Hendrick of Durham 68 Team McGladrey 67 (OT)

By Mark Carroll - Blog Coordinator

Great anticipation preceded the first match-up of the 2010 Greater NC Pro-Am, and the players did not disappoint. N.C. State senior Tracy Smith and incoming freshman CJ Leslie were two notable players representing Team McGladrey, as Hendrick of Durham featured local star Nick Chasten of N.C. Central.

Smith showed off his range early with a deep two points in the first quarter. Leslie contributed many buckets of his own as Wolfpack fans caught a glimpse at the future of State basketball.

Team McGladrey struggled from the free throw line and Hendrick of Durham took advantage of numerous second-chance opportunities to take an early lead. Hendrick of Durham's Chris Hill electrified the crowd toward the end of the half by slamming in an alley-oop. Tracy Smith put down a two-handed dunk of his own by the end of the second quarter, but his team trailed at halftime, 29-25.

The competition grew even more in the second half. Chasten knocked down a three pointer to extend his team's lead to 8, but Upper Room Christian Academy's Rodney Purvis led Team McGladrey on a run to tie the game, 37-37. The third quarter ended with a Purvis lay-up, but Hendrick of Durham held a 48-45 lead entering the final quarter of regulation.

The fourth period began with the dunk of the night, as Team McGladrey's Joel Kendrick threw down a one-handed slam over former Norfolk State star Michael Deloach. Later on, Leslie found Purvis for a lay-up as Team McGladrey took the lead, 55-54. James Zimmerman responded with one of his many three pointers of the night. Leslie continued to take over the game by converting an old-fashioned three point play and immediately rejecting a shot on the other end of the floor. In the final minute, Smith made the second of two free throws to knot the game at 63-63. Zimmerman missed what would have been a game-winning three at the other end and the ball was deflected out of bounds as time expired. Regulation was not enough to determine this one.

In the extra period, Leslie responded to a Chasten lay-up with two good free throws. The fans were on the edge of their seats as former Norfolk State star Michael Deloach put in a reverse lay-up to give Hendrick of Durham a 68-65 lead. Team McGladrey inbounded the ball with 12.2 seconds remaining and Philip Bryant hit a two-pointer, but it was too little, too late. Hendrick of Durham escaped with a thrilling victory, 68-67.