By By BRIAN HAINES, Brian@wdnweb.com, Sports Writer
WILLIAMSTON — Ramelle Lanier scored a game-high 19 points and Tremaine Anderson added 14 as a balanced Riverside attack led to the Knights 80-50 Senior Night victory over Four Rivers Conference rival Northside on Friday.
The Riverside girls team also celebrated their Senior Night with a win as they rolled past the Panthers 64-23.
In the boys matchup, Riverside exploded for 50 first-half points against a shorthanded Northside team that was playing without five players due to various reasons.
Lanier got off to a fast start as he scored seven of his game-high 19 points in the first quarter as Riverside led wire-to-wire.
“We are pleased with the win, we had three conference wins this week and it’s been a long week,” Riverside coach Bobby Williams said. “I was just hoping something positive would happen early and we could get our legs under us.”
At the end of the girls game the Knights honored seniors JaPual Whitehurst, Clay Roberson, Demonte James, Trevon Rodgers an Anderson, while Charnell Jones was the lone senior on the girls’ squad.
“The senior class has been great,” Williams said. “We are trying to start a tradition here at this new school and three of those men played for me here at Williamston last year and two of those men have come over from Jamesville and they have been nothing but a great addition since Day One. We want this senior class to start a tradition the right way.”
The undermanned Panthers fought hard where led by Damount Harvey and Taylor Woolard who each scored 13 points.
“(Riverside) has a lot of athleticism, they are quick and they shoot it well; they have a pretty good team,” Northside coach Mike Procter said. “We are a little shorthanded. We fought hard in the second half but I thought we laid down a little in the first half. But I thought we came out and showed a lot of heart in the second half and I’m proud of these guys.”
The win upped the Knights’ record to 17-5 (9-3), while the Panthers record is currently under review. When asked about his team’s record Procter respectfully declined to comment.
Northside will be back in action on Monday at home against Manteo, while Riverside will be back in action on Tuesday at home against Southside.
Knights 64, Panthers 23
A quick and relentless Riverside defense took control of a shorthanded Northside girls team early and road a hot start to a 64-23 victory.
The Knights (16-6, 10-2) had 10 players enter the scoring column and where led by freshman Jalyn Brown who scored a game-high 11 points. Dasia Moore, Jo’Neka Brown, Charnell Jones and Courtney Wynn each scored eight to lead Riverside.
While the offense was sturdy, Knights coach Hughes Barber felt the team’s defense was the key to victory.
“I thought we played great defense. Normally when we put on pressure we get into foul trouble and I thought we did a great job tonight till late in the second half of staying out of foul trouble,” Barber said. “I thought we finished well too on the other end.”
Barber also praised the effort of his lone senior Jones.
“She’s been a presence in the middle,’ Barber said. “Even if she is not grabbing a bunch of rebounds she is distributing the ball, she does a good job passing the ball and has made a lot of improvements since last year.”
For the Panthers (3-8 Four Rivers Conference), who where playing without four key ball-handlers, they were just trying to make it through the game without any more injuries.
“Our leading scorer Rachelle Davis was out with a calve injury, Mallory Paul will be out for the year (knee injury), Sarah Credle is out for four games and Brittney Alligood hurt her ankle tonight,” Northside coach Michelle Leathers said. “It’s hard because you have to have a point guard. When you have to pull your forward to run point it takes her out of position. It’s really been a strain on us.”
Boys game
Northside 10 13 13 14 — 50
Riverside 23 23 18 26 — 80
Panthers (50)
Woods 6, Martin 4, Damount Harvey 13, Taylor Woolard 13, No. 21 7, Radcliffe 2, Moore 4.
Knights (80)
Tremaine Anderson 14, Whitehurst 8, Rodgers 3, Norfleet 6, Ramelle Lanier 19, Hardison 6, Marcus Freeman 10, Moore 4, James 6,
Girls game
Northside 6 2 12 3 — 23
Riverside 14 12 16 22 — 64
Panthers (23)
Hollowell 8, Whitney 4, Slade 1, Woolard 8, Holme2.
Knights (64)
Jalyn Brown 11, Moore 8, Brown 8, Wilson 6, Little 6, Jones 8, Wynn 8, Burnett 3, McCray 4, Armstrong 2.