HOOPHALL: Shepard heeds coach’s advice, helps Pilots to 2-0 showing at Hoophall Classic

Before his team headed to Massachusetts for the Hoophall Classic, Findlay Prep coach Mike Peck implored his team to do a better job on the boards.

Winston Shepard was listening.

Shepard had 16 points and 13 rebounds Monday to lead the Pilots to a 68-59 victory over Lincoln (Texas) in Springfield, Mass.

In two games of the event, Shepard grabbed 28 rebounds.

“He really took it to the next level for us,” Peck said. “That’s what we need out of him. He showed he can do it, now we’re going to expect it.”

Shepard also scored six consecutive points in the third quarter to start a 17-0 Findlay run.

He began the run with a rebound basket, followed that with a transition dunk, and then hit two free throws with 4:11 left in the quarter to put the Pilots, ranked No. 7 nationally by ESPN Rise, on top, 46-37.

Findlay held 13th-ranked Lincoln to one field goal in the third quarter as they extended a 35-31 halftime advantage to 53-37 heading into the final quarter.

Arizona signee Nick Johnson led the Pilots with 19 points. Texas recruit Myck Kabongo added 14 points, 10 assists, six rebounds and five steals, and sophomore Nigel Williams-Goss, who has committed to UNLV, scored 11 for Findlay.

Findlay (19-2) stormed out of the gate quickly, forcing seven turnovers in the first quarter and taking an 18-8 lead with 3:37 to go in the opening period.

“One thing we’ve struggled with this year is our slow starts,” Peck said. “We came out and had a good start, but then we had some lapses.”

Oklahoma State signee LeBryan Nash led Lincoln with 23 points and eight rebounds.

GAELS FALLS TO NO. 2 CELTICS — Bishop Gorman, ranked No. 47 nationally, also played in the Hoophall Classic, but the Gaels didn’t couldn’t match Findlay’s success.

Michael Gilchrist, who has signed with Kentucky, had 27 points and 10 rebounds to lead second-ranked St. Patrick (N.J.) to a 79-63 victory over Gorman (13-4).

Gilchrist had 14 points in the first half to help the Celtics to a 34-26 lead at the break.

Gorman junior Shabazz Muhammad had five points in the first half before breaking out in the third quarter.

Muhammad had Gorman’s first 11 second-half points, but the Gaels couldn’t cut into the Celtics’ lead.
Muhammad finished with 28 points and six rebounds. Ben Carter added 14 points, nine rebounds and four blocked shots, and Rosco Allen scored 13 for Gorman.