Local digest

By Staff Reports
Published in Sports on January 7, 2010 1:46 PM

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DUDLEY -- Goldsboro overcame a slow start and out-paced Southern Wayne 50-38 in non-conference basketball action on Wednesday night.

Tied at 8-8 after one period, the Cougars turned up the offensive intensity and put 20 points on the scoreboard in the second eight minutes. Zearra McDuffie scored nine of her 11 points in the first half as the Cougars opened up a 13-point lead.

Southern Wayne battled back in the second half and cut the deficit to seven points near the end of the third quarter. The Saints wouldn't get any closer.

"My girls battled hard, and I feel like we are starting to figure it out a little bit," said Southern Wayne head coach Ricky Lofton. "Goldsboro is a good team and we knew coming in that this would be a tough game but we competed."

Kayla Powell paced the Saints (1-8 overall) with 13 points. Ineka Williams added eight points.

Goldsboro (7-4) was led by Akeyanna Whitlor's 17-point outing. Alexus Myles added 12 points in the win. The Cougars travel to North Duplin on Friday, while Southern Wayne plays host to Triton.

Tigers triumph

WARSAW -- James Kenan surrendered the game's opening basket, but answered with a nine-point run and turned back Midway 34-20 in Tri-County 1-A Conference play Wednesday evening.

The Tigers captured their first win in eight tries this season.

"Finally ... a win," said Kenan head coach Wendy Lanier. "We're young this year, so we've struggled a lot. (Tuesday) we played Pender and lost by 20 points, but I told them that was the first game that I actually felt we were coming out of the darkness of the tunnel.

"I was actually seeing some light."

Tamia Rhodes led a balanced Tiger offense with eight points and dished out four assists. LeAnnie Rivers contributed seven points and six rebounds, while Denecia Miller chipped in six points and a game-high nine boards.

Play-making guard Canisha Parker passed out five assists. Overall, Kenan had eight team assists on 16 made field goals.

Midway, which entered the new year unbeaten in Tri-County play, suffered its second consecutive league loss within a 24-hour period. Morgan Warren paced the Raiders with eight points.

Kenan (1-7 overall, 1-3 Tri-C) travels to Union on Friday.

Rebels halted

JACKSONVILLE -- A late rally led Lejuene past visiting North Duplin 56-26 on Wednesday night.

After struggling throughout the first half the Devilpups righted the ship after the intermission and finished with a 27-point flourish in the fourth quarter.

Jasmine Davis led the victors with 28 points.

North Duplin was paced by Angelica Favela's nine-point outing. Tearra Ammons added six points and April Jones finished with four markers.

North Duplin (0-10 overall) will host Goldsboro on Friday.

Rosewood stumbles

Parrott Academy scored nine unanswered points to close the game and picked up a 38-28, non-conference win at Rosewood on Wednesday night.

The Eagles closed to within 29-28 on Holly Heath's layup midway though the fourth quarter but wouldn't score again. Turnovers and missed shots cost Rosewood in the final four minutes.

"It was about execution," said Rosewood head coach Ryan Wells. "It's just a matter of shooting right now. We're a young team and we're having to work on shooting. We're getting open shots and we're executing an offense.

"We're just not making shots."

The Patriots' Sheri Hill led all scorers with 18 points. Logan Bill paced the Eagles with seven points.

Rosewood (2-10 overall) begins Carolina 1-A Conference play on Friday at Ayden-Grifton.

"We're leaps and bounds from the beginning of the year," said Wells. "As game experience comes along we should be all right. This was probably one of the best games we've played all year."

Boys' basketball

Rebels downed

JACKSONVILLE -- James Kornegay poured in a season-high 20 points but it was not enough as North Duplin fell to Lejuene 71-52 on Wedneseday night.

The Rebels pulled within one point at halftime (24-23) but could not slow down the Devilpups second half onslaught. Craig Wilson led the Pups with 25 points and Gavin Allen added 21.

Devin Oliver added 12 points for North Duplin and teammate Marcus Kornegay finished with nine markers.

North Duplin (0-10 overall) will entertain Goldsboro on Friday night.