BOYS' BASKETBALL: Cougars survive Golden Falcons' comeback

By Justin Hayes
Published in Sports on November 29, 2016 9:57 AM

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Create havoc defensively. Swarm the basketball.

Finish in the paint.

The Goldsboro High varsity boys basketball team used each in a concentrated first quarter dose on Monday night, establishing their signature style en route to a hotly-contested, 56-48 victory over Wayne County foe Charles B. Aycock at Norvell T. Lee gymnasium.

In many ways, the contest was equal parts sprint and standstill.

Goldsboro (2-1) forced the action early, dialing its pressure up the floor to create seven Aycock turnovers in the opening eight minutes -- many of which were converted into layups and short jumpers on its end of the court.

Aycock (1-2) remained patient, however, moving without the basketball and generating clean looks for Marquez Farmer and Justin Lofton-Russell. The duo also began accumulating fouls on GHS, whose pressure lost a bit of its usual intensity during a foul-plagued second quarter.

"We're still a pressing team, but we went away from that a little bit tonight," Goldsboro head coach Russell Stephens said, "we've got to get better in the half court."

At the break, Goldsboro held a 31-18 advantage.

Matters thickened steadily in the third stanza, as Aycock got timely buckets from Lofton-Russell and forward Eli Batts. Another run to end the period trimmed the Goldsboro lead, and saw the Cougars up 44-36 with one quarter to play.

In the finale, it was Batts again who provided the drama, playing passing lanes with precision and providing a sense of calm for his teammates.

With just under a minute remaining, the junior capped a wild Aycock run with a steal, layup and a deep triple -- cutting the Cougar lead to just a single digit and sending the crowd into hysterics.

The comeback was muted, however, when Aycock was whistled for an intentional foul in the backcourt seconds later. Goldsboro's Darryl Gattis, who finished the contest with 12 points, made both free throw attempts and promptly stifled any notion of a complete comeback.

Goldsboro 56, Aycock 48.

Final.

Batts finished with 16 points for the Falcons, and was complemented by Lofton-Russell's 11. Michael Evans, Farmer and Greg Jones combined for 20 points.

Goldsboro's Isaiah Wilder, active on the glass all night, finished with 13 points. Christian Bullock finished with 10, and was joined in the scorebook by Ronnie Tookes, who filed seven points.

Isaiah Cogdell and Jaryan Hargis, still recovering from an ankle injury, scored six apiece for the Cougars.

Goldsboro plays host to Southern Wayne on Friday, while Aycock travels to Carolina 1-A member Rosewood.