Goldsboro boys earn share of Carolina 1-A Conference title
By From staff reports
Published in Sports on February 13, 2011 1:51 AM
Boys' basketball
Goldsboro 48,
Ayden-Grifton 38
* LITTLEFIELD -- Senior Jarran Reed collected 26 points and Goldsboro dumped Ayden-Grifton, 48-38, to claim a share of its second consecutive Carolina 1-A Conference regular-season championship.
Just 24 hours earlier, Reed received word he was a Parade All-America "notable nominee" on the football field this past season. He has signed to play football next fall at Fayetteville State University along with teammate Michael Sykes.
The out-sized Chargers played an active zone and half-court trap, which disrupted the Cougars' interior offense. Quick steals and consistent defense allowed Ayden-Grifton to stay within striking distance throughout the regular-season finale for both teams.
Goldsboro overcame a four-minute scoring drought in the third quarter and delivered at the free throw line. The Cougars sank 10 of 11 second-half shots, including a 6 for 7 performance in the final period.
"Defensively, we had trouble slowing down Ayden-Grifton's guards and they were able to get into the lane and finish," said Cougars' head coach Patrick Reynell. "We actually went zone for about half of the game in order to slow them down, and cut off penetration. It seemed to work and allowed them to not really go on an extended run."
Damarian Henderson added seven points for the Cougars, who lost a coin flip and are the No. 2 seed for the season-ending conference tournament. James Williams added six points.
The Cougars face the Rosewood-Spring Creek winner at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at Princeton. The top-seeded and once-beaten Dawgs oppose the North Duplin-Ayden-Grifton winner in the nightcap.
Spring Creek 66,
North Duplin 61
* SEVEN SPRINGS -- DeShar Thomas scored 20 points to lead Sping Creek to a 66-61 victory over visiting Carolina 1-A Conference foe North Duplin on Friday night.
Cody Alphin added 15 points for the Gators and Adam Haggerty had 13 points. Breyon Johnson led the Rebels with 16 points.Tyler Royal and James Kornegay each had 12 points. Devin Oliver contributed 11 points.
Spring Creek faces Rosewood at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday night at Ayden-Grifton in the first round of the conference tournament. Ayden-Grifton plays host to North Duplin at 8 p.m. on Tuesday.