Goldsboro girls explode in late stages against AG

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on January 24, 2014 1:48 PM

• Print
• Email

rcoggins@newsargus.com

A not-so-pleasing first-half performance turned into a satisfactory ending for the Goldsboro High girls' basketball team Thursday evening.

The Cougars outscored long-time nemesis Ayden-Grifton 15-3 in the final 4 1/2 minutes of a 50-39 victory in Eastern Carolina 2-A Conference play.

Tyona Moses pumped in 15 of her game-high 17 points in the second half for Goldsboro, which claimed its 42nd regular-season conference victory in 43 tries since 2010. Point guard Destini Covington added 14 points, including 12 from beyond 3-point range.

"We started out real slow, they picked it up in the second half," fourth-year GHS head coach LaTina Bullock said. "Some of our shots weren't falling and the ball seemed like a hot potato tonight going through everybody's hands, and then out of bounds.

"They became more aggressive in the second half, rebounded better in the second half."

Ayden-Grifton turned a seven-point, first-half deficit into a one-possession lead on three occasions during an intensity-filled third quarter. Cierra Dixon's 3-pointer off of Cerita Dixon's assist gave the Chargers their first lead, 25-24, with about four minutes remaining.

Goldsboro ended the third period in front, 28-27.

After two more lead changes in the fourth, Moses hit the go-ahead basket -- a 3-pointer off of Covington's assist. Tywana Jones' offensive putback and Covington's 3-pointer off of Markia Garner's assist pushed the advantage to 43-36.

Moses extended the lead to 46-36 on another 3, which induced a timeout from Ayden-Grifton. The Chargers managed just three free throws in the final four-plus minutes and suffered their ninth regular-season loss to Goldsboro since 2010.

"Once we shut down the outside shot for them, rebounding became a big factor for us on the defensive end," said Bullock.

The Cougars pulled down 42 rebounds, including eight by Sierra Barksdale and seven by Moses. Markia Garner contributed eight points, four rebounds, six assists and six steals.

"Markia is a very aggressive player, one of my defensive threats, which is what I depend on her to do," Bullock said. "She's also crashes the boards to be as small as she is, she gets a lot of offensive rebounds and putbacks. That's what I need for her to do and she's done that very well."

Goldsboro (5-10 overall, 2-1 ECC) travels to North Lenoir today.