Prep hoops -- Defense sparks Cougar boys

By David Williams
Published in Sports on November 30, 2004 1:56 PM

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Randy Jordan coined a new phrase in describing his Goldsboro High School boys basketball team.

"We are extremely young," he said. "But we are an experienced young."

While that might seem a contradiction in terms, all was made clear when the Cougars opened the home schedule with a 68-61 win over Southeast Raleigh Monday night at the Cougar Den.

The Cougar girls struggled against a quality Southeast Raleigh team, falling 73-39 for Goldsboro's first back-to-back losses in over a year.

Golds-boro's boys have but three seniors, and its roster sports five juniors, four sophomores and a freshman. But most of the Cougar squad got valuable experience last season at the varsity level and have turned those lessons into improved play this season.

Jordan also noted the key to the team -- unity.

"They like each other," he said. "They play hard together. They encourage each other. They believe in each other."

Goldsboro won its second straight game after beating Southeast in overtime last week in Wake County. The Cougars used tough defense to create scoring opportunities against the taller, athletic Bulldogs.

And when Southeast did get the ball inside, Daquan Joyner was there to swat awayshot after shot. The 6-foot-6 sophomore had his second straight triple double, with 10 blocks, 18 rebounds and 15 points.

"We ran our zone traps a lot on the first half," Jordan said. "In the second half we ran half-court trap, then our three-quarter zone and zone trap, and I think the different looks confused them.

"We have the makings of being a pretty good defensive team."

Goldsboro used an 11-3 run to open the second half and get an eight-point lead. Southeast cut the gap to five points midway through the fourth period, but Goldsboro stayed poised, adjusted defenses, and got some critical points at the line and off the half-court set to pull away.

"We spread the floor a little, found a few back-door cuts on them, went to the free-throw line a lot -- and made a lot, too," said Jordan,

Tim Kornegay had another big scoring night with 22 points to lead the Cougars, while D'eonta Anderson had 14 points. Jordan praised senior Ron Cannon, who had three points but battled hard and converted a three-point play at a critical juncture in the second half.

"I'm very pleased," said Jordan. "That's a big 4-A school. We have a little over 700 kids and they have over 2,300, and for us to beat them twice says a lot about our kids."

Jordan said the games were important building blocks to the team learning their roles.

"You don't run the Kentucky Derby with Clydesdales when you show up with a thoroughbred," he said. "That's what we've got. We have some kids who are great athletes who understand the game, and who understand how we want to play it. They're just now starting to find their roles."

For the second straight game, the Lady Cougars experienced being the team on the receiving end of pressure and quickness. Goldsboro turned the ball over 43 times -- 26 times in the second half -- as Southeast Raleigh sprinted through the defenses for most of the first period. Goldsboro trimmed a 21-6 lead to just 26-19 at the half as the defense toughened inside and Ashelyn James keyed the offense.

But Southeast Raleigh put the game out of reach with a 28-point third period, while holding Goldsboro to just nine points over the same stretch.

Cougar point guard Chevoya Jackson, who was not in the game last week against the Bulldogs, drew a lot of defensive attention and found herself in foul trouble throughout the game.

"I had wanted to play Southeast Raleigh last year, but for one reason or another the schedules wound not permit it," said Goldsboro coach Gladys McClary. "After the regional finals last year, I went to the principal and asked to play Southeast Raleigh, because playing a team like that would prepare us to play better in the long run. It helped me as a coach to see our strengths, and more importantly, our weaknesses."

McClary was pleased with the defense at times, and praised frontcourt players James, Carmille Early and Jessica Faison, who was all over the court and came up with 12 points and several rebounds.

"When you play a big 4-A school, you don't go in looking at the score," McClary said. "You go into those games knowing exactly what you want to accomplish offensively and defensively. We wanted to win the game, but we were realistic."

The Cougars will get right back on the floor tonight, hosting Charles B. Aycock in the opening game of conference play.

"There are no gimmes in this conference -- never has been, and never will be," said Jordan. "Now we have Aycock coming in ... we'd better lace up our sneakers and be ready, because Aycock's going to come at us."

Boys game

SE Raleigh 9 15 14 25 -- 61

Goldsboro 8 18 20 22 -- 68

SE RALEIGH (2-2)

Matthew Coleman 10 0 3-3 23; Reggie Jones 6 1 0-0 15; Cameron Tatum 3 0 0-1 6; Brandon Vick 1 0 4-6 6; David Little 2 0 1-2 3; Jarrett Brunston 1 0 1-2 3; David Ricks 1 0 0-0 2; Darrius Barnes 1 0 0-0 2; Joey Ellerbee 0 0 1-4 1. TOTALS -- 25 1 10-19 61.

GOLDSBORO (2-0)

Tim Kornegay 8 1 3-6 22; Daquan Joyner 5 0 5-6 15; D'eonta Anderson 6 0 2-2 14; Raheem Lofton 2 0 1-2 5; Joe Houpe 2 0 0-0 4; Ron Cannon 1 0 1-1 3; Tavon Waters 0 0 3-4 3; Branden Herring 1 0 0-0 2. TOTALS -- 25 1 15-21 68.

Three point baskets --SE Raleigh 1 (Tatum), Goldsboro 1 (Kornegay). Turnovers -- SE Raleigh 30, Goldsboro 30. Total fouls -- SE Raleigh 21, Goldsboro 18. Fouled out -- none. Technicals -- none.

Girls game

SE Raleigh 21 15 28 19 -- 73

Goldsboro 6 13 9 11 -- 39

SE RALEIGH (3-0)

Emilee Christopher 4 2 1-2 15; Tiana Morris 5 1 0-0 13; Loreal Price 5 0 0-0 10; Tia'hannna Bowers 4 0 1-2 9; Jenell Moore 4 0 0-0 8; Whitney Long 2 0 0-0 4; Amanda Kelly 2 0 0-0 4; Jonesha Clayton 0 1 0-0 3; Tiffany Washington 1 0 1-2 3; Jasmine Bush 1 0 0-0 2; Shamika Jackson 1 0 0-0 2. TOTALS -- 29 4 3-6 73.

GOLDSBORO (0-2)

Ashelyn James 6 0 2-4 14; Jessica Faison 5 0 2-3 12; Camille Early 2 0 1-2 5; Mikeda Graham 1 0 0-1 2; Risheda Graham 1 0 0-0 2; Chevoya Jackson 1 0 0-0 2; Tiffany Burden 1 0 0-0 2. TOTALS -- 17 0 5-10 39.

Three-point baskets -- SE Raleigh 4 (Christopher 2, Clanton, Morris). Turnovers -- SE Raleigh 17, Goldsboro 43. Total fouls -- SE Raleigh 13. Goldsboro 13. Fouled out -- Jackson. Technicals -- none.