Cahoon reaches 1,000 career points in Northside sweep

Published 4:02 am Thursday, January 9, 2025

By Jason O. Boyd

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YEATESVILLE, N.C. — It only took about 13 seconds for O.J. Cahoon to join the elite in Northside High School basketball history.

The senior guard scored her 1,000th career point and more as the Panthers swept Northeast Academy for Aerospace and Advanced Tech (NAFAAAT) on Tuesday. The Northside girls (10-1) bounced back from their first loss of the season at Bear Grass Charter for a 66-13 win. The Northside boys improved to 9-2 with a 75-23 win.

Cahoon came into Tuesday’s game at 997 points. She hit a 3-pointer quickly from near the top of the key to set off a celebration for her milestone. She was given the game ball from head coach Michelle Leathers and boys basketball coach and Athletic Director Jared Adams.

“It was kind of, I was ready to get it over with, so we could actually play the game and not have to worry about it,” Cahoon said with a smile as family and friends waited behind her to continue the celebration.

Northside’s girls were looking to move on from a tough 64-56 loss at Bear Grass Charter. They did that and then some against the Griffins, using their standard play of aggressive defense and fast-break points to build a quick lead. From there, it was just a matter of getting each player as much time on the court as possible.

“I think overall, the Bear Grass game was back and forth,” Cahoon said. “It was a tough game for us. We had a lot of turnovers. I think that was one of our big things that we needed to work on tonight. We tried to swing the ball and have less turnovers and really run the plays and focus on not having as many turnovers.”

The Panthers were at Hobgood Charter on Thursday and open Coastal Plains Conference play Tuesday at home against rival Southside. So every chance to get playing time is crucial for Northside’s team.

“Yeah, that’s all we were trying to do, trying to get better,” Leathers said. “We had a good practice (Monday). It was one of the best ones this season.

“So we’re making some adjustments, doing some new things, so everybody knows certain things that we like to do. So we changed up a few things.”

Leathers also praised Cahoon for her play through the years and is hopeful she can continue to do well as the season marches forward. Having the starting five and a deep bench will be critical for Northside when the postseason comes.

“When they called her name out, I got kind of emotional, because she and I do have a very good coach-player relationship, and she has a good set of parents,” Leathers said. “I love her parents. I told the girls (Tuesday) that, you know, not that her parents have my back, they got my spine.

“They’re allowing me to coach O.J. for four years, and, you know, I appreciate that.”

Cahoon finished with 14 points. Sophie Berry led Northside with 15 while Madison Scheffler had 13.

Northside’s boys had an equally easy time against their opponent and used the same approach as the girls’ team to build a big lead.

The Panthers led 30-6 after the first quarter and a running clock was initiated in the second half. Northside used pressure defense at halfcourt to convert easy points. It also helped that the Panthers hit six 3-pointers, two in the first half by Chase Hewitt. Northside also only missed one free throw.

“Yeah, I mean, you just got to do what your role is,” said Hewitt, who had eight points. “Coach Adams puts us in a role. He wants me to shoot the ball. “He wants me to have confidence in myself. So I gain confidence if I just keep shooting. Even if I miss it, you just got to keep shooting.”

Adams said his team’s play Tuesday is how he wants to see them produce game after game. Getting the shots to fall is one area that leads to success.

“We’re doing a better job of kind of getting in set, finding, taking the quality shot,” Adams said. “Every time down the floor, my goal is to take the best in a quality shot.

“We still need to fine-tune a couple of times of when to push, when to slow it up. But a lot of that, I think, is just trying to catch momentum and keep up with momentum. And it’s just fine-tuning little things.

“But my goal is to continue moving in the right direction. We’ve got to stay hungry, got to continue working, stay hungry, put a lot of time in, and we’re going to continue putting a lot of time in.”

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