Gryphons Roll

The first half of the Fike-Rocky Mount girls game was a game where the bottom of the net was not in the cards for the Lady Gryphons. Luckily for them Fike could garner only a 20-15 lead.

A quicker pace in the second half found every run that Rocky Mount made Fike had an answer. Suddenly midway in the fourth quarter Arkenesia Melton got hot and the Lady Gryphon defensed melted the Golden Demons.

The lady Gryphons never lead until under a minute to play when Danita Whitaker stole a cross court pass and went in for a layup. Down the stretch Dyonna Battle and Lakia Bynum canned free throws to bring the Lady Gryphons their ninth straight conference win 52-47 over Fike.

Dyonna Battle lead the Lady's with 18 followed by Lakia Bynum and Arkenesia Melton with 13 each. The Lady Gryphons go for a perfect conference season Friday night at Nash Central who are one of only three teams to beat the Lady's this year. They are now 17-4 on the season and 9-0 in conference play.

Between game all seniors who took part in winter sports were recognized with their parents and guardians.

When the boys got down to action it looked like the first team to 100 would win and it almost happened. Down 23-14 in the first quarter lead by Alonzo Sharpe the Gryphons scored the last nine points of the first quarter to tie Fike at 23-23

The second quarter belonged to Fike's Jeremy Adkinson as he lit up the score board from the outside and in as Fike posted thirty points in the second quarter. Nick Hahula made three three pointers to keep Rocky Mount down by only ten at the half.

The third quarter was run and gun basketball with every attempt by Rocky Mount to cut the lead fought off by the Golden Demons. With about a minute to play in the third quarter it seemed as if Fike ran out of gas. Their shots started coming up short and the Gryphons dominated the boards. At the end of three quarters is was 68-63.

Tashawn Mabry twice during the game went to the sidelines for medical attention but while he was on the court he was a scoring machine. Mabry and Adkinson had a personal battle as Mabry with two free throws in the last ten seconds outscored Adkinson 38-36.

Philip Wilkins controlled the boards for the Gryphons in the fourth quarter and ended the game with 14.

The Gryphons have their highest scoring game of the years as they go to above 500 in conference play with a 94-83 victory over the Golden Demons.

Tonight's victory should clinch 3rd place for the Gryphons who have now won four in a row and have moved to 5-4 and 12-10 on the season.

Tonight we have to end on a sad note as I guess everyone has heard the Hunt Basketball player collapsed and died yesterday during a JV practice. Our prayers go out tonight to the family of Anthony Eatmon .

This has turned out to be a very trying year for North Carolina High school athletes with the deaths that have occurred this season