Cougar Classic -- Pressure defense saves Goldsboro's boys

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on December 23, 2004 1:55 PM

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Undisciplined play against a team with nothing to lose nearly turned into a disastrous recipe Wednesday evening for the Goldsboro High varsity boys basketball team.

Luckily, the Cougars created enough offense off their pressure defense in the final two minutes and turned back Knightdale 91-77 in the 2004 Cougar Holiday Classic. Goldsboro (8-1) opposes East Wake in today's 8 p.m. game, while Knightdale -- a first-year program -- battled Wilson Beddingfield at 4 p.m.

Ashelyn James turned in her best offensive performance of the season against Knightdale's girls. The 5-foot-11 senior forward recorded a game-high 21 points as the Cougars claimed their eighth consecutive win 48-24. Goldsboro (8-2) faces East Wake at 6 o'clock tonight.

Knightdale tipped off against Wilson Beddingfield at 2 p.m. today.

"We took this for granted today and didn't play with the intensity that we normally play with," Goldsboro boys coach Randy Jordan said. "I give a lot of credit to Knightdale. They had nothing to lose and they played their tails off.

"They should be very proud of themselves as a first-year varsity program."

Each time the Cougars built a double-digit lead, the Knights answered.

Malcom Jones frustrated the Goldsboro defense with superb shooting beyond the 3-point arc, while Randolph Howell continually drove the baseline for uncontested layups.

The Cougars uncorked a 16-5 run late in the second period and led 42-25 at the 1-minute, 53-second mark. The Knights countered with a 9-0 run on 3-pointers from Jones, Howell and Chris Daniels.

Goldsboro led 43-34 at the break.

"It's not that we're not a good defensive team, but we're making silly mistakes," Jordan said. "We're not taking away the baseline drive, not stopping people from penetrating to the middle and not taking the charge.

"We're not doing fundamental things defensively."

Jordan's team started well in the third quarter and led 54-40 with about six minutes remaining. However, the Cougars experienced another lapse and allowed the Knights to spread them out defensively, negating their height advantage in the paint.

Jones capitalized on the scheme, burying three consecutive 3-pointers. Knightdale trailed 54-49 at the 4:10 mark and forced Jordan to burn a full timeout.

"In our halfcourt man-to-man, we weren't switching well and that allowed No. 10 (Jones) to be wide open for those threes," Jordan said. "He's a good shooter."

Knightdale (3-8) stayed within striking distance and faced a 72-67 deficit when Howell scored off Dennis Bland's assist underneath the basket.

Tim Kornegay's free throw, Adrian Collins' offensive putback and Raheem Lofton's 3-pointer -- off a turnover against the press -- put the Cougars back in a comfort zone at 80-69.

The Knights, again, closed to within single digits, 81-74, on Howell's 3-pointer from the left wing. Goldsboro continued with its pressure defense and finished the contest with a 9-3 run.

"The press helped us tremendously," Jordan said. "We have got to get better, especially defensively. The only good thing I can say about the game is it was a win."

Kornegay blistered the nets for a season- and career-high 30 points. Six-foot-6 sophomore Daquan Joyner provided 16 points, while Lofton contributed 11.

Daniels led three Knightdale players in double figures with 23 points. Howell finished with 20 and Jones added 19, including 15 from 3-point range.

Veteran Cougar girls coach Gladys McClary summed up her team's double-digit victory in one word -- impressive. She used the adjective to describe James' play and the leadership provided by junior point guard Chevoya Jackson.

The duo combined for 39 points -- 80 percent of the team's offensive output.

James hit two field goals and added an old-fashioned three-point play -- all within a two-minute span in the opening quarter. Jackson did her usual damage and helped Goldsboro build a 17-0 lead.

"I was impressed with their efforts," McClary said. "We got down the floor a lot better. Defensively, the intensity picked up. I asked them on a scale of 1 to 10, how do you think you did.

"They said 'seven' and I agreed."

McClary emptied the bench with two minutes left in each quarter to give the reserves some quality playing time. Although they didn't produce offensively, they hustled and scrapped for every loose ball against the Knights.

Goldsboro hit 20 field goals compared to 11 for Knightdale.

Jackson collected 18 points for the Cougars, who had seven players tally at least one more point.

Freshman Bianca Parker emerged the Knights' top scorer with 15.

"We moved the ball well," McClary said. "James was a force inside and Jackson is becoming more of a leader and calling the plays on the court, which is what we're teaching her to do.

"Her teammates are listening to her."

Eight straight wins is proof.

Girls game

Knightdale 2 10 6 6 -- 24

Goldsboro 17 17 9 5 -- 48

KNIGHTDALE (1-8)

Harris 0 0 0-0 0, Holmes 0 0 0-2 0, Jones 0 1 0-0 3, Marriott 2 0 -0 4, Dewberry 1 0 0-0 2, Bianca Parker 7 0 1-5 15. TOTALS -- 10 1 1-7 24.

GOLDSBORO (8-2)

Early 0 0 0-2 0, Meadows 1 0-0 2, Chevoya Jackson 7 1 1-2 18, Bryant 0 0 0-0 0, Burden 0 0 1-2 1, Garner 1 0-0 2, M. Graham 0 0 0-0 0, R. Graham 1 0-0 2, Faison 1 0 0-2 2, Ashelyn James 8 0 5-5 21. TOTALS -- 19 1 7-13 48.

Three-point goals -- Knightdale 1 (Jones), Goldsboro 1 (Jackson). Turnovers -- Knightdale 20, Goldsboro 22. Total fouls -- Knightdale 9, Goldsboro 8. Fouled out -- none. Technical fouls -- none.

Boys game

Knightdale 17 17 19 24 -- 77

Goldsboro 22 21 21 27 -- 91

KNIGHTDALE (3-8)

Malcom Jones 1 5 2-4 19, Fortune 0 0 0-0 0, Chris Daniels 7 2 3-3 23, Bland 3 0 0-2 6, Wilkins 2 0 2-2 6, Randolph Howell 7 2 0-6 20, Lane 0 0 3-4 3. TOTALS -- 20 9 10-21 77.

GOLDSBORO (8-1)

McLean 0 1 0-0 3, Lawson 0 0 0-0 0, Tim Kornegay 11 1 5-9 30, Raheem Lofton 2 2 1-2 11, Anderson 4 0 1-5 9, Marsh 2 0-0 4, Waters 2 0 0-0 4, Houpe 4 0 0-0 8, Daquan Joyner 8 0-0 16, Cannon 1 0 2-2 4, Collins 1 0-0 2. TOTALS -- 35 4 9-18 91.

Three-point goals -- Knightdale 9 (Jones 5, Daniels 2, Howell 2), Goldsboro 4 (Lofton 2, Kornegay, McLean). Turnovers -- Knightdale 25, Goldsboro 14. Total fouls -- Knightdale 17, Goldsboro 17. Fouled out -- Daniels. Technical fouls -- none.