By By BRIAN HAINES
Sports Writer
YEATESVILLE — Northside’s season opening win on Tuesday may have been encouraging, but the Panthers first loss of the year showed them that there is still plenty to work on.
After topping Mattamuskeet in the first round of the PCS/Northside Tip-off Classic, Northside stumbled in the championship round as it lost 50-28 to Edenton on Wednesday.
The balanced attack that was so effective against the Lakers on Tuesday was non-existent against the Aces as Northside (1-1) scored a mere six points in the first, third and fourth quarters.
Forward/Center Rebekah Bonney led the team with 11 points despite missing minutes due to an injury in the second quarter.
Rochelle Davis had a nice game, but had long stretches where she was a non-factor and finished with eight points.
The rest of the team struggled most of the game as Edenton’s press gave the Panthers fits.
The Aces (2-0) put pressure on the Panthers for large portions of the game and were able to capitalize by scoring fastbreak points off of Northside turnovers.
When Edenton wasn’t running the floor, it patiently worked the ball inside to its post players and usually came away with points.
Zakira Leary led the Aces with 12 points, while Alexis Duncan had 12.
“I thought our forwards played really good,” Edenton coach Fred White said. “We got the ball inside to (Brittnee Lassiter, nine points) and she and the other girls did good things for us.”
Northside coach Michelle Leathers said her team need to play with more intensity.
“We just have to get more aggressive,” Leathers said. “(Edenton) was aggressive, they pounded the ball inside and that hurt us a lot.”
Edenton jumped out to an early 10-0 lead and never looked back. The Panthers did not score until there was 2:18 left in the first quarter.
The Aces took a 32-16 lead into halftime, as the game never got much closer.
Leathers said her team needs to be able to play more than just zone defense.
“We had a hard time with man-to-man,” Leathers said. “I felt like my first group would be able to do it, but we just couldn’t. … We really just need to get in better shape.”
Turnovers haunted the Panthers all game as they routinely made poor passes or had the ball stolen from them.
“We kind of beat ourselves,” Leathers said. “They ran that press and tried to get us on the hot spots of the court, and when we saw a man open we tended to telegraph our passes because we are so young.”
Leathers also said that she would like to see her star forward Davis get more involved on offense.
“It’s a personal thing for her,” Leathers said. “I have been talking to her since she was a freshman, and she has to find it in herself to (to be more assertive) if she wants to take her game to the next level.”
Before the Panthers and Aces squared off, Pamlico won the consolation round by topping Mattamuskeet 39-32.
Northside will return to action on Dec. 1 when it plays on the road at Columbia.
Edenton 14 18 8 10 — 50
Northside 6 10 6 6 — 28
ACES (50)
Zakira Leary 12, Peeler 6, Lassiter 9, Alexis Duncan 11, Williams 6, Ford 6.
PANTHERS (28)
Rebekah Bonney 11, Slade 3, Davis 8, Paniagua 4, Gayner 2.