NL sweeps GHS at Cougar Den

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on January 22, 2006 2:22 AM

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Unbeaten no more.

The lone Class 2-A Eastern Plains Conference varsity boys' basketball team with a spotless league worksheet, Goldsboro High experienced its first league defeat Friday evening.

North Lenoir's "silent killer," Sam Edwards, pumped in a team-high 24 points and Omar Jones added 19 in a 67-62 victory at the Cougar Den. The Hawks exited tied with North Pitt for the EPC's top spot at 3-1, while Goldsboro (9-8) dropped into second place by itself at 2-1.

Senior Katie Maloney delivered a career-high 28-point performance in the Hawks' 56-50 conquest of Goldsboro's girls. The Cougars (8-8) remained winless in three EPC outings -- an unaccustomed position for veteran coach Gladys McClary.

Pumped from adrenaline and the excitement of their highly-anticipated matchup, the boys played a frenetic pace in the opening half. Turnovers, hurried shots and mishandled balls victimized both teams.

North Lenoir led 28-23 at halftime.

The Hawks maintained their five-point advantage throughout the third quarter -- until Edwards and Jones got loose. The duo combined for 10 points in an 11-run which gave North Lenoir a 47-35 cushion.

"That was the difference in the game," said fifth-year Cougars coach Randy Jordan. "We talked about making some adjustments at halftime ... fullcourt press and halfcourt trap man-to-man. We just didn't get back in transition and that's what hurt us.

"It gave them the cushion they needed down the stretch."

Edwards collected 13-second half points and Jones provided nine, including a 5 of 6 effort at the free throw line.

"Sam is a big-time player," said Hawks coach Paul Dunn III. "When Sam has a good game, we have a good game. He's a silent killer on this team. Everyone talks about Omar, but every time Omar scores 25 (points), Sam scores 24.

"The last four or five games, Sam has scored maybe two or three less than Omar."

While Edwards and Jones did their usual damage, the Cougars failed to keep 6-foot-7 center Daquan Joyner in the flow of the game. The Hawks fronted Joyner (12 points, 13 rebounds) on every possession and prevented him from getting significant touches on the ball.

Junior co-captain Tim Kornegay shouldered the scoring burden and pumped in 21 second-half points. Kornegay ended the night with a double-double -- 26 points, 11 rebounds.

Goldsboro whittled North Lenoir's advantage to 51-47 on Joyner's finger-tip layup midway through the final period. Edwards and Jones combined for six consecutive points as the Hawks boosted their lead to 57-50.

"We wanted to run and take Daquan Joyner out of the game," said Dunn. "It worked to a 'T'. We drew it up (at halftime), fronted him and took care of business ... point blank."

A controversial technical foul took away any remaining momentum from the Cougars. With Treme Boone at the free throw line, Jordan substituted and too many players -- including Raheem Lofton -- walked off the court.

Lofton headed to bench per one official's instructions and Jordan asked why he was on the bench. Lofton pointed at the official underneath the basket and said "he told me I had to come out of the game."

A puzzled Jordan told Lofton to go back onto the court, but once he crossed the line, a second official assessed Lofton a technical foul. An irate Jordan argued the call to no avail and the Hawks calmly converted all four free throws to grab an insurmountable 61-51 lead in the final minute.

Goldsboro's girls scrapped for every loose ball and earned a 25-24 lead at halftime. McClary expected North Lenoir to continue pressing and trapping in the third quarter, and that proved to factor into the overall outcome.

The Hawks forced 15 second-half turnovers out of their 1-2-1-1 fullcourt scheme and converted at least half of the miscues into transition baskets. Maloney flourished in the open court and tallied 15 second-half points, including 11 in the third quarter.

Senior guard Chevoya Jackson easily dissected the pressure defense, but when moved to shooting guard on some possessions, the Cougars broke down. McClary constantly reminded her team to look for the open teammate downcourt, but the suggestion received little attention.

"We didn't execute against the press," said McClary, whose team left the Eastern Carolina 3-A Conference with a 42-game win streak intact. "We started breaking down when they started applying pressure. Sometimes inexperience will cause break downs to take place."

Maloney's offensive putback tied the game at 33-33. Angel Roberts answered with a backdoor layup off Mikeda Graham's assist to give the Cougars their last lead at 35-33.

The Hawks, behind Maloney, responded with a 13-0 run to go ahead 46-33 after three quarters. Defenders Brittany McPhail and Helena Davis played strong defense in a diamond-and-one scheme that prevented Jackson (22 points) from getting open looks at the basket.

Danielle Irby and Graham hit back-to-back baskets to pull Goldsboro within 46-41. But the Cougars could get no closer.

Boys game

North Lenoir 15 13 19 20 -- 67

Goldsboro 13 10 12 27 -- 62

NORTH LENOIR (14-4, 3-1)

Adrian Brewer 1 1 5-6 10, Eddie Cox 3 0 0-0 6, Emmanuel Rosber 0 0 0-0 0, Dusty Davis 2 0 0-1 4, Sam Edwards 11 0 2-4 24, Omar Jones 6 0 7-8 19, Chris Artis 2 0 0-0 4. TOTALS -- 25 1 14-19 67.

GOLDSBORO (9-8, 2-1)

Branden Herring 1 0 0-0 2, Burnie Best 0 0 0-0 0, Eric McLean 1 1 0-0 5, Cliff Lawson 0 1 0-0 3, Tim Kornegay 10 1 3-5 26, Anthony Artis 3 0 0-0 6, Tim Hobbs 0 0 0-0 0, Treme Boone 0 0 1-2 1, Mike Isler 0 0 0-0 0, Daquan Joyner 6 0 0-1 13, Raheem Lofton 3 0 1-2 7. TOTALS -- 24 3 5-10 62.

3-point goals -- Goldsboro 3 (McLean, Lawson, Kornegay), N. Lenoir 1 (Brewer). Turnovers -- Goldsboro 16, N. Lenoir 12. Total fouls -- Goldsboro 17, N. Lenoir 13. Fouled out -- none. Technical fouls -- Lofton.

Girls game

North Lenoir 7 17 22 10 -- 56

Goldsboro 10 15 10 15 -- 50

NORTH LENOIR (15-3, 2-2)

Brittany McPhail 0 0 1-2 1, Keshonnia Miller 3 0 1-4 7, Timon Jones 0 0 0-0 0, Katie Maloney 13 0 2-4 28, Lashura Spruill 1 0 5-10 7, Helena Davis 1 1 4-6 9, Carla Miller 0 1 1-2 4. TOTALS -- 18 2 14-28 56.

GOLDSBORO (8-8, 0-3)

Angel Roberts 6 0 4-4 16, Chevoya Jackson 5 1 9-11 22, Helga Bryant 0 1 0-0 3, Kianna Williams 1 0 1-2 3, Tiffany Burden 0 0 0-0 0, Danielle Irby 1 0 0-0 2, Victoria Williams 0 0 0-0 0, Carmille Early 1 0 0-0 2, Mikeda Graham 1 0 0-0 2. TOTALS -- 15 2 14-17 50.

3-point goals -- Goldsboro 2 (Jackson, Bryant), N. Lenoir 2 (Davis, Miller). Turnovers -- Goldsboro 29, N. Lenoir 17. Total fouls -- Goldsboro 23, N. Lenoir 18. Fouled out -- McPhail. Technical fouls -- none.