PINETOWN — Northside coach Mike Proctor never would’ve believed his team would win comfortably despite neither Rashod Smith nor Jonathan Clark making a 3-pointer until the fourth quarter.

But that’s exactly what happened. Braeden Cooper barraged North Edgecombe from behind the arc early on, Dawson Jackson had one of his best games in a Panther uniform, and Northside downed the visitors 98-81 in the first round of the state playoffs.

“They’re keys to our offense,” Proctor said. “Jonathan gets in foul trouble. He wasn’t feeling it until the end, and I sort of challenged him at the end. … I thought we rebounded pretty well. We played team ball. Rashod saw the floor and got the ball to who he needed to.”

That’s not to say Northside’s usual game plan wasn’t effective. Cooper had the team’s first three baskets. The third of them gave the Panthers an 8-5 advantage. They never trailed after that.

“That felt good, but then they went a box and one on him,” Proctor said. The Warriors keyed in on the senior sharpshooter after the first. “I felt like that opened the middle up for Jonathan and Rashod. That’s their strength.”

Cooper added: “I’ve been shooting (in the corner) since my sophomore year. … I’m a catch-and-shoot kind of guy. … Having a drive and a shot makes it easier (to score). They were guarding me man-to-man after the first quarter.”

Smith, although he went the entire game without a make from long range, finished the game with 37 points. He thrived in transition against a North Edgecombe defense that was just as quick.

Clark added 18 points despite getting in foul trouble. The Panthers had kept North Edgecombe at arm’s reach throughout the second half. The senior guard nailed back-to-back treys to finish the visitors off.

North Edgecombe struggled to keep the deficit in single digits after the first quarter. The Warriors got five quick points from sophomore Erick Moss to pull within nine, 34-25, in the second quarter.

The Panthers then responded with a flurry of 10 unanswered points. Parker Boyd sparked it with a layup on an inbound play before handing it over to Clark and Smith.

The Warriors were unable to find their stroke from the perimeter until late in the first half, but finished the second with three makes from behind the arc. It put them within a dozen after trailing by as many as 21.

They trimmed it to as few as eight in the third, but the Panthers closed the period with seven points from Smith and a Jackson free throw.

That helped put the game out of reach. Northside closed it out at the free-throw line late in the fourth.

Jackson provides a jolt

Jackson’s role with the Panthers is well defined. He’s not expected to score, but is asked to provide energy off the bench as a reserve forward. That’s exactly what he did. His hustle resulted in a handful of rebounds and steals.

They won’t show up on the stat sheet as assists, but Jackson was able to make a few outlet passes to his speedy teammates in transition. In return, Smith found Jackson open in the paint for a few layups.

“Dawson, when he does what he can do, he’s a very good player,” Proctor said. “He brings energy and he defends and he’s tough. … When he’s rebounding and playing physical inside and brings energy to the defense, he’s an asset.”

Added Jackson: “It’s the same energy as normal. If you ask coach Proctor, that’s my two drives: defense and energy. That’s all I’m here for.”

Radcliffe shows grit in playing through injury

Senior forward Bryson Radcliffe still isn’t 100 percent. He’s been nursing an ankle injury, but has improved since having to sit out Northside’s 1-A Coastal Plains Conference game against Southside last week.

Radcliffe still started Tuesday’s game. His ankle kept him from his peak offensive efficiency, but his presence alone helped the Panthers defensively.

“Bryson’s ankle is still bad and he’s gimpy. He’s gutting it out because he’s a tough kid,” Proctor said. “That’s what he’s got to do. … You need that leadership, and Bryson is a three-year starter. I expect that out of him. I know he’s going to give us that because he wants to win just like the other guys do.”

 

Road trip looming

Northside will travel to Research Triangle Thursday for the second round of the playoffs. The Raptors are coming off of a loss to Chatham Charter in the 1-A Central Tar Heel conference championship. They’re led by three seniors, but are a largely young squad.

“I know they’re pretty good,” Proctor said. “I really don’t know anything about them, and I don’t have any connections out in that area. I don’t know that area like I know the people around here.”