Lady Cougars hang with Knightdale

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on December 29, 2005 2:11 PM

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Statistically, the Goldsboro High girl's basketball team shouldn't have been anywhere close to Knightdale during second-day play in the 2005 Cougar Classic.

But the Cougars hung around and nearly forced overtime against the taller Knights on Wednesday evening. Goldsboro missed three shots in the final 13.5 seconds and fell 49-46, finishing 0-2 for the first time in the Classic's four-year history.

Classic MVP Shanique Pittman pumped in a game-high 19 points and all-tournament pick Melanie Bennett added 13 in East Wake's 55-39 conquest of Durham School of the Arts.

"Towards the end (of the game), I could see that same scenario as it happened the night before ... capitalizing when we had the ball," said Goldsboro coach Gladys McClary. "Playing two teams as big as they were and Knightdale is a pretty good team, the girls hung in there tonight.

"(But) we shouldn't have been in this game."

Goldsboro (7-5) converted eight field goals and committed the same number of turnovers in the opening half. Knightdale, which prevailed for the sixth time in its last seven outings, found itself embroiled in a 21-21 tie at intermission.

The Knights opened the second half in a 1-2-2 zone defense and trapped in the corners, which created some early turnovers. The pressure allowed Knightdale to dictate the tempo and build a 31-22 advantage just 21/2 minutes into the third quarter.

The Cougars, as they did in Tuesday's loss against East Wake, whittled away at the deficit. Point guard Chevoya Jackson and shooting guard Kianna Williams each attacked Knightdale's zone, and combined for nine points on five consecutive possessions.

Williams drained two free throws and tied the game at 33-33 with 1:23 remaining in the quarter. Knightdale's Nadia Marriott, who earned a spot on the six-player all-tournament squad, answered with a short jumper in the lane.

"No matter how you prepare your players, nothing takes the place of game experience," said McClary. "There were situations where they were trapping and we kept saying 'get the ball out of the corners' and 'get your head up.'

"For the most part, they listened and kept trying to come back."

The Cougars tied the game on three occasions in the fourth quarter.

Danielle Irby dribbled through a corner trap and swished a 10-footer to make it 35-35. Jackson buried a 3-pointer off Williams' assist and forged a 42-42 tie. A McDonald's All-American candidate who also received all-tournament recognition, Jackson swished two free throws for a 44-44 tie.

Jackson fouled out with 1:21 left in regulation. Knightdale got a key layup from Joy White and held off Goldsboro at the free throw line.

"I'm proud of them," said McClary. "When Chevoya fouled out, they never looked back ... didn't panic and freeze, wondering 'what are we going to do now?' Knowing our leader was gone, they still kept trying to play."

The Cougars gained possession with 13.5 seconds left and McClary called timeout. Once play resumed, Helga Bryant attempted an NBA-range 3-pointer that bounced off the front of the rim.

Irby and Williams each attempted a shot and the Knights' Ashe Holmes rebounded the final miss as time expired.

Jackson finished with a double-double -- 21 points, 10 rebounds. Angel Roberts and Tiffany Burden grabbed six and five rebounds, respectively. Williams provided 12 points, including 10 in the second half.

Goldsboro enters the new year on a two-game losing streak with five regular-season losses, which hasn't occurred since McClary's first year as head coach.

"That's unfamiliar (territory)," said a grinning McClary. "Basketball never changes and I'm confidence in the philosophy that we've got in coaching. When we come into practice tomorrow (today), we won't be relaxed because we just lost two (straight) games.

"We're going to be intense and run. We're going into conference with the intent to win."

The Cougars tip off the new year Jan. 3 at Jones Senior. They begin their Class 2-A Eastern Plains Conference slate Jan. 6 at home against Tarboro High.

Game 1

East Wake 8 21 18 8 -- 55

DSA 11 9 7 12 -- 39

EAST WAKE (5-7)

Sharnell Grant 0 0 0-0 0, Keri Templeton 0 1 0-0 3, Jasmine Pearce 1 0 0-0 2, Courtney Bolton 1 0 0-0 2, Ceiarra Combs 0 0 0-0 0, Melanie Bennett 5 1 0-2 13, Shanae Winston 4 0 0-1 8, Shanique Pittman 5 2 3-5 19, Angela Brown 0 0 3-4 3, Nika Alston 2 0 1-2 5, Briauna Saunders 0 0 0-0 0, Jenine Stancil 0 0 0-0 0. TOTALS -- 18 4 7-14 55.

DURHAM SCHOOL OF ARTS (3-10)

Megan Kerns 1 0 4-4 6, Natisha Hall 2 0 2-4 6, Jessica Peaks 2 0 8-12 12, Abby Harmon 0 3 0-0 9, Alexis Webb 0 0 1-2 1, Jhnea Turner 2 0 0-1 4, Macon Harmon 0 0 1-2 1. TOTALS -- 7 3 16-25 39.

Game 2

Knightdale 15 6 14 14 -- 49

Goldsboro 10 11 12 13 -- 46

KNIGHTDALE (6-7)

Ebony Jenkins 3 1 3-5 12, Ashe Holmes 2 0 2-5 6, Courtney Reid 3 0 0-0 6, Nadia Marriott 8 0 0-1 16, Joy White 2 0 0-0 4, Amanda Dewberry 1 1 0-0 5, Bianca Parker 0 0 0-0 0, Tahirah Dorfield 0 0 0-0 0. TOTALS -- 19 2 5-11 49.

GOLDSBORO HIGH (7-5)

Angel Roberts 0 0 2-2 2, Chevoya Jackson 6 1 6-9 21, Helga Bryant 1 0 0-0 2, Kianna Williams 5 0 2-3 12, Tiffany Burden 0 0 1-2 1, Danielle Irby 3 0 0-0 6, Johneisha Maye 1 0 0-0 2. TOTALS -- 16 1 11-16 46.

Three-point goals -- Goldsboro 1 (Jackson), Knightdale 2 (Jenkins, Dewberry). Turnovers -- Goldsboro 15, Knightdale 15. Total fouls -- Goldsboro 13, Knightdale 15. Fouled out -- none. Technical fouls -- none.