Warriror girls, for second straight night, rally in 4th quarter

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on December 19, 2015 11:11 PM

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rcoggins@newsargus.com

Another slow start.

Another strong finish.

Less than 24 hours after coming from behind to defeat New Bern on Thursday evening, Eastern Wayne did it again Friday.

Twins Nyesha and Myesha Best combined for nine fourth-quarter points, Naheria Hamilton set a single-game school record for rebounds (27) and the Warriors knocked off Goldsboro, 59-53, before a standing-room-only crowd inside Norvell T. Lee Gym.

"We always start out slow," Hamilton said. "They look up to me as a leader. I have to make sure our guards know that they can do this, and they have to have confidence. Once they get into their groove, we can score.

"We can play defense."

The Warriors (4-2 overall) and Cougars (6-5) traded one-point leads five times during the first 90 seconds of the final quarter. Myesha Best's basket in transition knotted the game at 45-45 and sparked a 7-0 run that lasted more than two minutes.

Tyona Moses ended Goldsboro's drought with a 3-pointer, her third of the game, to close the gap to 48-45. Hamilton's traditional three-point play generated from an offensive rebound, and her layup in transition from Myesha Best all but sealed the outcome.

"The fourth quarter is always a turn-up time for us," said Hamilton, who logged a triple-double -- 18 points, 11 blocked shots and an eye-popping 27 boards.

"I pulled them together and told them if you want to win this, you really have to give it your all. We have to work as a team to make this (happen). Don't make any mistakes. No shooting (outside), just drive (to the basket) every time because they're going to foul you."

EW finished 10 of 17 from the free throw stripe.

Nyesha Best ended up with 14 points, followed by Treycie Ford with 12 and Myesha with 11. Goldsboro's backcourt tandem of Moses and Destini Covington tallied 21 and 20 points, respectively. The duo combined to drain seven 3-pointers.

Moses has 1,569 points for her career.