GREENVILLE — It’s been a few months since basketball season ended. One of the highlights of the winter was a classic showdown between Northside and Terra Ceia at the Christmas tournament. The Panthers narrowly edged the Knights in December.

Fast-forward to June and both teams got a chance to take the floor again, getting an early look at what they’ll have come next season. A two-day high school basketball tournament was held at East Carolina University. The main event of Friday night was a rematch between the Knights and Panthers.

“It’s good. We’re young,” Northside coach Mike Proctor said. “Ball handling (hurt us) and we turned it over a lot today. I saw some stuff. We have a bunch of freshmen that really played well tonight and that’s good. … I got a look at some people and we (had) three games (on Saturday).”

The weekend objective was very much the same for Terra Ceia.

“We’re just getting to know each other,” Terra Ceia coach Roger Klaassen said. “There are new pieces to the puzzle. Playing this level of competition is not going to hurt us. We’re just seeing where we are.”

The game started off as even as expected. The two traded baskets as Terra Ceia jumped out in transition at every opportunity and Northside took advantage of its strength in the post.

“We’re pretty good in the post,” Proctor said, adding that the team was weak in the backcourt because of absences and losing Ikeem Greene and Jabari Ashe. “That would help us a lot with ball handling.”

Messiah Barnes ran the speed game for the Knights, pushing them to a 14-9 advantage late in the first quarter. He hit a pair of transition layups followed by a 3-pointer. Parker Boyd answered with a trey of his own in the last seconds of the quarter, making it a two-point game at the end of the first.

Northside kept Terra Ceia’s offense at bay throughout most of the second quarter. The Panthers worked their way inside time and again to take an 18-14 lead. The Knights bounced back by pushing the pace of the game to end the half on an 11-0 run.

“These younger guys just have to fit in and learn the game,” Klaassen said. “What I saw (Friday) with two wins against Northside and Swansboro, I’m pretty happy.”

Bryson Radcliffe sparked Northside’s offense to start the second half and helped the Panthers pull within one. However, that was as close as they’d get. Terra Ceia knocked down crucial shots to keep Northside at arm’s length. The Knights took advantage of chances at the free-throw line to make it a two-possession, 37-31 game heading into the fourth.

Northside struggled making some of the same key shots the Knights did. That can be chalked up to being cold after taking the court for the first time in a while.

“We didn’t hit any jump shots and I hate that,” Proctor said. “Maybe we haven’t shot around enough lately. … We didn’t shoot very well and I guess that can be expected so early in the season.”

Barnes and Tyler Hendrix each scored four points in the final period to seal the win. Radcliffe and Atia Shamseldin each knocked down long-range shots for Northside, but it wasn’t enough to mount a comeback.