High school basketball: Chargers can't find way out of early hole

LITTLEFIELD — From 23 points behind, the deficit was sliced to 10.

Ayden-Grifton came off a proverbial flatline, got a steal on the baseline, and then met the long, tall arm of a SouthWest Edgecombe shot-blocker. A few minutes later, the Chargers were dealt a 62-53 high school boys’ basketball loss on Feb. 8.

“That was our moment right there,” Ayden-Grifton head coach John Moye said.

Gutsy as the charge was, a long evening of cold shooting and bad passes took its toll. The Chargers even got the deficit to eight in the final three minutes. But no miracle this night.

“Our guy is trying to dunk, and it’s, just lay the ball up,” Moye said of that missed chance. “Finish. Just, we need points. Flashy doesn’t get you anything but an ‘oooh’ and an ‘aaah.’ But getting the two points puts the pressure more on them, and we get more momentum.”

Ayden-Grifton has lost seven of 10 since the calendar year turned. The Chargers are 12-10 and have lost eight of 11 in Eastern Plains Conference action.

The victors returned to Pinetops with modest back-to-back wins, and having avenged a five-point setback in January. SouthWest is also 12-10 and 3-7 in the loop.

“We didn’t do what we’ve been coached to do,” Moye said. “We play harder than that. We box out better than that. We keep people from driving to the lane.”

Junior Zy Thigpen’s steal and snowbird with five minutes to go in the third period pushed the Cougars’ separation to 19 points. It eventually reached 23. Troubled by the guests’ zone and a cold touch, chipping away took time for Ayden-Grifton.

Junior Hatteras Jenkins’ 3-pointers twice in the fourth quarter ignited the Bob Murphrey Gymnasium crowd.

“That’s not us, the way we played tonight,” Moye said. “And the mood, from the majority of them in here tonight, they know that.”

Jaylen Brown, Jayden Quinerly and Nazaiah Telfair were honored pregame on Senior Night.

Juniors T.J. Payton, Cam Honey and Jahmir Outlaw spelled them later and ignited a second-quarter surge.

The Chargers never caught up and trailed 12-8 and 31-21 at the quarter breaks. It was 53-33 starting the fourth.

Senior Rodney Pettiway and Thigpen sparked the Cougars’ defense from the perimeter.

“We let the 1-2-2 zone stifle us,” Moye said.

Thigpen had a 3-pointer in the second quarter for a nine-point lead and sophomore Alijah Lassiter’s high-post cut made it 21-10. The hosts’ deficit reached 12 before recess.

The Chargers rallied by going inside to Honey, with Jenkins trying the baselines and with junior Josiha Crandell cleaning the Cougars’ glass. The efforts to find openings for 3-pointers led to long passes, and several were blue jersey interceptions.

Crandell finished with 16 points and Telfair 11. Sophomore Rick Smith led SouthWest with 15 points. Pettiway had 13.

“Passing was not good at all,” Moye said. “We talked about turnovers, boxing out and winning 50-50 balls. We did OK winning loose balls.”

Including a key one on the baseline as the rally hit a crescendo in the final four minutes. It was the moment.

Then came the long arm of the night’s law.

Girls Game

SW Edgecombe 51 Ayden-Grifton 21

The Chargers lost for the 14th consecutive outing. Aaliyah Hewett was honored on Senior Night.

Freshman Nayahanna Carmon and junior Madison Langemann led Ayden-Grifton with seven and six points, respectively. Freshman K.D. Collins scored 20 points and junior Aaliyah Whitehead 10 for the winners.

Ayden-Grifton fell to 2-21, is 0-11 in the Eastern Plains Conference and visits Washington to close the regular season Friday of next week.

SouthWest head coach Sandra Langley, winningest basketball coach in N.C. High School Athletic Association history, recorded victory No. 843. The Cougars are 16-5 this season, third place at 7-3 in the Eastern Plains and have won eight of 10.

BOYS’ BASKETBALL

Feb. 9

Greene Central 53 West Craven 51

The Rams overcame an early eight-point deficit, carried a 26-24 edge into halftime and fended off one last rally from the Eagles for a tight win.

Mez Coppedge amassed 14 points and grabbed eight rebounds to lead GC (12-11, 6-5) to the much-needed EPC victory.

Greene Central hosted Farmville Central on Tuesday.

South Central 56 Havelock 47

The Falcons cruised to a season sweep of the Rams and remained perfect in Big Carolina Conference play.

South Central (17-2, 10-0) hosted Jacksonville in a BCC showdown on Tuesday night.

Feb. 6

Farmville Central 76, West Craven 49

The Jaguars cruised to a 10-0 Eastern Plains Conference record and 22-1 overall in another convincing win in Vanceboro.

It completed a season sweep for Farmville Central in a decidedly closer game than the first meeting.

FC was off until a Tuesday trek to Greene Central.

Ayden-Grifton 68 North Pitt 53

The Chargers opened a 28-11 lead after the first quarter and sent the Panthers to their third loss in three tries this season against A-G.

Ayden-Grifton (12-9, 3-7) got back into the win column after four straight losses.

Washington 68 Greene Central 60

The Pam Pack grew a slim early lead into a 34-26 edge at halftime en route to a key EPC win.

GIRLS’ BASKETBALL

Feb. 9

South Central 65 Havelock 25

The Falcons demolished the Rams and improved to 10-0 in the BCC.

South Central (20-2) hosted Jacksonville on Tuesday.

Feb. 6

North Pitt 74 Ayden-Grifton 17

The Panthers stormed past the Chargers behind their big two.

Zamareya Jones amassed a triple-double with 22 points, 10 assists and 11 rebounds, while Jordan Speller added 21 points and Zihanna Lightfoot 10 points.

West Craven 60 Farmville Central 35

The Jags saw their three-game winning streak halted by a 16-1 Eagles squad.

No players scored in double digits for Farmville, which was led by eight points and six rebounds from freshman Kaydien Joyner, while senior Nakevia Phillips added seven points and eight boards.

FC (10-9, 5-5) played at Greene Central on Tuesday.