By By BRIAN HAINES, Sports Writer
JAMESVILLE — Thanks to an impressive defensive display, Williamston will get to play another day as the Tigers shut down Jamesville, 74-47, in the first round of the NCHSAA Class 1-A state tournament on Monday.
Williamston’s defense pressured the Tideland Conference tournament champions into several costly turnovers all game, which translated into easy buckets for the Tigers.
The Tigers’ defense clamped down on Jamesville from the opening tip as Williamston (14-11) jumped out to an 8-0 run.
Jamesville (13-10) answered late in the quarter behind the play of Rakeem Williams and sharp-shooter Barry Parker, who drained a buzzer-beating three to close the quarter, pulling the Bullets within 14-10.
Williams, who chipped in three points in the first quarter, finished as the game’s leading scorer with 19 points.
Jamesville’s offense could not carry its momentum into the second quarter. The Tigers were too quick on the defensive end, as they swatted several shots and made many steals.
On offense, the Tigers looked patient and executed both its fastbreaks and halfcourt sets well.
Ray Biggs scored six of his team-high 14 points in the second quarter in which the Tigers out-scored the Bullets 16-6.
While Williamston made some separation in the second, going into halftime up 30-16, it completely broke away from the Bullets in the third.
Unrelenting, the Tigers came out even more determined on the defensive end to start the second half and rattled off a 13-2 run that blew the game wide open.
Biggs matched his second-quarter scoring output with six in the third, while getting help from Jarret Coffield, who tallied five for the quarter. Coffield finished with 10 points.
William Harvey was also instrumental in the third as he scored four points, and capped of the 13-2 run with a one-handed jam to make it 43-18.
Williamston closed the quarter up 53-31.
Jerry Ange, coach of the second-seeded Bullets, said that his team’s sluggish third quarter was costly.
Ange also said that he was proud of his team’s effort throughout the season and the Tideland Conference tournament.
For the Tigers, the win means they get to advance to the second round of the playoffs where they will face No. 1 seed North Edgecombe (18-6) on the road Wednesday at 7 p.m.
Williamston 14 16 23 21 — 74
Jamesville 10 6 15 16 — 47
Williamston (74)
Jarret Coffield 10, Moore 7, William Harvey 13, Ray Biggs 14, Tiaris Northern 10, Smith 2, Andrews 5, Williams 5, Price 2, Moody 2, Peele 2, Brown 2.
Jamesville (47)
Rakeem Williams 19, James 4, Smith 2, Parker 6, Regis Bell 13, Williams 3.