Beaufort County is hitting the home stretch of the basketball season. Regular-season games are running out, meaning slip ups at this time are even more costly.

Most of the local squads haven’t had to worry about that. Northside’s boys kept their momentum going, and the Lady Panthers seem to have hit a stride. Southside’s girls also continued to cement themselves as a top-three team in the 1-A Coastal Plains.

Washington’s girls used top-notch defense to pick up a valuable road win at Ayden-Grifton.

Here are the standouts from this past week:

 

PARKER BOYD, NORTHSIDE

Parker Boyd has had arguably the best week of his basketball season. Boyd has been a key role player as a rebounder and defender. He’s evolved recently into a scoring threat that has helped make a Northside team rich in talented guards much more rounded.

Boyd chipped in plenty in a non-conference drubbing of Mattamuskeet. He then turned around and poured in 18 points — which was second on the team only to Rashod Smith’s 27 — in a league win over South Creek. He also had 10 rebounds.

 

MICHAELA DIXON, SOUTHSIDE

Michaela Dixon hit the ground running Friday against Jones Senior. She and Southside hadn’t played in 10 days, but looked no worse for the wear in a 53-47 win over Jones Senior.

Dixon finished with a second-best 18 points. Fellow senior Symone Ruffin led the team with 19. Dixon also hauled in 11 rebounds to notch yet another double-double.

 

BRYSON RADCLIFFE, NORTHSIDE

Just like with Parker Boyd, Bryson Radcliffe has been key to what coach Mike Proctor hopes is becoming a more aggressive forward corps. Radcliffe has shown in the past few years he can score the ball. He was consistent with his work in the paint this past week.

After taking advantage of Mattamuskeet in the post, Radcliffe added 16 points in Northside’s win at South Creek. He also had eight rebounds. If Radcliffe and Boyd are any indication, Northside’s bigs have taken the directive from their coaches.

 

PRENTISS THOMAS, NORTHSIDE

The Lady Panthers are one of the younger squads in Beaufort County. Thanks to standout sophomores like Prentiss Thomas, they’re as talented as they are youthful.

Thomas didn’t play as much as she’s accustomed to when Northside hosted Mattamuskeet on Thursday. Coach Michelle Leathers gave everyone on the roster plenty of playing time in the 63-9 win. However, she turned around on Friday and helped the Lady Panthers earn a road conference win at South Creek.

 

DARIA JONES, WASHINGTON

Washington, after traveling to Ayden-Grifton for its only game last week, has won its last two games. The 40-35 close call against the Lady Chargers was a result of defensive sharpness. Ayden-Grifton outscored the Lady Pack 17-8 in the first quarter, but didn’t score more than six points in each of the last three periods.

Junior Daria Jones’ defensive abilities helped Washington keep the hosts neutralized. He length lets her lock down the paint, but her athleticism allows her to guard about any position.