Pickle Winter Classic -- Covington's FG saves E. Wayne girls

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on December 28, 2013 11:34 PM

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Eastern Wayne 44,

Goldsboro High 41

* MOUNT OLIVE -- Jasmine Covington converted the game-clinching basket with 11.1 seconds to go, and unbeaten Eastern Wayne turned back county rival Goldsboro, 44-41, in the inaugural Southern Bank-Mount Olive Pickle Winter Classic on Friday.

The Warriors led 36-20 after three quarters.

Tyona Moses' 3-pointer and Sierra Barksdale's triple from the deep left corner helped trim the deficit to 42-39 with less than a minute remaining in regulation.

Eastern Wayne's Naheria Hamilton missed two free throws with 47.2 seconds to go. Amari Thompson's offensive putback closed the gap to 42-41 as fans from both schools filled Kornegay Arena with noise.

Goldsboro (3-7 overall) nearly came up with a loose ball at midcourt, but Covington picked it up and drove into the lane. The junior kissed a shot off the glass, got fouled and missed the free throw to make it 44-41 with 11.1 seconds on the clock.

Moses' shot missed the mark at the buzzer.

"We started playing together, picking up on defense and just fighting," fourth-year Goldsboro head coach LaTina Bullock said. "They started making sure that everybody was touching the ball, everybody was helping out on defense and that's what it takes.

"Tonight's game was the first time that I have actually seen them play together as a team. We did turn the corner and we're going down a different road after tonight."

Shontel Monk emerged Eastern Wayne's top scorer with 13 points, including an 11 of 12 effort at the free throw line. Covington finished with 11 points, while Hamilton just missed a triple-double -- 10 rebounds, 10 blocked shots and seven points.

Moses paced the Cougars with 17 points. Thompson posted eight points, 12 rebounds, four blocked shots and two steals.