Southern Wayne runs by Goldsboro boys
By Andrew Stevens
Published in Sports on December 31, 2010 1:47 PM
Southern Wayne turned up its full-court pressure, got the track meet it wanted and nearly ran Goldsboro out of its own gym.
The Saints used a 20-2 run in the third quarter to break open a tight ballgame and cruised to a 72-47 non-conference win inside Norvell T. Lee Gymnasium on Thursday night.
Goldsboro was able to use dribble penetration to attack the middle of Southern Wayne's 2-3 zone defense in the first half. Cougars' guard Devonte White scored 13 of his team-high 18 points during the first two quarters by slicing through the teeth of the Saints' defense.
"We were patient and we moved the ball," Goldsboro head coach Patrick Reynell said. "In the second half, Southern Wayne was a lot more active filling lanes. In the first half they all got caught watching Devonte. In the second half, they did a better job of rotating to open shooters and closing down on passing lanes."
The game was tied at 26-26 at the half and the Cougars took a 31-28 lead on Robert Kornegay's layup early in the third quarter. Kornegay finished with 10 points.
Southern Wayne used a 2-1-2 trap to create eight Goldsboro turnovers during the third quarter and finished the period on a 20-2 run. The Saints turned the Cougars' miscues into transition opportunities. Bernard Gross' alley-oop and Delfawn Worrell's dunk highlighted the outburst.
"I thought our defense was the key," Southern Wayne head coach Russell Stephens said. "I thought we did good of jamming them and forcing them outside. On long rebounds we were able to get out in transition and get some easy baskets and set up our press."
Goldsboro was held scoreless over the final 3 1/2 minutes of the third quarter and trailed 48-33 entering the fourth quarter.
"Southern Wayne turned up the pressure and got a lot more active in that 2-1-2 trap and we didn't respond defensively," Reynell said. "Their defense turned into their offense and we just couldn't get anything going against that trap. We didn't execute correctly. We let them convert turnovers."
The Saints managed to play through foul trouble as forwards Khari Faison, Jamiel Price, Johnathan Joyner and Carlos Council each battled foul issues. Gross led Southern Wayne with 24 points. Price contributed 14 points off the bench and Worrells had 12 points.
"Sometimes when our big guys get in foul trouble it kind of puts us back on our heels," Stephens said. "Bernard Gross, Jamiel Price and Tony Smith played tremendous and were able to knock down some open shots."
The Saints (10-2, 2-0 ECC) entertain Eastern Wayne on Tuesday. The Cougars (7-4) begin Carolina 1-A Conference play at home on Jan. 7 against North Duplin.