The Daily Southerner, Tarboro, NC

Sports

December 30, 2009

Mabry, Cougars upends Warriors 60-58

Calvin Adkins

Daquan Mabry and the SouthWest Edgecombe Cougars apparently didn’t get the memo that they were underdogs against the North Edgecombe Warriors Tuesday night in Tarboro. Neither did the Warriors.

Mabry scored on a layup as time expired to upset the Warriors 60-58 in the first round of the Edgecombe County Classic Holiday Tournament.

North handily defeated the Cougars earlier this season and by many prognosticators predictions, the same thing would happen again.

However, the Cougars came out poised and took an early lead that they would never relinquish. But things did get very interesting in the final minute of the game.

SouthWest led 56-48 with 1:20 left in the game and it appeared that the game was in the books.

With their backs up against the wall, the Warriors fought back. Cougar Ehab Hadi knocked down two critical free throws with 15 seconds left in the game that gave the Cougars a 58-55 advantage.

That’s when the excitement began. Warrior Kadeem Alexander countered Hadi’s free throws by draining a 3-pointer that tied the game at 58-58 with six seconds left in the game.

South had turned the ball over twice during the inbound play during the final minutes of the game. But this time turned out to be a gem.

The Cougar Jeremy Woodard broke the Warriors’ half court press and found Mabry (14 points) who drove to the basket and scored as time expired.

“I was nervous, but I was able to make it,” Mabry said. “We beat a good team tonight. Now we have to get ready for Tarboro.”

For Cougars Coach Tom Wooten the final play ran to perfection.

“It’s amazing,” he said. “We practiced that play every day in practice with exactly six seconds on the clock. This was a big win for us. Now we can defend our title.”

The Cougars held the Warriors star Montrezl Harrell to 16 points. The sophomore also had eight blocked shots. In the first game against the Cougars Harrell scored 20 points, blocked eight shots and grabbed nine rebounds.

“We didn’t execute our game plan tonight and SouthWest did,” said North Coach Danny Ward. “We were not in sync at all. We have to learn to be patient on the offensive side of the ball. I’m not disappointed about losing, but I’m disappointed about the way that we played. We are a better team than that.”

SouthWest Quandre Pittman scored a career high 16 points. Hadi also scored a career high 15 points.

“This was a team victory,” Wooten said. “Everybody did their part.”

The Cougars, who are defending Classic Holiday champions, will play Tarboro for the title tonight. The Lady Cougars will also defend their title against the Vikings tonight.



Lady Vikings 47 Lady Warriors 45

North Edgecombe Lady Warriors came close, but no cigars in the girls consolation game against the Northwest Halifax Vikings and fell 47-45 in another nail-biter.

The Warriors outscored the Vikings 9-3 in the closing minutes, but the comeback attempt was too much for North to overcome.

Alysia Harvey stole the ball and scored a layup and the Warriors trailed 46-43 with 15 seconds left in the game. The Warriors forced another Vikings turnover that gave the Warriors another chance.

That opportunity was squashed when Harvey missed a basket inside the paint.

“I’m a little disappointed, but we put up a fight,” Vines said. “We are still missing a lot of opportunities – too many easy shots. We made a good effort to come back against a good Northwest Halifax team.”

Text Only
Sports
  • Christain Buffaloe.jpg Local youth wins 2012 United States Kyokushin Karate Championship

    Christian Buffaloe, 12 year old son/student of Nash County Kyokushin Karate instructor Kenny Buffaloe, recently won the youth division of the Japan sponsored "2012 Kyokushin Karate U.S. Weight Category Tournament" in Los Angeles, California on January 22nd. This annual tournament is one of the largest and most prestigious Kyokushin Karate full  contact competitions outside of Japan

    February 9, 2012 1 Photo

  • Imani Dye.jpg Vikings swept by Jaguars in EPC action

    The Tarboro Vikings played right with the Farmville Central Jaguars Tuesday on senior night in Tarboro, but couldn't put a complete game together and the Jaguars pulled away in the fourth quarter. They defeated the Vikings 61-39.
    "We came out strong and played good ball until the end of the third quarter," Tarboro head coach Craig Savage said. "Then Farmville Central made a run and we couldn't recover."

    February 8, 2012 1 Photo

  • Cougar boys win against Rams

    February 8, 2012

  • Javin Hinton.jpg Tarboro defeats SWE 76-62 to get first conference win

    SouthWest Edgecombe Cougars head basketball coach Tom Wooten had to make some tough decisions Friday morning. He had to decide if he needed to cancel his varsity basketball game with Tarboro or cancel the JV game and move the JV players up to play Tarboro's varsity team.

    February 6, 2012 1 Photo

  • Rashawnda Pevey.jpg Lady Vikings beat Lady Cougars for third time this season 42-34

    Most basketball experts will say that it is hard for one team to beat another three times in the same year. Friday night the SouthWest Edgecombe Lady Cougars tried their best to make that a true statement in their third match up of the year with the Tarboro Lady Vikings. The Lady Cougars gave a game effort, but came up short on the scoreboard, losing to the Lady Vikings by the score of 42-34.

    February 6, 2012 1 Photo

  • NE Warriors split with Weldon; boys lose, girls win in TRC action

    LEGGETT – Senior Jasmine Downing picked up her second consecutive triple double with 14 points, 11 rebounds and 10 blocked shots Friday night to lead the Lady Warriors to a 51-40 win over the Lady Chargers of Weldon. With the win, the Lady Warriors find themselves in the middle of the pack in the Tar Roanoke Conference.

    February 6, 2012

  • First 2012 hickory shad caught

    Henry C. Knight, III, caught the winner in the 2nd Annual Tar River First Shad Contest, in Tarboro this past Sunday morning about 9 a.m. Henry Knight? Are you kidding me?
    Henry winning this season’s Tar River First Shad Contest is about like Albert Einstein being a contestant on Jeopardy, and asking Alex Trebeck, in his best old-world German accent, “Alex, I vood like you should give me da physics category for $2000.” It’s a done deal, my friend. Take the money to the bank.

    February 3, 2012

  • Rashwanda Pevey.jpg Cougar boys, girls both lose to Panthers in Eastern Plains Conference action

    PINETOPS – The SouthWest Cougars bounced back Tuesday and played the way their head coach Tom Wooten knew his team was capable of playing, but they fell short against Eastern Plains Conference foe the North Pitt Panthers. They were defeated 62-52.

    February 1, 2012 2 Photos

  • Warriors sweep Kipp Pride in conference play

    LEGGETT – North Edgecombe rolled past Kipp Pride 70-56 with the help of four players who scored a combined total of 57 points to lead the Warriors. Senior Devonte Lloyd, 22 points, Denzel Lucas, 12; Mark Moore, 10; Quantarius Williams, 13.

    February 1, 2012

  • Tarboro falls to Kinston twice

    KINSTON – The Kinston Vikings, the fourth ranked 2A team in the state, had all they can handle last night as the Tarboro Vikings stayed with them for three quarters, with Kinston finally securing an 83-69 victory. Kinston remains tied for the Eastern Plains 2A conference lead, while Tarboro failed again to capture their first victory in league play. But Tarboro did not go down easy for the talented Kinston squad, who also benefitted from numerous favorable calls from the officials throughout the evening.

    February 1, 2012