SB/MOPWC: Goldsboro's pressure defense bothers Gators

By Brandon Davis
Published in Sports on December 29, 2015 1:48 PM

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bdavis@newsargus.com

MOUNT OLIVE -- The crowd at the 2015 Southern Bank/Mount Olive Pickle Winter Classic might have looked a little confused when Goldsboro's players changed into green University of Mount Olive jerseys Monday afternoon.

The Cougars and Spring Creek each walked out of the locker room in white uniforms. GHS head coach -- and UMO alum Russell Stephens -- didn't mind his team wearing the vintage tops.

Goldsboro raced to a 21-point halftime lead and easily defeated the Gators, 86-47. Kisheem Faison scored 20 points for the Cougars, who play Eastern Carolina 2-A Conference foe South Lenoir in a semifinal-round game today.

Tip-off is 7:30 p.m.

Carmon's assist on Faison's 3-pointer and Faison's assist to Ronnie Tookes in transition helped Goldsboro grab a 22-12 lead after the first quarter.

Jaryan Hargis grabbed a rebound and scored for the Cougars, who turned up the full-court pressure on the Gators. Carmon stole the ball at half court and assisted senior Nakia Atkins with the first dunk of the night.

The Gators settled into a 2-3 zone, but the Cougars answered with a baseline 3-pointer from Faison. SC junior Najee Young snatched a rebound and passed to Jamerion Dawson for a basket and Landon Smothers assisted Young on a 3-pointer.

But Goldsboro led 44-23 at halftime.

Carmon provided a one-handed dunk off of a third-quarter turnover. Dawson drove the lane for a layup and the Gators found themselves down by 31 points.

Stephens took out his starters and placed five fresh players on the court. The Cougars' new five never slowed down, and they led the Gators, 70-38, before the fourth quarter.

Freshman Isaiah Wilder assisted Tyzhaun Claude on a field goal. Isaiah Wilder then drove the lane for a layup. Junior Jamal Cox grabbed a rebound and assisted Claude on a basket.

Young led SC with 13 points.

"We got a little out of control," Spring Creek head coach Taylor Jones said. "We got some guys that have never been in this situation before. There's nobody on our team that was here last year that's played at a Mount Olive tournament like this against a Goldsboro team.

"If we have to play South Lenoir, we've played them twice already. If we play Southern Wayne, they're going to be very athletic."

SC and Southern Wayne played at 4 p.m. today.