Those of you that have been wondering about the Rocky Mount High school basketball team and what is wrong with them losing seven games so far this year. I think I see one of the biggest problems that is finally getting better. Defense. Just think all teams have had this problem since the first of January, practice time. Everyone played only once two weeks in a row first for exams and then a third week got caught for snow and only played one again. All these multi game weeks doesn't give teams time to practice so there has been plenty of sloppy play the last month.
Ever since Rocky Mount was behind to Fike at the half Rocky Mount has now put together ten quarters of defensive basketball. They out scored Fike by 14 in the second half powered by defense. Saturday the defense was quicker than the Nash Central Bulldogs and tonight the defense came to play.
The Gryphons forced 23 Firebirds turnovers mostly the second and third quarters. Sure looks to me like all of a sudden the Gryphons have a want to on defense that they have not shown all season. Playing their last regular season home games Dante Battle and Emanual King took it upon themselves to try to get every rebound. Battle had 12 boards and 24 points while King also had a double double getting 12 and 12. The defense creating turnovers Isaiah Alston took advantage getting 17 points.
The end of the first quarter was 16-15 Gryphons but from that point on it was all Gryphons until the subs took over. they lead by 46-22 at the half, 70-29 after three and the final of 81-52.
We already know that if the Lady Gryphons can't do anything else you can count on the defense even when the offense is struggling. Tonight the D made the offense look good as the Lady Gryphons slowly pull away from the Lady Birds of Southern Nash 63-36.
Michelle Gainey lead the way for the Gryphons as she scored 14 during the Gryphon surge to pull away. Carmen Richardson lead the scoring with 16. Tyreka Nicholson lead the Lady Birds with11. Rocky Mount won the rebound battle 53-30 lead by Keyanna Spivey with 11 but 12 Gryphons got at least one board.
Both Gryphons teams go to 7-2 in league play and by beating Southern tonight the boys clinch second and will get a bye in next weeks Big East Tournamnet which will be held at Rocky Mount starting Monday. I haven't heard who won the Nash Central -Hunt game so I can't say the Lady Gryphons clinched second. If the weather allows they finish the regular season Friday night at Northern.
Hunt clinched first in the Big East in boys basketball ripping Nash Central 75-47. Northern girls clinched first in girls play beating Fike. Fike boys beat Northern 68-60. Found out tonight this is the year only three teams from the Big East make the playoffs. I talked with Robbie Kennedy AD at Southern and they plan to move Wenesday's Hunt game to Tuesday if they can make it through no early school dismissal on Tuesday. I would think Northern and Nash Central might do the same.
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