RED SPRINGS — The jubilation that Red Springs boys basketball coach Glenn Patterson saw from his team after its 64-63 win over South Robeson was a level that he had not seen all season.
The Red Devils defeated their first in-county opponent of the season while it won its third game in four outings on Friday night, and the importance of the game bled over into the postgame celebration.
“I think they are buying into what we’ve been trying to get them to do all along,” Patterson said. “It was big for us tonight. I liked the excitement I saw in the locker room tonight. We haven’t had that in a long time.”
“We knew how big this game was coming in.”
Red Springs senior Jaylen Mack scored 18 points and mentioned how much county-wide bragging rights meant, as well as his heightened play as of late.
“It’s a big win. We haven’t been able to beat county teams. We wanted to be able to beat a county team and get on a roll,” Mack said. “The first half of the season I was kind of playing nonchalant, but the second half I’ve been trying to pick up the energy and be a dog.”
But to get that first in-county win, Red Springs (7-11, 7-7 TRC) allowed South Robeson (10-8, 7-6 TRC) back in the game late. The Red Devils led 60-51 with two minutes to go, and that’s when the Mustangs’ defense and the scoring of Cameron Werrell took over.
Werrell scored 18 of his 22 points in the fourth, with a flurry of nine points coming inside the final two minutes. He also pulled down 14 rebounds, despite spending large spans of time on the bench with foul trouble.
“Early foul trouble was the story of the game for us,” South Robeson coach Ryan Bullard said. “The guys played their hearts out the last three minutes, even the last quarter really.”
With 15 seconds left, he hit a pair of free throws, South Robeson stole the ball under the basket and fed him the ball which he converted into a layup and was fouled. His free throw made it 64-63. Red Springs missed both free throws on the following possession before Kylerr Page’s desperation heave was off the mark.
Werrell and Page wore targets on their back from Red Springs coming into the matchup, and both carried the Mustangs’ offense. Page tallied 18 points.
“All week we had been working at trying to stop Cam and hold him under 20 points. We wanted someone else beat us,” Patterson said. “At halftime I told them when it’s just (Page) we would box him, and when both were in we would extend the zone higher.”
Red Springs built a double-digit lead in the third quarter thanks in large part to its inside scoring from Correll Love, Shyheim Richardson and Keyante Graham.
“That’s been our weakness in that we hadn’t got second chances in the basket,” Patterson said. “Those guys came up big in crucial times.”
Keagan Brayboy added 17 points for Red Springs.
Atkinson fuels Red Springs
A double-double effort from Taylynn Atkinson was enough for the Red Springs girls basketball team to defeat South Robeson 37-16 at home on Friday.
Red Springs (8-11, 7-7 TRC) held South Robeson (9-9, 5-8 TRC) to one point in the second quarter to go up 15-7 at the half, after both teams were tied at 6-all after the end of the first quarter.
Atkinson had 23 points and 13 boards for the Lady Red Devils. Raven Cox added nine points for Red Springs.
Zaneta Ellerbee had a team-best eight points and 11 boards for the Lady Mustangs.
Red Springs plays at Whiteville on Tuesday, while South Robeson hosts East Columbus.
Fairmont splits with East Bladen
ELIZABETHTOWN — The Fairmont boys basketball team defeated East Bladen 56-53 on Friday night.
Jayvon Morris scored a team-best 20 points and had eight rebounds for Fairmont. Jakeem Moore added 14 points and Dewayne Davis had 11 points and 10 rebounds.
Three Rivers Conference-leading East Bladen claimed a 72-18 blowout win over Fairmont at home on Friday.
UNCP signee Jaytyra Moore-Peterson scored 30 points for the Lady Eagles. Fairmont was led in scoring by Morgan Scott with six points.
West Columbus too much for Bulldogs
CERRO GORDO — The West Columbus boys basketball team trailed for nearly the entire contest against St. Pauls at home on Friday, but a steal and layup at the buzzer by Ty’Quawn Johnson lifted the Three Rivers Conference leaders to a 49-47 win.
West Columbus trailed 47-41 inside of two minutes left in the game, but thanks to 3-point shooting and its defense, was able to defeat the Bulldogs.
Johnson scored a team-high 13 points.
St. Pauls was led in scoring by Caleb Henderson’s 11 points and Anthony Campbell with 10 points.
In girls action, St. Pauls lost 40-36 to West Columbus.
T.J. Eichelberger had 12 points and 17 rebounds, while Diamond Simms-Moore recorded 13 points and 11 rebounds.
Pinecrest defeats Rams
The Purnell Swett boys basketball team lost at Pinecrest 51-43 on Friday.
Rufus Harris logged a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds. Zack Carter had a team-high 15 points and Darriante Parker had 10.
