined 20 fourth quarter points. Jacobson kept the game within reach with 15 fourth quarter points of his own which lead to a game-high 26.
"Defensively we struggled tonight, but I felt like we kept good composure late and did not let their runs get the best of us" added Lewis.
Colin Davis sank his first varsity basket to give the Wildcats its first double-digit lead of the game. Lewis inflated that lead with his career-best fifth three-point basket, and a three-point play in the lane.
Apex narrowed the gap to four points late, but Graham Watkins snuffed out their chance at making it a one score game with a steal and assist to Brown in the final seconds. Watkins would add his only two points at the charity stripe with just over a second remaining.
Millbrook's victory was the first of head coach Christopher Davis' varsity career. The Wildcats return to action on Thursday night when they travel to Heritage to renew its rivalry with the Huskies. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 PM, Junior Varsity is slated to begin at 5:30 PM.
The JV Wildcats won handily vs. Apex, triggering a running-clock in a 58-14 victory.
HIGHLIGHTS