Price pumps in game-high 20 points as Gator girls beat Princeton

By Staff Reports
Published in Sports on January 9, 2010 11:12 PM

• Print
• Email

PRINCETON -- Janna Price scored a game-high 20 points and Spring Creek opened its Carolina 1-A Conference girls' basketball season with a 54-40 win at Princeton.

Melanquie DeVeaux provided 11 points, nine steals, seven assists and five rebounds for the Gators.

"I was pleased with the overall performance of my team tonight," said Spring Creek head coach Amanda Ramfjord. "We played together and it showed on the floor. Defensive intensity helped us and we played team ball."

Nicole Melvin led the Bulldogs with 10 points, while Hannah Woodard had eight points.

The Gators (3-11 overall, 1-0 CC) visit Rosewood on Jan. 15, while Princeton travels to Goldsboro.

Aycock triumphs

LaGRANGE -- Charles B. Aycock launched its Eastern Carolina 3-A Conference campaign with a 37-27 victory over North Lenoir inside Wooten Gymnasium on Friday evening.

The Golden Falcons used an 11-4, second-quarter surge to pull away from the Hawks and never relinquished their lead. They grabbed their biggest advantage, 30-13, after three periods of action.

Imari Howell supplied a game-high 14 points and pulled down eight rebounds for Aycock. Teammate Courtney Sheeks contributed a double-double -- 10 points, 11 rebounds. Courtnei Gilbert tallied eight points and Charlie Ipock passed out a team-leading five assists.

Marissa Lanier and Kris Davenport shared team-high scoring honors with eight points apiece for North Lenoir. Davenport shot 6 of 6 at the free throw line.

Aycock (7-6 overall, 1-0 ECC) travels to South Johnston on Jan. 15, while North Lenoir (9-7, 0-2) is the guest of Southern Wayne the same evening.

Cougars cruise

CALYPSO -- Goldsboro left no doubt in a 72-28 victory over North Duplin in the Carolina 1-A Conference girls' basketball opener for both teams on Friday evening.

The Cougars (8-4 overall) jumped out to a 20-4 lead after one quarter and increased the advantage to 45-5 at halftime. Zearra McDuffie led the Cougars' onslaught with 19 points in the opening half.

"We wanted to come out and make a statement that we are here, and we are ready to play no matter what conference we are in," said Goldsboro head coach Brandy Smith. "I thought we executed extremely well on offense and we didn't try to force things."

McDuffie finished with 24 points to lead the victors. Akeyanna Whitlor added 13 points and Alexus Myles tallied 10 points.

Angelica Favela paced North Duplin (0-11) with 13 points. Tearra Ammons collected 11 points.

The Rebels return to action Jan. 15 at Ayden-Grifton, while the Cougars visit Princeton the same evening.

Saints falter

DUDLEY -- Southern Wayne nearly trimmed a 20-point, fourth-quarter deficit to single digits before falling to Triton 48-35 on Friday evening.

The Saints struggled with turnovers throughout the contest and gave the ball away 21 times.

"The girls are fighting hard and that's all I could ask," said Southern Wayne head coach Ricky Lofton. "We would cut the lead down to 10 points and then turn the ball over. Then they would put the press on us and we would turn the ball over. That was the biggest thing."

Danielle Carlton led Southern Wayne (1-9 overall, 0-1 ECC) with 14 points and Andrel Morris added nine points. The Hawks' Shakiyla Williams led all scorers with 13 points.

The Saints entertain North Lenoir on Jan. 15.

Chargers defeated

United Faith slipped out of Wayne Country Day with a 59-47, non-conference victory on Friday night.

Catherine Ford led the Chargers with 26 points. Mack Thompson and Kim Martell provided eight points apiece.

Wayne Country Day (4-8 overall) entertains Faith Christian-RM on Tuesday.

Conquerors advance

MONROE -- Faith Christian advanced to Saturday's finals of the Monroe New Year's Invitational at Tabernacle Christian Academy with a 47-10 win over Victory Christian on Friday evening.

Madison Caudle and Christina Powell each scored 12 points for the Conquerors. Charity Spencer pitched in six points.

Faith (5-5 overall) faced Rockwell Christian in Saturday's championship game.

Boys' basketball

EW wins thriller

FOUR OAKS -- Will White's shot at the buzzer at the end of regulation forced overtime and Eastern Wayne escaped South Johnston with a 55-51 victory in its Eastern Carolina 3-A Conference opener on Friday night.

White finished with a game-high 20 points to go along with four rebounds. Robert Washington supplied 11 points, and Lamar Best had six points and five assists.

Dolton Bledsoe scored 16 points for the Trojans and Tanner Adams chipped in 13 points.

The Warriors (6-5 overall, 1-0 ECC) visit Triton on Jan. 15.

PHS survives

PRINCETON -- Princeton held off Carolina 1-A Conference foe Spring Creek for a 75-67 victory on Friday night in the league opener for both teams.

David Gurganus led the Bulldogs with 25 points and T.J. Wilson provided 14. Matt Williamson added 10 points. Benton Myers and Patrick Jacobs each had nine points.

Melvin DeVeaux paced the Gators with 17 points, six rebounds, four assists and two steals. Kenneth Freeman pitched in 17 points and 12 rebounds. John Midgette supplied 12 points.

Princeton (7-6 overall, 1-0 CC) visits Goldsboro on Jan. 15., while Spring Creek (5-6, 0-1) travels to Rosewood.

Eagles stumble

AYDEN -- Rosewood struggled with turnovers all night and fell 67-47 at Ayden-Grifton in its Carolina 1-A Conference opener.

Jacquez Raynor paced the Eagles (5-9 overall, 0-1 CC) with 14 points. Jyhkia Applewhite added eight points.

"I was disappointed with our overall effort," said Rosewood head coach Daniel Mitchell. "I thought we were careless with the basketball."

Rosewood plays host to Spring Creek on Jan. 15.

JV sports

* Boys' basketball: Goldsboro 60, North Duplin 44 -- Shaquille Wright delivered 19 points for the Cougars. Moses Ramsey added 10 points and Octavis Alston finished with nine points. Tyler Royal led the North Duplin offense with 27 points.

* Boys' basketball: C.B. Aycock 40, North Lenoir 35 -- Tony Gardner contributed 14 points for the Golden Falcons and Marques White chipped in 11. Aycock (5-5) visits South Johnston on Jan. 15.

Middle schools

* Boys' basketball: Greenwood 50, Mount Olive 43 -- Joseph Baker just missed a double-double with 15 points and nine rebounds for the T-Birds. Rasheed Malette added 15 points. Tyiwan Johnson and Jartarvis Bradshaw paced Mount Olive's offense with 15 and 12 points, respectively. Greenwood (7-2 overall) travels to Rosewood next.