Missed free throws sink Golden Falcons
By Ryan Hanchett
Published in Sports on December 15, 2010 1:47 PM
PIKEVILLE -- The only stat that matters in a game is usually the final score.
Not so, for Charles B. Aycock head coach Steve Moats.
Moats watched as his Golden Falcons continually struggled at the free throw line and saw a lead slip away as North Lenoir walked off with a 46-43 win on the Eastern Carolina 3-A Conference boys' basketball scene on Tuesday night.
Aycock shot 14-for-30 from the charity stripe in the game.
"That's it, that is absolutely the ballgame," Moats said afterward. "We were playing well, had a pretty good game going for three quarters and all of a sudden we could not make a free throw. I pulled our rebounders back so we could set up our defense and show a little confidence in our shooters, but it didn't work."
Both teams struggled to find any rhythm in the opening quarter, and it was the Hawks who held a 23-22 lead at the half. But the third quarter belonged to the Golden Falcons, who got six points from Brandon Winford and a key basket from A.J. Mundle.
C.B. Aycock held a seven-point lead with three minutes left in the period.
"We are not the pretty team from Lenoir County, that's Kinston," said North Lenoir head coach Anthony Lofton. "Our guys are scrappers and they work hard, and tonight that is what we needed."
Evan Jarman came off the North Lenoir bench and capped a 10-0 scoring run with two big 3-pointers early in the fourth quarter. The teams traded baskets until the final two minutes when the Golden Falcons had to start fouling.
North Lenoir obliged by missing six free throws in the final minute, but the Golden Falcons could not find a way to come back from a five-point deficit.
"At the end we had some opportunities, but nothing would fall," said Moats. "We played hard, just came up short."
Brandon Winford led the Golden Falcons with a game-high 20 points and 10 rebounds. Randall Fulghum and A.J. Mundle finished with eight points apiece.
Aycock (1-8 overall, 0-2 ECC) travels to South Johnston on Friday.
Jaquan Williams led the Hawks with 10 points. John Huntley added seven points in the win.
North Lenoir (5-4, 1-1) entertains Triton on Friday.