Cougar sweep -- Goldsboro takes two from SSS

Published in Sports on November 30, 2005 2:05 PM

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Good defense makes coaches smile. The Goldsboro High boys and girls teams used solid defensive efforts Tuesday night to sweep both games from Smithfield-Selma at the Cougar Den.

The Cougar boys used a pressing defense and forced the Panthers to play an up-tempo second half to win going away, 78-57. The Lady Cougars scored 20 points in the fourth quarter and rallied from 10 points behind to beat the Lady Panthers, 37-32.

The Goldsboro boys scored 45 points in the second half by turning numerous steals into easy layups.

"I was extremely pleased with the defensive effort for the game and particularly in the second half," Goldsboro coach Randy Jordan said. "In the second half, we changed up a little and took some things away from them."

The Cougars led only by two after an evenly played first half.

Goldsboro began the third quarter with a full-court press. Talented big man Tim Kornegay scored eight points in the third period as the Cougars started dominating inside. The big third quarter was also highlighted by trifectas from Daquan Joyner and Eric McLean.

The Cougars did not let up in the fourth quarter, scoring 24 points with solid play from the reserves.

"The thing I really liked was everyone contributed offensively, in the second half we got the tempo where we really wanted it," Jordan said.

The Goldsboro defense allowed only one Smithfield-Selma 3-point basket in the game compared to six for Goldsboro.

The Cougars were led in scoring by three players in double figures. Kornegay scored 24 points followed by Joyner and McLean with 18 and 12 points, respectively.

The Cougars girls team battled the Panthers to a 13-13 deadlock in the first half. Goldsboro went cold in the third quarter as Smithfield Selma outscored the Cougars 12-4 to lead by eight entering the final period.

Goldsboro's Chevoya Jackson scored 14 of the Cougars 17 points through three quarters. In the fourth quarter, Jackson's teammates came alive with 13 points as Goldsboro frantically erased a 10-point defecit in the final six minutes with a ball-hawking defense.

The Lady Cougars finally took the lead at the 3:16 mark as Johnesia May scored on a layup and was fouled. She added the free throw and Goldsboro had a lead it would not relinquish in the final three minutes of the game.

"I was proud of my team because when we got behind they kept their focus, I told our team in the fourth quarter everyone had to step up and they did," Goldsboro girls coach Gladys McClary said. "We won because of defense, just the little things like getting your hands up and keeping them up. Because we are a young and small team defense is going to be the key for us."

In addition to great defense, the Cougar girls made 14 of 19 foul shots.

Jackson led Goldsboro with 21 points -- including 7-of-10 from the line. Kianna Williams chipped in with five points. Williams also had the game's only 3-point basket in the fourth quarter.

The Cougar teams will travel to Southern Wayne on Friday night to square off with their cross county rivals.

Girls

SSS 6 7 12 7 -- 32

Goldsboro 7 6 4 20 -- 37

Smithfield Selma (1-3)

Angie Blake 1 0 0-0 2; Rejess Marshal 2 0 4-7 8; Vanessa Curtis 0 0 1-2 1; Jocelyn Gaines 0 0 4-8 4; Mary Humphries 2 0 0-0 4 Sierra Pearson 3 0 3-4 9; Deandra Cunningham 2 0 0-2 4. TOTALS -- 10 0 23-12 32.

Goldsboro (2-1)

Angel Williams 0 0 2-2 2; Chevoya Jackson 7 0 7-10 21; Kianna Williams 1 1 0-1 5; Tiffany Burden 0 0 1-2 1; Daniel Irby 1 0 2-2 4; Johneshia Maye 1 0 2-2 4. TOTALS -- 10 1 14-19 37.

Three-point baskets - Smithfield Selma none, Goldsboro 1, (Williams). Total fouls - Smithfield Selma 17, Goldsboro 18.

Turnovers - Smithfield Selma 18, Goldsboro 25. Fouled out - Smithfield Selma - Cunningham; Goldsboro - Williams. Technical fouls - none

Boys

SSS 14 17 12 14 -- 57

Goldsboro 17 16 21 24 -- 78

Smithfield Selma (0-1, 0-0)

Arih Duncan 0 0 1-2 1. Damon Revell 2 0 0-0 4; Alex Humphries 1 0 0-0 2; Maurice Murray 12 0 0-0 24; Brandon Grantham 2 1 2-5 9; Cameron Howell 1 0 2-3 4; Wesley Quinn 1 0 0-0 2 Ashton Dickson 4 0 3-5 11. TOTALS -- 23 1 8-15 57.

Goldsboro (2-2, 0-0)

Branden Herring 3 0 0-0 6; Burnie Best 2 0 0-0 4; Eric McLean 2 2 2-2 12; Clifton Lawson 0 0 1-3 1; Tim Kornegay 10 1 1-2 24; Anthony Artis 1 1 3-4 8; Joe Houpe 2 0 0-2 4; Daquan Joyner 6 2 0-0 18; Antonio Green 0 0 1-1 1. TOTALS -- 17 7 11-14 66.

Three-point baskets - Smithfield Selma 1, (Grantham), Goldsboro 6, (McLean 2, Kornegay, Artis, Joyner 2). Total fouls - Smithfield Selma 17, Goldsboro 19.

Turnovers - Smithfield Selma 16, Goldsboro 16. Fouled out - none,

Technical fouls - none