Cougar girls withstand late SW rally

By Staff Reports
Published in Sports on December 12, 2010 1:50 AM

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DUDLEY -- Tiffany Thompson and Kasheika Wallace each drained a crucial free throw in the final 23.6 seconds, and Goldsboro escaped county rival Southern Wayne, 39-38.

The Cougars (4-1 overall) led 35-23 with 3:31 left in the fourth quarter.

Guards Kanesha Jones and Nijah Muhammad flourished in the Saints' 1-2-1-1 fullcourt press, and pulled Southern Wayne to within 35-33 with 1:30 remaining in regulation.

Wallace drained two free throws to make it 37-33 with 44 seconds to go. Sade Maultsby's offensive putback, her only basket of the night, cut the deficit to 37-35.

Jones got the Saints within 39-38 on two free throws with 8.6 seconds showing on the clock. Thompson missed two free throws with 3.9 to go, but Southern Wayne's halfcourt heave was way off the mark as time expired.

"Very fortunate (to win)," said Goldsboro head coach LaTina Bullock-Davis, who was missing starting point guard Jolan Williams (bruised hand). "The girls off the bench came through for us in the end. Their press hurt us, but we got better from Tuesday's game."

Alexus Myles led Goldsboro with a double-double -- 15 points, 13 points. Wallace just missed a double-double with eight points and 18 boards. Brandy Johnson added six points.

Jones led the Saints with 14 points.

The teams combined for 64 turnovers, 46 fouls and 67 free throw attempts in the two-hour, 15-minute marathon. Five players fouled out.