PLAYOFFS: Goldsboro vs. Kinston: Part 4

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on February 25, 2016 1:48 PM

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rcoggins@newsargus.com

KINSTON -- Kinston's Viking Gymnasium is comparable to the Bates Motel from the cult movie classic "Pyscho."

Visitors check in.

But they don't check out.

The Vikings have won 94 of their last 97 meetings on their home court and continue their storied history against another tradition-rich program -- Goldsboro -- tonight in second-round action of the N.C. High School Athletic Association 2-A boys' basketball playoffs.

Goldsboro exited a winner during its last trip to K-Town.

However, Kinston has taken the last two meetings -- a revenge win at venerable Norvell T. Lee Gym earlier this month and just last Friday in the Eastern Carolina 2-A Conference tournament finale at Ayden-Grifton.

The winner fights to play another day.

The loser washes the uniforms and packs them away one last time, pushes the ballrack into the closet and takes a breather before next season begins.

Goldsboro (23-3 overall) is one of five Wayne County teams in action tonight. The Cougar girls, fresh off a come-from-behind win against North Brunswick, also travel to Kinston. Eastern Wayne's boys are the guests of Southern Nash, while the Warrior girls entertain Jacksonville.

Weldon's girls visit Rosewood.

The backcourt tandem of Myron Carmon and Kisheem Faison combined for 43 points, including 18 from behind the arc in Goldsboro's win over West Bladen. The Cougars attacked from the opening tip and took 35 trips to the free throw line -- and made 25 -- a major improvement compared to their futility against Kinston.

The Cougars have compiled 23 wins in a season for the first time since 2010 when then-head coach Patrick Reynell guided Goldsboro to a runner-up finish in the NCHSAA 1-A playoffs.

Eastern Wayne's boys turned Northern Vance away at the free throw line. KK Best and Malyk Williams combined to convert four consecutive free shots to seal a 47-45 win.

The Warriors (7-20 overall) are 3-7 in the postseason since 2008 and 0-2 in second-round games during that stretch.

On the girls' side, Goldsboro senior Tyona Moses torched North Brunswick for a career-high and single-game school-record 55 points. The monstrous offensive output tied her for the fifth-best single-game scoring mark in North Carolina history.

Moses has 1,871 career points.

Succeeding in the postseason wasn't part of Rosewood's culture until the current senior class came along. The Eagles have won seven straight home playoff games and nine of 12 overall since 2013.

Elon University signee Lexi Mercer has logged 2,480 points for her career -- good enough for 14th all-time in NC history. She's 22 points away from tying former East Carolina standout Courtney Melvin and Ali Ford.

A postseason fixture over the past decade, Eastern Wayne's girls seek their fifth playoff win their last six outings. Coastal Carolina signee Naheria Hamilton poured in a career-high 35 points against Northeast Guilford on Tuesday.

Selected to play in the prestigious Carolinas All-Star Classic game, Hamilton has swatted a school-record 531 blocked shots in her career. She has 206 blocks this season -- fourth-best in single-season history according to the Association record books.

EW is 13-8 in the playoffs since 2007.