Back On The Court

Finally Rocky Mount High played in a strange place a home game.  The Gryphons have not performed there in 50 days or since December 13th.  The Lady Gryphons so unfamiliar with the rims took almost five minutes to make there first basket.  Once the boys started the Gryphons turned the ball over their first six trips down the court.

It didn't matter to Alexus Hill how long Rocky Mount had been away from home she doesn't play there but one time  a year but she played the first quarter as it was her home scoring eight points and pulling down five rebounds.  This game felt like Northern was winning by thirty in the first half but 14 was biggest lead. By the fourth quarter it seemed closer than it really was and Northern Nash girls take sole pocession of first place  beating the Lady Gryphons 57-40

The Lady Gryphons had better be glad Carmen Richardson showed up today as Richardson scores 30 of Rocky  Mount's 40 points. Only two other players scored for the Gryphons as they scored five a piece. Northern playing mostly zone bottled up the Gryphons they scored very few inside ten feet.

Alexus Hill lead Northern with 25 but she had help as five other Lady Knights scored five or more.  Hard to believe Rocky Mount out rebounded Northern 30-27 but many of Northern's resulted in put back points while the Gryphons didn't have many.  Northern made 15 of 18 free throws while Rocky Mount went just 19 of 33 .  Northern goes to 4-0 in the Big East while Rocky Mount falls to 4-1.

The much shorter Northern Knights hung tough with the Rocky Mount boys for a while but a spurt by the Gryphons just before the half gave Rocky Mount a 28-23 lead.   They put the game away in the third quarter out scoring Northern by 12.  With five minutes left leading by 29 Mike Gainey cleared the bench.  Final score Rocky Mount 69 Northern 44 .

Rocky Mount out rebounded Northern 54-27 and that doesn't include the many tap  backs at the basket as many times the Gryphon big men played volleyball  keeping the ball alive trying to tap shots in. After starting out with six turnovers at the beginning of the game Rocky Mount finished with 16 while Northern committed 14 .

Emmanuel King lead Rocky Mount scoring 20 and had 11 rebounds.Donte Battle was the only double digit scorer with 12 points and 9 rebounds but nine other Gryphons scored and another nine had rebounds. Demonte Johnson lead Northern with 11.  Rocky Mount goes to 4-1 in the Big East and Northern drops to 0-4.

Rocky Mount will host Hunt Tuesday night as this will be the battle for first place as tonight Hunt beat Fike at Hunt 83-68 to go to 4-0 in the Big East.  A Hunt victory on Tuesday would give them at least a two game lead on a Rocky Mount and even though it would not clinch first they would be in the drivers seat.

By the way I think Seattle is better than Denver but I'm taking Peyton  27-23.