C.B. Aycock boys miss chances to score at free throw

By Ryan Hanchett
Published in Sports on December 21, 2012 1:46 PM

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PIKEVILLE -- For the second time this season, Charles B. Aycock head basketball coach Steve Moats stood outside the team's locker room and tried to explain the unexplainable.

Basic free throw shooting cost the Golden Falcons a win once again on Thursday night. Moats' team made just 12-of-40 free throw attempts and the end result was a 62-53 triumph for Greene Central.

Horrific shooting from the charity stripe cost the Golden Falcons a game against Goldsboro earlier in the year. The number of misses was even greater this time around.

"I honestly don't think there is much more to say about why we lost this game," Moats said. "I think 12-for-40 at the foul line says it all loud and clear."

Greene Central (3-8 overall) jumped out to a 15-3 lead after one quarter and increased the advantage to 26-12 at halftime.

C.B. Aycock began to make some progress in the third quarter as it broke down the Rams' zone defense and controlled the glass. A pair of quick baskets by Michael Williams pulled the Golden Falcons to within six points at 36-30 late in the period.

The Golden Falcons continued to control the pace in the fourth quarter and drew 11 personal fouls on the Rams, which led to more than enough opportunities to erase the deficit on the scoreboard. The team's poor shooting continued, however, and Greene Central never lost the lead.

"I told our guys to force their man to the baseline and contest everything," Greene Central head coach Jim Cole said. "We wanted to play good defense, but we knew that if we committed a foul it was not the end of the world. We are about a 35-percent team from the line normally and tonight (C.B. Aycock) was about the same as us."

Tevin Bates paced the Rams with 14 points and five rebounds. Jaylyn Haner added 13 points in the win.

"I have to give Greene Central a ton of credit," Moats said. "They looked like a totally different team from the first time we played them. Tonight they played fast, they shared the ball and they worked well as a team."

Williams and Cameron Johnson each finished with 13 points for C.B. Aycock. Gregory Williams added 11 points and A.J. Mundle chipped in eight points and nine rebounds for the Golden Falcons.