Bitter Sweet Night

The Rocky Mount boys are headed south down I-95 for the fourth straight year as on their home floor tonight they have taken down their third foe of the week by at least 20 beating C B Aycock 72-43.  80 miles southeast of here the Lady Gryphons trying to hold on to the emotional high after the upset of their top rival Northern Nash on Wednesday ran out of gas in the 4th quarter and fell 56-52 to West Craven.  70 miles due east down highway 64 Rocky Mount Prep got revenge from the team the team that knocked them out of the Regional 1-A playoffs last year winning in Plymouth 60-57. The game at Plymouth an hour before game time the door was locked as the place was packed for these two 1-A titans clash.

J'Kyra Brown playing in her last game for the Lady Gryphons scored 27 Points in a losing effort as the Lady Gryphons jumped out to a 14-9 first quarter lead.  The Eagles fought back to lead 23-21 at the half but a big push by the Lady Gryphons gave them the third quarter lead at 42-33.  West Craven started the 4th quarter with a 10-2 run to cut the lead to 44-43 and it was down to the wire from there.

Let me refresh your memory.  If there is one team that wanted revenge tonight it was West Craven.  Last year in the Regional Semi's our Lady Gryphons knocked them off the block of an unbeaten team.  Tonight UNC bound Jamie Cherry pumped in 20 to lead the way for the Lady Eagles. Carmen Richardson aided Brown with 15 . Takeyra Thomas had five, Kelsey Daniels three and Sekeya Battle two for the Lady Gryphons they finish the season at 16-10.

I would like to thank James Silver one of the team managers for Rocky Mount basketball as his text of the scores back to the gym kept everyone watching the boys play informed about the girls game.  He also text me the final numbers tonight so I could let you know about our Ladies.  Thank James.  He would like for me to tell everyone how proud he is of our Ladies team with all the injuries they had this year to make it all the way to the Sectional Finals.

As expected the Rocky Mount Gryphons disposed of C B Aycock Falcons 72-43.  It was a solid continuation of building of the lead the entire night.  It was not the best performance of the week by far but it was the the 9th straight state  playoff game that Rocky Mount has won by at least double digits.

Rocky Mount won the boards 31-23 and their defense caused 23 turnovers while  Rocky Mount once again protected the ball rather well with only 11 turnovers. Donte Battle lead the scoring parade with 20 followed by Emanuel King with 16, MJ Gainey 13.  Battle swiped 11 rebound to lead there too.  Mike Williams score 15 for the Falcons and A J Munden got 25% of their rebounds getting 6.

Rocky Mount will play Friday game time is let to be determined but they will play West Craven as they beat Havelock 66-57.   Rocky Mount Prep will play in 1-A Regional Wednesday night.  The other game Friday will be Webb against Eastern Alamance