Apex Basketball 1st and 2nd round review

Andrew Bulieris
Sports Editor


​After a supposed technical issue the high school basketball brackets were released last Sunday in the evening which revealed Apex men’s basketball (17-10) would travel to Hoggard high (18-9) in Wilmington, and Apex women’s posted a high enough record (20-7) to host Rolesville(16-11) at home in what would end up being the last women’s basketball game at home in the Cougar Den.

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The men’s team traveled out to Hoggard High in hopes of stealing a win in Wilmington with the potential to return to the Cougar Den one last time for the Cougars. Apex walked away with a 51-46 victory in a generally low-scoring affair. After a slow four-point first quarter the Cougars sped up and rode the momentum all the way to a win after exploding for twenty-two points in the fourth quarter. The women’s team stayed home and took on the Rolesville Rams in the Lady Cougar’s final outing in the Cougar Den and closed it out with a win. The final score was 63-52. The men’s team moved on to play Clayton High School at home while the women’s team had to travel to New Hanover after playing their last home game ever at the Den.

​On Thursday night the men’s team hosted Clayton high as the men’s team would be playing the last ever home game officially at the Cougar Den. The boys closed out the Den with a strong defeat of the comets 83-67. The Cougars never lost the lead all game and lit up the score board in the 3rd and 4th quarter combining for 47 points. Senior Eric Fox scored a total of 40 points this game while also grabbing 16 rebounds. The men’s team never allowed the score to come within 15 points after taking a 60-31 lead late in the game. Apex as a whole shot 21-36 from the floor while shooting 32-37 from the free throw line. Apex will travel out to South Central to face a strong Falcons team hot off an overtime win over Athens. The women’s basketball team traveled out to New Hanover to face off against the Lady Wildcats. Apex started off fast ending the first quarter with a 17-10 lead, but fell off the rest of the game, unable to keep up with the Wildcats falling to New Hanover 59-50. Congratulations to the Lady Cougars on a great season and some great performances in the playoffs.