BOYS' BASKETBALL: State-ranked Rams handle Cougars

By Justin Hayes
Published in Sports on January 25, 2017 9:57 AM

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There is no identity crisis in Snow Hill.

That was the buzz created by the Greene Central varsity boys' basketball team on Tuesday night, as it used all parts of a talented parcel to dispatch Eastern Carolina 2-A Conference foe Goldsboro High, 69-56, at Norvell T. Lee Gymnasium.

The victory moved the Rams to 17-0 on the season and 5-0 in league play.

And the paint-by-numbers show began early.

Junior guard Donquez Davis paced the Ram effort in a baseline-to-baseline first stanza, connecting twice from distance and directing the GC attack with coach-on-the-floor poise.

When he wasn't busy probing the GHS defense, sophomore forward Imajae Dodd flexed his muscle in the three-second area.

The 6-foot-7 live wire, who already has offers from Charlotte and Coastal Carolina, capped a breathless first half by converting a tough and-one with 23 seconds remaining, providing the Rams a 37-31 halftime advantage.

The second half offered more of the same.

Greene Central used its pressure to turn Goldsboro over five times in the third quarter, turning those miscues into an evenly-distributed assault on the basket.

In total, six different Rams scored -- paced again by Dodd, who led the backbreaking outburst with six rim-rocking points.

"The effort was there," GHS head coach Russell Stephens said of his team's performance. "But against a good team like that, you can't give up four or five easy baskets when you don't get any... that was the tale of the tape."

Goldsboro countered at every turn with senior Jaryan Hargis, whose four triples and team-high 21 points kept the Cougars within reasonable striking distance for most of the contest.

Greene Central's scripted balance, ability to play with poise and overall rebounding edge, however, simply proved too much for host Goldsboro.

"They know who they are," Stephens said of GC. "They play inside, and when they have a lead, they don't turn it over... they're undefeated for a reason."

With three minutes remaining and in command by 15, the Rams did just that, closing out their latest ECC tutorial with a warp-speed version of full-court keep-away. Dodd finished with a 25 points, eight rebounds and three blocks. Davis filed 19 points from the point guard slot, while high-flying forward Don Pigford added 13 points and 12 rebounds.

In addition to Hargis, the Cougars got inspired play from sophomore Isaiah Wilder, who finished with 14 points. Junior forward Jarrod Scott filed five points and 10 boards.

Goldsboro (8-8 overall, 1-4 ECC) resumes league play at North Lenoir, while Greene Central -- ranked No. 2 in the NCPreps.com 2-A poll -- is the guest of Ayden-Grifton.