By By KEVIN TRAVIS, Sports Editor
GREENVILLE — Dakuan Spencer did everything he could to help Washington dig out of a huge hole, including a ferocious dunk that had Pam Pack fans jumping in the bleachers. However, the Pack ran out of gas at the end and D.H. Conley survived with a 67-63 victory.
The Vikings (5-0, 1-0), which got 17 points apiece from Jaron Lane and D.J. Weaver, led by as many as 17 points in the fourth before the Pack (3-1, 0-1) rallied in Tuesday’s Coastal Conference opener. Spencer’s layup in the final seconds, which capped off a 21-point performance for the junior, was as close as Washington would get.
Conley had five players score in double figures in the girls game as the Vikings (5-0, 1-0) took a 73-48 win over Washington (2-2, 0-1).
Conley, which also got 12 points from Frances Paye, jumped out to an 11-4 lead in the first quarter of the boys game. The first of four 3-pointers by Weaver gave the Vikings the seven-point lead.
Weaver’s triples always seemed to come at crucial times for Conley.
Needing a spark, Washington got one when Spencer slammed one home. He was fouled on the play and buried the free throw to cap the three-point play, pulling Washington within 16-15.
Jarees Griffin, who led all scorers with 23 points, gave the Pack its first lead, 17-16, with a short jumper. His rebound-basket moments later made it 19-16 to cap a 7-0 run.
The teams traded leads in the final minutes until Mike Moore’s layup just before the halftime horn tied it at 26.
Weaver buried a pair of treys in the third to help Conley outscore the Pack, 22-12, giving the Vikings a 48-38 lead.
The Vikings went up 57-40 midway through the fourth, but the Pack refused to quit. A steal and layup by Taraja Langley sparked a 10-0 run, which saw Spencer get another slam, as the Pack pulled within 57-50.
A triple by Paye gave the Vikings a 64-54 lead, but Griffin’s jumper pulled the Pack within five, 64-59, with some two minutes to play.
Spencer’s layup in the final moments trimmed the deficit to four, but Washington couldn’t get any closer.
This was the first of three games this week for the Pack. Washington plays host to Williamston tonight, before returning to conference play Friday night at South Central.
Conley pulls away
Five players scored in double figures for Conley as the Vikings cruised to the 73-48 win.
Breanna Andrews led the Vikings with 14 points, while Shaquanza Manning and Kendra Spruill had 13 apiece, Bria Wilkins 12 and Tyler Knight 11.
The Pack got 16 points from Harmony Simpkins and 15 from Jordan Cantrell.
Washington actually led 15-13 after the first quarter thanks to six points from Cantrell.
The Vikings, using a full-court press to bother the Pack, used a 27-8 second quarter to grab a 40-23 halftime advantage.
Washington outscored Conley by five in the third, but the Vikings pulled away with a 22-9 final period.
D.H. Conley posted a 59-42 win in the junior varsity boys game.
Washington 4 22 12 25 — 63
D.H. Conley 11 15 22 19 — 67
WASHINGTON (63)
Jarees Griffin 23, Dakuan Spencer 21, Harris 8, Langley 7, Moore 3, Tripp 1, Albritton, Horton, Ward, Jaknovic.
D.H. CONLEY (67)
Jaron Lane 17, D.J. Weaver 17, Frances Paye 12, Anderson 6, Best 6, McLawhorn 4, Evans 3, Ahlers 2, Tyson, White.
Girls
Washington 15 8 16 9 — 48
D.H. Conley 13 27 11 22 — 73
WASHINGTON (48)
Harmony Simpkins 16, Jordan Cantrell 15, Batchelor 5, Burke 5, Stowe 4, Burbage 2, Grice 1, Langley, McIver, R. Cantrell, Palmer.
D.H. CONLEY (73)
Brittany Wilkins 14, Shaquanza Manning 13, Kendra Spruill 13, Bria Wilkins 12, Tyler Knight 11, Andrews 8, Burt 2, Gonzalez, Adams, Nagler, Daniels.