Cougars force turnovers, crash offensive glass

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on November 17, 2015 1:48 PM

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rcoggins@newsargus.com

PIKEVILLE -- Once Goldsboro cranked up the defensive pressure and gained controlled of the offensive glass, Charles B. Aycock just couldn't recover against its county rival Monday evening.

The Cougars picked the Golden Falcons' pockets for 14 steals and collected 18 second-chance points in an 80-42 victory before a packed house. It was the season-opening game for both teams.

Starters Jalin Thomas and Nakia Atkins, and reserve Jaryan Hargis pumped in 12 points apiece for the Cougars. Myron Carmon, one of two returning full-time starters, added 11 points after not scoring in the first quarter.

"Our defensive pressure, I thought we were all over the floor tonight," said GHS head coach Russell Stephens, whose team coaxed Aycock in 26 total turnovers.

"We know we have a speedy team. Our guys rotated really well, we got them playing our game. They were hitting some shots early, but once we got it rolling, we kept it rolling."

Goldsboro led 17-15 after one quarter.

Sophomore guard Eli Batts kept Aycock within striking distance with eight first-quarter points, including an old-fashioned 3-point play and offensive putback.

The Cougars built a 14-point halftime lead that increased in the third quarter. The Golden Falcons (0-1 overall) went without a field goal and scored just six points -- all from the free throw line.

"I saw a rusty team tonight," said second-year CBA head coach David Elmore, who had seven football players join the team without any practice time. "I'm going to have to depend on them because they've been in the program and have to help us.

"I was disappointed with our effort at times. I thought we started out good, but when things started getting tough, I feel like they starting hanging their heads a little bit and the effort kind of declined from there.

"I think we have to learn how to battle through adversity ... it happens in every single game we play and that can be a big learning point for us in this game."

Batts scored all 13 of his points in the opening half and drew his fourth foul early in the third quarter. Alex Mooring ended Aycock's streak of 9-plus minutes without a field goal on a layup off Batts' assist in the fourth quarter.

Mooring finished with 10 points.

Thirteen of 15 players scored for Goldsboro, which owned a decisive 41-28 advantage on the boards.

"That was a big key we talked about at halftime," Elmore said of rebounding. "We boxed out probably as bad we didn't going to back to our very first few games last year. I told them that may be my fault and I'll take the blame on that one for not emphasizing it enough in practice.

"To be sure when we come to practice tomorrow (today), that's going to be a point of emphasis."