The 22-0 Tigers topped the Warriors 80-58 a couple of weeks ago in Chapel Hill, but this time Coach Tod Morgan's Tigers had to go on the road to a loud, full gym to face a better Webb team that now had a 6-foot, 8-inch Isaiah Hicks. The tall, talented and athletic junior already has committed to North Carolina.

Hicks lived up to his reputation as one of the nation's premier power forwards and scored 18 points, grabbed 16 rebounds and blocked seven shots. A defensive presence in the paint, he forced the Tigers to alter several more attempts from the lane.

Hicks missed the first semester this school year after transferring back to Webb. He had played at the Oxford school as a freshman, transferred to Raleigh Body of Christ and returned last fall.

Still ineligible to play Jan. 18 in Chapel Hill, Hicks nonetheless joined his team in Tiger Gym for the pre-game shoot around and then watched the game from the stands. He predicted the showdown in Oxford would be for the Carolina-6's top seed in the post-season playoffs.

"Everyone knows this is the team to beat," he said in Chapel Hill.

Last Friday, Hicks helped his team bolt to a 12-2 lead, but the Tigers' combo of high-scoring guard Denzel Ingram (29 points) and 6-3 workhorse post player Anthony Vanhook (17) pulled the Tigers back together. Chapel Hill used a 24-11 second quarter advantage to lead 32-23 at halftime.

"You can see why Roy Williams likes him. He's a pretty good player, isn't he?" Morgan said. "I was really proud of our effort, because we just don't have that size. He did intimidate us early."

The Chapel Hill lead was 54-49 entering the final period.

But Webb exploded in fourth quarter, and scored 16 straight points. Hicks hit a three-pointer that put his team ahead 55-54 with just two minutes to play.

Down the stretch, though, Vanhook grabbed three big defensive rebounds and Ingram scored eight points, including six of six free throws, and the Tigers did what they do best: win.

Last Friday's win left the Tigers in first place in the Carolina Six 3-A Conference with an 8-0 mark with just two games to play - home against Southern Vance and then at Orange for the season finale on Friday.

Chapel Hill will need some help - from its girls team - if Morgan's team is to avoid a second game at tenacious Cardinal Gibbons in next week's Carolina-6 tournament. The Crusaders have given undefeated Chapel Hill its closest conference tests this season, including a 54-51 thriller in Tiger Gym.

The finals of the Carolina-6 tournament - boys and girls - will be held at the home of the highest seeded girls team left in the event. The CHHS and Cardinal Gibbons girls split in the regular season. Both play third-place Orange this week, the results of which could be used as a tiebreaker.

Webb's boys were 14-5 overall and in second place of the Carolina at 6-2 after Friday's loss.

"We didn't play our best game, but Chapel Hill had a lot to do with that," Webb coach Lee Brunelli said. "But, with Isaiah back in school here, I think we'll keep getting better."