Eastern Wayne boys hit the ground running

By Ryan Hanchett
Published in Sports on December 26, 2013 1:47 PM

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rhanchett@newsargus.com

They barely knew each other's names the first time the Eastern Wayne varsity boys' basketball team took the floor this season.

They've been forced to learn each other quickly through five games and just two practices after the Warriors' run in the N.C. High School Athletic Association Class 3-A football playoffs.

The last 10 days has been a trial by fire.

"It has been a whirlwind for our guys right out of the gate," interim head coach Chris Roberts said. "The thing I love about these guys is that they are not going to use the lack of time between football and basketball as an excuse. They want to win and more importantly they want to get better as a team."

Eastern Wayne's early slate of non-conference games were canceled due to the playoffs. The Warriors opened the season and its Eastern Carolina 3-A/4-A Conference schedule against D.H. Conley.

Starters Kamone Best, Malik Richard, Micah Smith, Dameko Artis and Zongio Troy were all members of the football team. Three of Eastern Wayne's reserves also missed potential basketball practice time while playing football.

"What the football team did this season was amazing," Roberts said. "Those kids made it farther than any Eastern Wayne football team ever. I think that kind of success is something that we can build off of as basketball season wears on."

Roberts has done a stellar job keeping the team focussed while filling in for head coach Glen Darden, who coached the first game of the season but has missed the last four games with an undisclosed illness.

Following the season-opening win over D.H. Conley, the Warriors lost to Goldsboro and South Central, but rebounded with a win over previously unbeaten New Bern. Havelock handed Eastern Wayne a 65-53 loss on Friday night.

The Warriors' opponents boast a combined record of 27-15.

"We have shown that we have the talent to compete with some very good teams," Roberts said. "As we get more practice time and we start to work some of the kinks out I think we have potential to be very good ourselves."

Eastern Wayne (2-3 overall) faces Goldsboro in the opening round of the Southern Bank/Mount Olive Pickle Classic at Mount Olive College on Friday night. The two-day, four-team tournament concludes Saturday.