First Time Ever

For the first time in Rocky Mount Basketball history, both the mens team and the womens team will play in the Regional Championship Game Saturday at Crown Colisuem. Much in the same fashion as the ladies did last night the Gryphons cruised in the fourth quarter and beat the number 1 seed in the Sectional West Craven Eagles 73 to 53.

The Rocky Mount Gryphons basketball team came to Fayetteville to take on the 29 and 1 West Craven Eagles. The Gryphons come in to this game under extreme pressure. Not only are they playing a once defeated team but they certainly want to do as good as the Gryphon girls and win a regional basketball game. Once inside the arena we discovered that Coach Mike Gainey is a little under the weather. To add to the Gryphons problem the girls basketball team had practice this afternoon and was bringing the cheerleaders to the game and they were late getting to the coliseum.

The opening tap was won by West Craven and in a matter of seconds they had a 2 to 0 lead. A quick turnover by the Gryphons and a 3 point basket by West Craven and the score was 5-0. The Gryphons finally settled in to play and took control of the first quarter. Gryphon big man Donte Battle led the way scoring 6 points in the first quarter. The leading scorer for the Eagles, Josh Cuthbertson was shut out in the first quarter and the Gryphons lead 19 to 10.

The second quarter was pretty even and Cuthbertson did not like Lavone Brutus being in his shirt on defense which led to a technical foul on both players and the Gryphons led 24 to 14 and all the way to the half it was pretty even with the Gryphons leading 36 to 26 at the half.

The Eagles came out with a surge to start the third quarter and cut the lead to 7 but the Gryphons responded and pretty much kept WC at bay the remainder of the quarter.. The Gryphons had foul trouble as Donte Battle had to sit with more than 4 minutes to go in the 3rd quarter with 4 fouls. Mike Gainey and his coaching staff decided to go to a zone defense to protect other players who were also nearing foul trouble. Now in a zone defense the WC offense was not able to penetrate to the basket and had to rely on outside shouting and their offense momentum stalled. The Gryphons led 52 to 40 at the end of the 3rd quarter.

The fourth quarter the Gryphons went to a more spread offense and many of their points came on back door with layups at the baskets. By games end the Gryphons had stretched the game to 20 and the subs were in. KJ Peoples led the Gryphons scoring 18 but there was plenty of help to go around as Terrill Hillard had 13, Lavone Brutus and Donte Battle had 12 each.

The top 2 scorers for WC were held to 22 points. Josh Cuthbertson had 11 and Aaron Tate had 11. Tyrone Brown also contributed 11. In the end, the Gryphons had too much defense for the Eagles.

IT'S A GOOD NIGHT TO BE A GRYPHON!!!

  Both mens and womens teams with play Saturday in the Regional finals with the girls tap off at Noon and the boys to follow at about 2:30. We are at this time hoping to carry both games on WZAX 99.3 . The next Rocky Mount team to play will be the Jaguars of Rocky Mount Prep who play in the 1-A semi's on Friday night. There is a good chance that you can come to Fayetteville Saturday and watch 3 Rocky Mount teams. If the Jags win Friday night they will play at 6:00pm Saturday.