PINETOWN — Pamlico County improved to 2-0 over Beaufort County teams this week with a 67-61 win over Northside. The Panthers gave the Hurricanes everything they could handle in the second half after they found themselves trailing 41-24 at halftime.

Northside was without coach Mike Proctor, who recently underwent brain surgery to remove a tumor. Interim coach Gerry Klas said that the team sent him a video from the locker room at the intermission. The consensus was that the team wasn’t playing to the standards set by Proctor.

“They played great. They were inspired,” Hurricanes coach Earl Sadler Jr. said. “We’re thinking about coach Proctor. We had a prayer for him before the game. They played really well for him. He would be very proud of them.”

The Panthers got the first three baskets of the game to take an 8-0 lead out of the gate. Atia Shamseldin’s layup was sandwiched between 3-pointers from Braeden Cooper and Rashod Smith.

Those turned out to be Northside’s only three baskets of the opening quarter. Once Pamlico County settled in, its press defense forced plenty of turnovers — oftentimes before the Panthers could get the ball past halfcourt.

When they weren’t getting easy baskets off of turnovers, the Hurricanes slashed through Northside’s zone to get to the bucket. Sincere Gibbs, George Gibbs and Lamont Murray combined for six layups in a row to give the visitors a 19-10 lead after one.

Northside wouldn’t get another basket until three minutes into the second when Bryson Radcliffe got open in the paint. Parker Boyd added a trey, but the Panthers’ offense remained largely stagnant as the Hurricanes took a 17-point advantage into the second half.

Klas used a speedier lineup in the second half that allowed Northside to slowly climb back. James Barrow was able to use his speed and muscle to drive the lane, while Dawson Jackson and Tyler Almond brought much-needed energy to the floor.

“I think we had more enthusiasm and more hustle. I think that was the main thing,” Klas said of that second-half lineup. “I think we were blasé, so we shook things up. We wanted to go a little quicker.”

The Panthers used a 10-1 surge to cut the deficit to 48-36. Caleb Baron snapped Pamlico County’s cold spell with a long-range basket with 1:15 left in the third.

Barrow’s transition layup late in the fourth brought Northside within five, but he and the Panthers couldn’t quite complete the comeback.

“I’m proud of the boys. I thought they did a great job,” Klas said. “They laid everything on the line. I can’t ask for any more. … We can play with them. I think we had a little doubt because of the first game.”