Rams get scorer back, top Cougars

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on January 21, 2004 2:00 PM

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SNOW HILL -- Gerry Kesselbach hadn't been in the starting lineup the last two games, but he proved during recent practices that he belonged among the first five.

First-year coach Kevin Hart had sacrificed Kesselbach's ball-handling duties and scoring by going with a lineup that could be rebound. But he's certainly glad he listed the shooting guard as a starter against SouthWest Edgecombe on Tuesday evening.

Kesselbach torched the Cougar defense for 27 points, including six 3-pointers, as the Rams prevailed 76-66 in a Class 2-A Eastern Plains Conference matchup. Greene Central climbed into a four-way for first place in the league at 2-1 with SouthWest, North Pitt and South Lenoir.

SouthWest Edgecombe's girls collected 27 steals in their fullcourt press and Greene Central wilted in the second half of a 70-33 loss. The Lady Cougars remained tied atop the league standings at 3-0 with state-ranked North Lenoir.

"(Kesselbach) has been playing so well and got really hot the second half against North Lenoir, so I felt he was going to have a really good game," Hart said. "That worked out in our favor. He was the difference in the game offensively."

Kesselbach's biggest production occurred in the third quarter.

The Cougars started the period with an 8-2 run and trailed by a basket around the six-minute mark. Kesselbach drained a 3-pointer and Jordy Davis added a 3-pointer off Kesselbach's assist off the next two possessions to give Greene Central a little breathing room.

Kesselbach finished the period with nine points, two assists and three steals.

"We lost a man here and there," SouthWest coach Dudley Etheridge said. "We lost number 3 (Kesselbach) in the corner the first time. Then they come down and we lost 14 (Davis), and he makes a shot.

"Then we're fighting to catch up the rest of the way."

The Rams (8-9, 2-1 EPC) led by as much as eight points the rest of the quarter. They extended their lead into double digits in the final period with solid production at the free throw line, hitting 12 of 19 shots.

Clifton Chapman complemented Kesselbach's effort with 11 points -- all in the first half. Teddie Waters and Jonathan Gage each added nine for the Rams, which out-rebounded the Cougars 41-24.

Jarrett Eason led three Cougars in double figures with 18 points. Brandon Mabry added 16, including four 3-pointers. Cedric Hopkins chipped in 10.

SouthWest (8-8) had started conference play 2-0 for the first time since 1992 when Greg Grantham took the program to a N.C. High School Athletic Association 3-A sectional final.

"It's early in the year to be conference counting, but we've got a league with six teams, so every game is important," Hart said. "You're not looking ahead to any game, but you've got to look at the standings and say you can't have a let up if you're going to have a shot at the conference (title)."

Greene Central's girls fell behind 17-6 early in the first quarter, but scrapped their way back into the game once the first eight minutes had been completed. The Rams stayed within striking distance and had two possessions to take the lead. However, they missed a couple of easy shots and trailed 29-23 at halftime.

Then B.J. Bass' team disappeared.

The intensity shifted over the Lady Cougars' locker room at halftime. Veteran coach Sandra Langley "blessed" her team for not playing intense and not keeping a killer instinct when they had the Rams on the ropes.

SouthWest employed a 1-2-1-1 fullcourt press which produced numerous turnovers and headaches for Bass on the sideline in the third quarter. No matter how many times she diagrammed press-breaking plays on her clipboard, she didn't see it on the court.

Geya Norwood-Shaw collected numerous layups off turnovers and tallied 17 second-half points in the absence of senior guard Tamara Hyman. Hyman aggravated an ankle injury in the second quarter and did not play the second half.

"We made two or three bad passes and got frustrated with ourselves," Bass said. "We've got to learn to slow down and read the floor better. We made some good decisions in the first half, I thought, against their press.

"Our rebounding was terrible. SouthWest did a good job, especially on the offensive boards."

The Cougars (10-6) dominated the boards 41-26. Freshman Brittany Talbott pulled down 10 rebounds with half coming on the offensive end, while Tahara Epps grabbed nine.

Briana Stanton led the Rams with 12 points.

Boys game

SW Edgecombe 9 13 19 25 -- 66

Greene Central 8 20 21 27 -- 76

SW EDGECOMBE (8-8, 2-1 EPC)

Cedric Hopkins 2 2 0-0 10, Jarrett Eason 3 2 6-7 18, Antwan Cotton 3 0 2-2 8, Kendrick Thorne 2 0 1-2 5, Taquaris Pearce 2 1 2-2 9, Walter Randolph 0 0 0-0 0, Brandon Mabry 1 4 2-2 16. TOTALS -- 13 9 13-15 66.

GREENE CENTRAL (8-9, 2-1)

Gerry Kesselbach 3 6 3-4 27, Teddie Waters 3 1 0-0 9, Dreyon Willis 1 0 3-6 5, Charles Gamble 1 0 2-2 4, Kenny Smith 2 0 1-1 5, Tykii Swinson 0 0 1-2 1, Clifton Chapman 1 2 3-3 11, Jordy Davis 1 1 0-0 5, Rodney Wilkes 0 0 0-0 0, Tyrone Hall 0 0 0-0 0, Jonathan Gage 3 0 3-4 9, Brandon Corbitt 0 0 0-2 0. TOTALS -- 15 10 16-24 76.

Three-point baskets -- Greene Central 10 (Kesselbach 6, Chapman 2, Davis, Waters); SW Edgecombe 9 (Mabry 4, Eason 2, Hopkins 2, Pearce). Turnovers -- SW Edgecombe 16, Greene Central 17. Total fouls -- SW Edgecombe 22, Greene Central 16. Fouled out -- Eason, Cotton, Mabry. Technicals -- Mabry.

Girls game

SW Edgecombe 17 12 20 21 -- 70

Greene Central 13 10 5 5 -- 33

SW EDGECOMBE (10-6, 3-0 EPC)

Tamara Hyman 2 0 4-7 8, Dominique Hudson 5 0 0-0 10, Carlette Bell 1 0 0-0 2, Monique Hudson 3 1 0-0 9, Tracey Edwards 1 0 0-0 2, Brittany Talbott 4 0 0-0 8, Tahara Epps 4 0 0-3 8, Jamie Fisher 3 0 0-0 6, Geya Norwood-Shaw 4 2 3-4 17. TOTALS -- 27 3 7-14 70.

GREENE CENTRAL (6-11, 1-2)

Teketia May 0 1 3-4 6, Briana Stanton 6 0 0-1 12, April Jones 0 0 0-0 0, Fernanda Brown 1 0 0-0 2, Peoria Wade 0 0 0-0 0, Natosha Williams 1 0 0-0 2, Diandra Tyson 2 0 2-2 6, Oriel Rodgers 2 0 1-2 5. TOTALS -- 12 1 6-9 33.

Three-point baskets -- Greene Central 1 (May); SW Edgecombe 3 (Norwood-Shaw 2, M. Hudson). Turnovers -- SW Edgecombe 18, Greene Central 35. Total fouls -- SW Edgecombe 12, Greene Central 13. Fouled out -- none. Technicals -- none.