Robertson goes for 16 in Athens Drive's 46-35 victory over Cary

By: Zachary Adams

1/11/19

CARY, NC — Athens Drive (11-3, 2-0) used 16 points from Northern Kentucky signee DJ Robertson en route to their 46-35 victory over Cary (5-10, 1-2), who were without guards Jett Fortuny and BJ Keith.

The Cary Crazies and the rest of the Imp faithful fueled a quick start for the home side. Cary opened the game on an 8-3 run, highlighted by two threes from senior guard Logan McNeil. Athens Drive would find life behind a personal 6-0 run from junior AJ Thompson, that gave the Jaguars the 11-8 lead with 2:20 to go in the opening frame. Shortly thereafter, DJ Robertson would sink a fade-away jumper in front of the Cary bench to put the Jags up 13-8 with 1:36 remaining in the quarter. The Jaguars were not finished in the opening stanza. Out of a Cary timeout, Athens senior Chase Graham got behind the Imp defense and finished with a bank shot off the in-bounds. That made it 16-8 Athens Drive and that score would hold at the conclusion of eight minutes.

In the second quarter, points were few and hard to come by for both the Jaguars and Imps. There were a combined eight points scored in the quarter. Athens Drive took a 20-12 lead over Cary going into intermission.

Offense would return to the Imp Dome after the halftime break. DJ Robertson got the frame started for the Jags by dropping a corner three, giving Athens a 23-14 lead with 6:26 to play in the quarter. Cary’s Logan McNeil would respond with his third three of the ballgame on the ensuing possession, trimming the Jaguar lead to 23-17. Athens Drive would follow McNeil’s three with a 9-0 run. Brandon Poggioli knocked down a mid-range jumper, Mickey Frost completed an old-fashioned three point play, and Chase Graham got a long two to fall. That run gave the visitor’s the 32-20 advantage with 2:42 remaining in the third. After back-to-back Cary baskets, DJ Robertson sunk a step-back two from the elbow to extend the Jaguar lead to 11 with 1:06 to play in the stanza. That 11-point lead would stand, as Athens Drive was up 35-24 on Cary after 24 minutes of play.

DJ Robertson’s 7-point fourth quarter helped Athens put the game on ice. Robertson would get his “big quarter” started with a drive into the chest of Cary’s Jared Moore followed by a floater. That basket gave the Jags the 39-31 lead with 3:38 to play. Speaking of Jared Moore, he would get a contested bucket in the post that cut Athens’ lead to 43-33 and led to a Cary timeout with 1:12 to play. Out of the timeout, AJ Thompson played a bit of quarterback by finding DJ Robertson down the floor for an easy lay-up. The Imps fought to the final buzzer, but couldn’t overcome the Jaguars without of their two starters.

DJ Robertson led Athens Drive with a game-high 16 points. 13 of Robertson’s 16 came in the second half. Logan McNeil led Cary with 14 points. McNeil made four three point baskets.

#6/9 Athens Drive will be back in-action tomorrow afternoon apart of Phenom’s City of Oaks Classic. The Jaguars will meet Ravenscroft at Raleigh Trinity Academy. After the short exam break, Cary will play hosts to Riverside next Friday.