By By STEVE FRANKLIN, Sports Writer
YEATESVILLE — It was an ugly start for the Pam Pack on Monday night.
Washington missed its first nine shots against Northside and went scoreless for nearly five minutes, falling behind the Panthers 4-0 in the early going.
However, the Pam Pack’s misfortune didn’t last too long.
The Pam Pack scored eight points in a one-minute span to grab an 8-4 lead and roared past the Panthers from there, as Washington scored a 69-53 win over Northside to advance to the Washington Daily News Invitational Championship Game.
Washington will take on Pamlico County in the tournament finale at 7:30 p.m.
Washington pulled out to a 30-18 in the closing moments of the first half, before Northside’s Daykuan Mackey buried a 20-foot buzzer-beater to make it 30-21 at the half.
Northside cut the gap to 33-28 midway through the third quarter on another Mackey three-pointer, before Washington took off.
The Pam Pack outscored the Panthers 15-9 the rest of the quarter to build the lead back to double digits.
Then in the fourth, Washington turned up the defensive intensity, forcing Northside to turn the ball over eight times and converting most of those into easy buckets at the other end as the Pack built a 21-point lead in the final four minutes to secure the win.
Northside did hold a slight edge in rebounding, outboarding the Pam Pack 31-29.
However, the Panthers turned the ball over 29 times on Monday, while Washington had 18.
Even though the Pack forced so many Panthers turnovers, Lawrence wasn’t pleased with his team’s defensive play.
Jarees Griffin led a balanced Pam Pack scoring attack with 13 points, while Taraja Langley and Brandon Tripp each added 10.
Kenneth Jenkins scored a game-best 15 points to lead the Panthers, while Daykuan Mackey added 10.
The Panthers (4-5) take on Creswell (3-2) in final consolation game of the WDN holiday tourney. Game time is 6:30 p.m., followed by Pamlico and Washington in the title tilt.
Washington 8 22 18 21 — 69
Northside 6 15 16 16 — 53
Washington (69)
Taraja Langley 10, Jarees Griffin 13, Brandon Tripp 10, Harris 5, Spencer 4, Chance 6, Horton 4, Albritton 2, Moore 7, Ward 2, Godley 4, Ross 2.
Northside (53)
Kenneth Jenkins 15, Daykuan Mackey 10, Cooper 1, McCullor 9, Peele 9, Artis 5, Slade 2, Adams 2.
Pamlico advances to the title game
By STEVE FRANKLIN , Sports Writer
YEATESVILLE — The third game of Monday’s Washington Daily News Holiday Invitational Tournament featured a true “David versus Goliath” matchup as Northside’s junior varsity squad tangled with Pamlico County, the 2007-08 North Carolina High School Athletic Association Class 1-A state runners-up.
However, despite a valiant effort from the junior Panthers, there would be no storybook ending this time around.
Pamlico County jumped out to an early lead over Northside’s junior varsity team and kept on rolling as it fought past a fiesty Panthers bunch, 69-42.
The Hurricanes (7-1) advance to tonight’s tournament championship game, where they’ll take on Washington (7-3). Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m.
Kendall Hamm helped the Hurricanes pull out to a 21-12 first quarter lead as he scored eight of his game-high 14 points in the opening stanza.
But Northside kept battling and drew to within six points of the powerful ’Canes on a three-pointer by Taylor Woolard with less than four minutes left in the opening half, making it 25-19.
That was the wake-up call that Pamlico needed.
The Hurricanes closed out the half on a 10-2 run and never turned back, outscoring the Panthers 44-23 in the final 20 minutes of the contest.
Hamm’s 14 points led three Hurricanes in double figures. Shane Whifield added 12 points and nine rebounds and Braelyn Blount chipped in with 11 points.
Northside was led Taequan Mackey with 10, Taylor Woolard with nine, Daveon Vareen with eight and Demont Harvey with seven.
The Junior Panthers (6-3) will square off with Southside’s varsity squad (5-5) at 4:30 p.m. this afternoon, as the Washington Daily News Holiday Invitational wraps up today.
Game 3
Northside (JV) 12 9 12 9 — 42
Pamlico County 21 14 17 17 — 69
Northside JV (42)
Taequan Mackey 10, Harvey 7, Woolard 9, Moore 2, Vareen 8, Thigpen 4, Martin 2.
Pamlico County (69)
Shane Whitfield 12, Braelyn Blount 11, Kendall Hamm 14, Holliday 6, M. King 2, McCray 4, Hollowell 5, Boone 2, Jones 4, T. King 4, Moser 2, Ringold 3.