The typical contributors were well represented in East Carolina basketball’s Sunday afternoon win over North Carolina A&T, 71-60, but newcomer Charles Foster’s second half performance made things more complicated at the already crowded guard position.

Senior Prince Williams split time with Foster at the point as they both saw 18 minutes of action for ECU (6-4), but Foster saw better results. The junior transfer from Vincennes University entered the game with 10 points on the season and slashed his way to a new career-high of 13. Foster said he knew this type of performance would come if he was given the opportunity.

“I just compete every day in practice and B.J. (Tyson) is always on me, Lance (Tejada), Prince and Caleb (White) are always pushing me,” Foster said after his breakout performance. “They would just say, ‘Keep going, keep your head up. Your opportunity is going to come, just keep your head up.’”

Williams, who had a strong start to his senior season, had a tougher time against the Aggies. He shot just 2-of-6 from the field and had two assist to two turnovers.

Tejada has also struggled this season at point guard. In Sunday’s game, Tejada drew a charge but did not show up on the stat sheet outside of two missed shots and a single rebound in nine minutes of play. ECU head coach Jeff Lebo said though some depth at the point guard position is nice, the current competition at the position is not something he necessarily likes.

“(The point guard competition) is tough to watch, to be honest with you,” Lebo said after the Pirates’ fifth straight home win. “I’d like to be able to have that ironed out by now. But it’s competitive.”

Foster led Vincennes to a 67-5 record in his two seasons at the junior college while acting as a sharpshooting guard. Foster averaged 13 points, four rebounds and three assists with the Trailblazers and appeared in the 2014 NJCAA Final Four. Foster is still getting his feet wet at the Division I level, but he is quickly picking up on, and adjusting to, the differences between the JUCO level and where he is now.

“(The biggest difference) is the speed and you just have to be a step ahead,” said the guard, who is listed at 6-foot. “Everybody is bigger and stronger than you, so you have to know how to use your body to be physical too.”

ECU got off to another cold start shooting against NC A&T. The Aggies held a seven-point advantage with seven minutes left in the first half, but that was before Tyson got his feet under him. The sophomore carried ECU to an 18-2 run for the next six minutes and eventually led 29-26 to end the first half. The Pirates never looked back in the second half.

“I don’t know what it is about the starts but we look slow. Our decision making isn’t particularly good, we’re not physical and our energy is not where it should be to start the game,” Lebo said. “That’s why we go to the bench to try to figure it out.

“And we’ve got to get Caleb going. His first halves have just been frustrating, I know for him and for us. He’s got severe pressure on him to be able to be consistent, knock down threes and perimeter shoot for us.”

Tyson went for 15 first half points, 21 total, and Caleb White picked things up in the second (10 points) after a scoreless first. Freshman Kentrell Barkley had a complete game with 11 points, seven boards, six assists and two steals.

The Pirates had 30 points off the bench — 24 of which came from Barkley and Foster — to stretch the game out and open things up for Tyson and White later in the game. Michel Nzege made his first appearance since sustaining an ankle injury in ECU’s west coast trip in late November. He looked strong in 17 minutes of play with five rebounds and four points.