Eastern Wayne boys let game slip away

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on December 30, 2005 2:01 PM

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LaGRANGE -- Victimized by one-point losses throughout regular-season play, West Craven's men's basketball team broke the hex Thursday evening against a former Class 3-A Eastern Carolina Conference rival.

Donte Stewart and Tony Jones combined for seven points in overtime as the Eagles claimed a come-from-behind, 79-75 victory over Eastern Wayne in the 2005 Kinston Free Press Invitational contest at North Lenoir. West Craven (6-6) opposes two-time defending Invitational champion North Lenoir at 8 p.m. today.

Eastern Wayne (5-5) plays Spring Creek in a rematch of last year's third-place game won by the Warriors. Tip-off is scheduled for 4 p.m.

In the women's game, West Craven used a 16-0 fourth-quarter run to turn back Eastern Wayne 40-28. The Eagles climbed to 5-7 and meet reigning Invitational champion North Lenoir in today's title contest at 6 p.m.

The Warriors remained winless in 10 outings and take on Spring Creek at 2 p.m.

"That was a tough loss," said Warriors coach Marvin Bowman.

Indeed.

Eastern Wayne cruised for three quarters. The Warriors ran their offense with precision, capitalized on turnovers and built a 16-point lead.

Bowman's club also kept a watchful eye on Eagles senior Tony Jones and held him to one free throw during an eight-minute stretch after allowing him to score 10 first-quarter points.

But when West Craven employed a "diamond" pressure defense, spearheaded by junior varsity players Mike Best and Eric Highsmith, the Warriors collapsed. The double-digit advantage dwindled basket by basket and Bowman watched his team slowly lose its patience on both ends of the court.

"Somewhere down the line, our kids stopped playing and they (West Craven) turned it up a notch at the end," said Bowman.

Leading 66-61 with less than two minutes remaining in regulation, the Warriors took a major hit offensively. Freshman Reco McCarter picked up his fifth foul on a charge and the officials waved off the basket.

Stewart answered with his fifth 3-pointer of the game which gave the Eagles more momentum. Darryl Cowan drained two free throws for the Warriors and a 68-66 lead with 27.3 seconds remaining. Jones tied the game at 68-68 on two free throws with 10.9 seconds to go.

Eastern Wayne turned the ball over and West Craven missed two game-winning chances as time expired.

The Eagles outscored the Warriors 11-7 in the extra, four-minute session.

"We played their tempo in the fourth quarter and I got on my kids (in the locker room) about being patient," said Bowman. "We had them right where we wanted them. This is one of those games we'll have to grow on."

Jones finished with 29 points for the Eagles, who will play North Lenoir for the third time this season. Stewart added 19, while Jimmy Gross chipped in 13.

Cowan emerged the Warriors' top scorer with 19 points, followed by McCarter with 12 and Myles Pena with 10. Eastern Wayne is 2-3 in Invitational history.

Noelle Kelly's old-fashioned three-point play and offensive putback gave the Warriors a 22-21 lead early in the fourth quarter against West Craven. The Eagles, however, scored the next 16 points to earn a spot in today's championship round.

Kelly and LaNiece Sims paced Eastern Wayne with six points each. Dionne Smith and Yasmine Washington each contributed five points.

Senior Joyce Freeman collected a game-high 12 points, including six in the fourth quarter, for the Eagles. Makeba Foy added six.

Girls game

West Craven 12 3 6 19 -- 40

Eastern Wayne 6 5 4 8 -- 28

WEST CRAVEN (5-7)

Chantale Rasberry 2 0 0-2 4, Keisha Hardy 2 0 0-0 4, Makeba Foy 3 0 0-0 6, Tiya Hill 0 0 1-2 1, Jaleesa Jones 2 0 0-0 4, Shatyria Brown 0 0 1-2 1, Chaquita Jackson 1 0 0-0 2, Alyssia Clark 0 0 0-0 0, Quinecia Nobles 0 0 0-0 0, Ivory Bryan 2 0 0-0 4, Joyce Freeman 6 0 0-0 12, Tocarra Jones 0 0 0-0 0, Shakira Morgan 1 0 0-0 2. TOTALS -- 19 0 2-6 40.

EASTERN WAYNE (0-10)

LaKeisha Spencer 0 0 0-0 0, Noelle Kelly 2 0 2-9 6, Alyssa Artis 0 0 2-2 2, Dionne Smith 2 0 1-4 5, Yasmine Washington 2 0 1-3 5, LaNiece Sims 3 0 0-2 6, Tierra Campbell 0 0 1-4 1, Richelle Butler 1 0 1-2 3. TOTALS -- 10 0 8-26 28.

Three-point goals -- None. Turnovers -- E. Wayne 35, W. Craven 31. Total fouls -- E. Wayne 8, W. Craven 19. Fouled out -- none. Technical fouls -- none.

Boys game

West Craven 21 5 15 27 11 -- 79

Eastern Wayne 14 15 24 15 7 -- 75

WEST CRAVEN (6-6)

Jimmy Gross 4 0 5-9 13, Pierre Cox 0 1 0-0 3, Arandes Hall 0 0 0-0 0, Donte Stewart 1 5 2-4 19, Tony Jones 9 1 8-11 29, Reginald Grey 0 0 0-0 0, Jeremy Davis 3 0 1-2 7, Leon Duff 1 0 0-0 2, Mike Best 2 0 2-4 6. TOTALS -- 20 7 18-30 79.

EASTERN WAYNE (5-5)

Lamar Davis 2 1 2-3 9, Darryl Cowan 4 2 5-6 19, Monty Best 1 0 2-2 4, Reco McCarter 5 0 2-4 12, Landon Downes 3 0 1-3 7, Allen Austin 0 0 0-0 0, Floronta Wynn 1 0 2-2 4, Myles Pena 5 0 0-0 10, D'Adrian Worrell 4 0 0-0 8. TOTALS -- 26 3 14-20 75.

Three-point goals -- E. Wayne 3 (Cowan 2, Davis), W. Craven 7 (Stewart 5, Jones, Cox). Turnovers -- E. Wayne 20, W. Craven 14. Total fouls -- E. Wayne 21, W. Craven 14. Fouled out -- McCarter, Pena. Technical fouls -- none.