Charitable Contributions

Tonight Rocky Mount High school made a major charitable tax contribution on their 2014 taxes when they handed the Hunt Warriors two games at the free throw line.  The Lady Gryphons made just 15 of 33 free throws on the night and made a valiant come back 10 points back with less than two minutes to play and had two rebound put backs to tie the game but neither fell an Hunt Lady Warriors beat Rocky Mount 59-53.

The boys were sailing along at the end of three quarters leading Hunt 52-42 but failed to make any of their eight free throws in the 4th quarter plus turned the ball over way to much and lose 62-60 to the Warriors. Hunt now stands at 5-0 in conference play while Rocky Mount drops to 4-2.

The Lady Gryphons trailed by six at the end of the first quarter, ten at the half and at several points in the third quarter by 12 but pressure defense they cut it to four at the end of three but the Warriors built it back to 12 in the fourth and at 1:57 the Gryphons trailed by 10. Carmen Richardson lead the fourth quarter flurry for Rocky Mount making 8 of 9 free throws down the stretch but that left Rocky Mount hitting only 7 of 24 earlier in the game.  Tarmara Harper scored 12.  Ashley Hatfield grabbed 12 rebounds and Richardson has 11 as the shorter Gryphons out rebound Hunt 50-45.

Hunt wasn't in a giving mood like Rocky Mount made 15 of their 20 shots at the free stripe. Brianna Anderson lead the Warriors with 19. Alexis Williams scored 11 and Kianna Ballard 10.  Williams had 16 boards while Destinee Hinnant had 11.  Rocky Falls to 4-2 in the Big East while Hunt is 3-2.

The Gryphon boys playing their three guard lineup played much better defense early on Hunt.  Seems when the turnovers started big time in the fourth the D on the outside shot went away and Quan Kent made them pay scoring 22 on the night but made three straight thres when Hunt was making their
move.

Donte Battle 25 points 13 rebounds  lead the way but Isaiah Alston pumped  in 22 .  Rocky  Mount won the boards 37-25 but they also made lots more turn overs than Hunt 21-10. Keenon Tabron scored 16 for the Warriors while Josh Willingham added 12.

Northern Nash girls now have a two game lead as they beat Southern Nash. 63-40.  All the Hunt boys need to do is not fall down the next two weeks as they lead the boys by a game and a half.

Who Wants Second

I think we have seen that the team to beat in Big East basketball is the Lady Knights of Northern Nash.  They have already beaten Rocky Mount the team that seems to be the prime candidate for second twice and by 17 on Rocky Mount's home court.  The only team in the league that compares size wise Hunt, Northern has already taken them down by 17 on Hunts home floor.  Due to all the weather complication Northern and Nash Central have yet to meet but both Rocky Mount and Hunt have handled the Lady Bulldogs.

Tonight Rocky Mount host Hunt.  Rocky Mount's four conference wins have been close by less than seven points in each but all four have happened on the road. Their five remaining games left to play only a road trip to Northern is away all others are against teams they won on the road.  Since all four wins were close they are no shoo in to win any the second time around.

Enter tonight's game with Hunt, Rocky Mount won  55-51 at Hunt but the Lady Gryphons had trouble getting the ball inside against the tall Hunt front line.  Rocky Mount's advantage was the pressure defense that as the game went on the Hunt taller girls tired and the Lady Gryphons took advantage.

Now at this point Nash Central is 1-2 with seven games to play in the last two weeks of the season. They have two meetings left with Northern which is not exactly in the Lady Bulldogs favor.  Four teams will make the playoffs and at this point Fike is winless so you would think either Nash Central or Southern will be fighting for the fourth playoff spot or if either Nash Central or Southern can best Rocky Mount or Hunt to drop them down to join the battle for fourth.

Southern Nash girls stand at 1-2 with a Loss against Northern and Rocky Mount.  They too have seven games to play and if you include the next two Saturdays they have only 12 days to play those seven games.  That doesn't leave much practice time and not many players get better until you have time to be taught what your mistakes were and then practice  improving before the next game.  There will be a couple of back to back nights with no practice in between.

Tonight the fight begins for who wants second.  A loss now for either Rocky Mount, Hunt, Nash Central or Southern Nash just pushes the loser  closer to fifth spot and out of the playoffs. Who wants a bye in the Big East tournament along side Northern will be the team that wins the most games between the four team tangled together.  I don't foresee any one beating The Lady Knights the rest of the way during the regular season. The one that beats all the others will get second.