Late run carries ER past Asheboro

RAMSEUR — Senior Julian Brooks, much like a great many of his Eastern Randolph High School varsity boys basketball teammates, had to make the transition from a deep playoff run in football to the basketball court. 

It’s not easy and it takes time.

“I don’t think we’re there yet,” Brooks said before last Friday night’s game about the Wildcats being in basketball shape and playing to their full capabilities. “We’re not there yet, but we should be there in the next two or three games.”

The Wildcats got there earlier than expected.

With Brooks providing solid play underneath, Tyler Gee scoring 10 points in the final quarter and Timmy Brower adding nine more, ER broke away from a fourth-quarter tie to record a 66-50 win over rival Asheboro High School Friday night at a packed gymnasium at ERHS.

The Wildcats (4-3) outscored the Blue Comets 22-6 in the final eight minutes to capture the win.

“I was talking to my coaches before the game and said how nice it would be for everyone to show up,” said third-year ER coach Jonathan Thomas. “When we go out there and just go through the motions, it shows. 

“Tonight, everyone stepped up and everybody thinks stepping up means scoring points. For me, stepping up is getting that box out we need, securing extra loose balls, controlling possession. Doing everything within our means to be successful and I thought we did everything we could tonight and we pulled it off.”

Brooks was a huge part of the interior game. Despite getting two early fouls and missing most of the first quarter, he came back to provide seven points, a number of rebounds and tough inside defense against an AHS team with plenty of inside power. That’s really nothing new. He’s been doing that for four years.

After he saw action as a freshman, a year ER finished 8-15 overall and 2-10 in the conference, Thomas took over as coach and Brooks and the Wildcats thrived. In Thomas’ first year and Brooks’ sophomore campaign, the Wildcats finished 29-3 and advanced to the state championship game in Raleigh at NC State, falling to Wilson Prep in the title game. Brooks averaged 5.6 points and 5.0 rebounds that season.

In his junior year, Brooks averaged 9.3 points and 8.5 rebounds for a team that went 18-11 overall, and in this, his senior year, he is averaging 11.2 points and 7.7 rebounds early on.

He said he’s still trying to find his footing on the basketball court after the football team advanced to the third round of the state 1-A playoffs.

“It’s kind of a tough transition,” Brooks said after finishing an impressive prep football career. “Most of our basketball team is football players and it’s us getting back on track, learning plays and getting back in basketball shape. We’re a little team, so we have to be able to run, play fast and quick.”

Last year, a tough schedule resulted in a 2-4 start. This year, ER has fallen in early-season games to Randleman, which is undefeated, Green Hope and Westover. This week is another challenging one as the Wildcats were scheduled to battle Southwestern Randolph on Tuesday, Uwharrie Charter Academy on Friday and Rockingham County on Saturday.

“We were tired of losing, tired of being known only as a football school,” Brooks said of the last three seasons. “We were tired of being good in only one sport. We had a chip on our shoulder.”

Thomas was a key cog in turning around a program that hadn’t had a winning season since 2015-16 when Seth Baxter and the Wildcats finished 21-6. Since Baxter left after the following season, it’s been a revolving door of coaches with a 32-78 record in the previous five seasons before Thomas arrived. ER was 1-23 in the 2017-18 season. 

Brooks said his job hasn’t changed as he helped rebuild the program in the past four seasons.

“My job is to rebound and put the ball in the hole,” Brooks said. “I’m stronger, get the ball more to score it and find my teammates. I feel comfortable with that. I understand the game well enough.”

With a number of younger players playing key roles this season, Brooks and the rest of the seniors have been counted on for their leadership skills as well.

“We have to talk, speak up,” he said. “We have a lot of guys who are young and aren’t used to playing on a big platform like this. We have to help them out and make them better.”

Thomas said Brooks has a defined role.

“I want hustle, I need him to hustle,” Thomas said. “He is really strong. We’re working to try and get the ball inside, get him some touches. Those big guys get neglected so much these days because it’s so guard-dominated. I demand 10-15 rebounds a game from him and no letdowns.”

There weren’t any on Friday night from Brooks or any of his teammates. Brower finished with 22 points, including 10 in the first quarter, Camden Jones scored 13 of his 16 points in the second quarter and Gee scored 10 of his 17 in the final quarter to guide the Wildcats to the win.

Jalil Timmons hit four 3-pointers in the first half for the Blue Comets, who slipped to 9-3 entering action this week. Jewell-Barrett Riggins came off the bench after an injury to Zak Blackwell and provided 14 points. Timmons finished with 12 and Osiris Rodriguez 10.