It may not have been a NASCAR event, but the Tar Heels went full speed from the opening tip off to the final buzzer as they raced past the Pirates to win the Washington Youth Basketball League 10-year old division title 36-15 on Wednesday.
Powered by their dynamic duo of point guard Rashad Smith and forward Tyler Tuner, the Tar Heels were able to hold off a pesky Pirates team and lock up a WYBL title to end the season with a perfect 11-0 record.
“I’m very happy. To go undefeated is tough, everybody knows that but to do it in this league is almost impossible,” Tar Heels coach John Lampkins said. “For these guys to do such a thing … I’m just blown away and so proud.”
The combination of Smith and Turner was impossible to stop on Wednesday as they each scored a game-high 10 points. Smith ran the floor like a pro as he routinely spotted the open made and made several no-look passes for assists.
“Rashad Smith is an outstanding point guard,” Lampkins said. “He’s a visionary. He’s like a second coach out there on the floor and anything that I draw up he makes it happen.”
In the paint, Turner was unstoppable as he seemingly grabbed every rebound and was able to put them back up for points or kick it out for an open shot.
“He’s the hardest working power forward you’ve even seen,” Lampkins said of Turner. “I’m so proud of him. He’s come such a long way. Two years ago he had trouble making a layup and to see him be outstanding in this league is amazing.”
The Pirates know a little bit about amazing as well. Early in the season the team was struggling as it lost its first three contests, but coach C.J. Stevens and his Pirates were able to right the ship and streak all the way into the WYBL title game.
“I’m happy with my boys,” Stevenson said. “We made it here. Everybody doubted us but we were able to make it here. I just kept telling them every game to go hard or go home.”
The Pirates were led by Joshua Glaspie and Benjamin Beach who each tallied six, while Dezrye Moore scored three.
“I got to give it up to my big boy Ben,” Stevenson said. “That boy worked tonight.”
The Tar Heels had a slew of scorers as Timothy Hopkins scored five points, Antone Godley chipped in four, Stephen Hartley, Jamari Nelson and Devon Thigpen each scored two and Will Crisp added one.

Pirates    5    2    2    6    —    15
Tar Heels    13    10    5    5    —    36
Pirates (15)
Joshua Glaspie 6, Dezrye Moore 3, Benjamin Beach 6.
Tar Heels (36)
Timothy Hopkins 5, Rashad Smith 10, Stephen Hartley 2, Tyler Turner 10, Devon Thigpen 2, Antone Godley 4, Will Crisp 1, Jamari Nelson 2.