Goldsboro girls survive test from Southern Vance

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on February 28, 2015 11:11 PM

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rcoggins@newsargus.com

The scouting report on Southern Vance said beware of streaky 3-point shooting and tall, physical rebounders in the paint.

At first, it seemed the Raiders wouldn't give Goldsboro much of a tussle Saturday afternoon inside the friendly confines of Norvell T. Lee Gymnasium. Until the guards warmed up on the perimeter and the "bigs" started to control the glass.

It became a serious battle, then.

Goldsboro (12-7 overall) watched a pair of double-digit advantages evaporate, but never pulled the alarm when Southern Vance twice took one-possession leads in the second half. Tyona Moses, as she has done all year, seized command with a 33-point effort that sparked a 68-58, opening-round conquest of the Raiders in the N.C. High School Athletic Association Class 2-A women's basketball playoffs.

The Cougars return to action Monday against the East Bladen-Eastern Randolph victor.

"I'm guessing that we when we come out and get a good lead, we lose our confidence," Moses said. "So, when they saw that a couple of times, they just started to play. We haven't played against a team that had many 3-point shooters.

"It was a back-and-forth game. We're not used to that."

Point guard Destini Covington and Moses helped Goldsboro race to an 11-0 lead barely three minutes into the opening quarter. The Raiders regrouped and eventually knotted the contest at 18-all on Carrington Matias' 3-pointer -- one of nine 3s hit by Southern Vance on the day. Backcourt mate Moesha Sneed drained four 3s.

"I just knew they had a couple of key girls, the 3-point shooting ... was aware of that," GHS head coach LaTina Bullock said. "No matter how many hands we put in their face, they were still knocking them down. I just kept the girls to contest every shot."

Southern Vance tied the game at 31-all early in the third period. The teams traded baskets until Moses drained her third 3-pointer from the parking lot to put Goldsboro ahead, 36-35.

The Cougars led 43-41 after three periods and maintained a two-possession advantage. Moses' block and Covington's rebound pushed Goldsboro in front 63-56 with 1:50 left in regulation.

Matias' 3 closed the gap to 63-58, but the Raiders could get no closer. Matias paced Southern's offense with 19 points, while Canaan Dale dominated the middle with a double-double -- 13 points, 12 rebounds.

Covington, who connected on three 3s, and Davis tallied 12 and 10 points, respectively. GHS had 18 team assists on 23 made field goals and shot 13 of 22 from the free throw line.

"We shared the ball well this afternoon," Bullock said. "I think that helped us stay on top tonight because everybody touched the ball. Everybody contributed."

Goldsboro earned an opening-round playoff win for the sixth time since 2009.