Stephens: Goldsboro played "embarrassing" game in ECC 2-A regular-season finale

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on February 14, 2015 11:23 PM

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rcoggins@newsargus.com

SNOW HILL -- His dark blue toboggan balled up in one hand, Russell Stephens walked out of the locker room Friday evening.

Frustrated and somewhat confused, he offered no excuses for his team's play. In fact, Stephens described the Cougars' effort as the "worst game" he's witnessed during his tenure at Goldsboro High.

"Flat, not ready to play ... don't know what it was," said Stephens after a 55-37 loss to Greene Central in the Eastern Carolina 2-A Conference regular-season finale for both teams.

"That wasn't the Cougar team I've been coaching all year. We didn't have it tonight, didn't play with a sense of urgency. I told the guys that's probably the most embarrassing loss I've had at Goldsboro, definitely.

"We don't practice that way and for us to come out like that is totally embarrassing. I apologize to our fans for lack of coaching and for our kids putting up a performance like that."

Myron Carmon emerged as the Cougars' lone double-figure scorer with 15 points. Backcourt mate Rasheen Artis contributed nine points, but just three in the second half. Joe Baker and Nakia Atkins, who had a career double-double three nights earlier at North Lenoir, each provided five points.

Tre Wade knocked down 25 points for the Rams, who earned their fourth win in their last five outings. Dorieon Suggs and Brad Monroe supplied nine and eight points, respectively.

The Rams (15-8 overall, 6-4 ECC) controlled the boards, the tempo and never let either Artis or Carmon find a groove with an aggressive defense that consistently shut down the lanes.

GC owned a 42-27 edge in rebounds.

Goldsboro (19-4, 7-3) trailed 17-11 after one quarter and 32-22 at intermission. The deficit swelled to 16 points after a technical foul produced a five-point swing -- two free throws by Suggs and a 3-pointer from Justin Lee on the left wing.

"That's one of those things that when it rains, it pours," said Stephens, whose team lost the rebounding battle 42-27 and was outscored 20-6 at the free throw line.

"We did make a little run there, but we never challenged them, I don't think. I thought our defense tonight, we weren't flying all over the floor, rebounding ... a total domination by Greene Central.

"We kind of laid down and didn't fight."

Each team returns to action in this week's ECC tournament. The third-seeded Rams oppose sixth-seeded North Lenoir in quarterfinal-round play Monday at North Lenoir. Tip-off is 7:30 p.m. at Wooten Gym.

Second-seeded Goldsboro drew an opening-round bye and faces the GC-NL winner Wednesday at regular-season champion Kinston.