TARBORO —
The SouthWest Edgecombe Cougars hard work this season has finally paid off for them. They earned the final spot in the NCHSAA 2-A state basketball playoffs as a wild card team Saturday when the brackets were released. They were awarded the 16th seed in the Mideast bracket and will travel to Jacksonville to play No. 1 seed Northside Jacksonville tonight at 7 p.m.
First-year head coach Anthony Burns was excited about getting into the playoffs, because he feels his 13-10 Cougars deserve the berth. He thinks that their early season performances helped earn them the berth.
"I am happy for my guys to make the playoffs," Burns said. "We have been through a lot this year and are deserving of it. It has taken a team effort."
The Cougars have played well in spurts this season under Burns. He installed a new style of offense where his team likes to get out and run. They use their defensive pressure to force their opponents to turn the ball and use transition to score on fast break opportunities.
The Cougars will have their work cut out for them against Northside, because they have a senior guard who can score the ball and dish it to his teammates. Jamal Parker is a 5 foot 10 inch guard who is averaging over points 20 per game. He also has 62 assist and 64 steals this season.
Northside, who is 23-3, is averaging 68 points per game and is only giving up 51 points per game. They are ranked 6th in the state in 2-A basketball.
Burns said he thinks his Cougars can play right with Northside. He thinks the Cougars possess more all around talent and have the ability to go in and stun the top seeded team.
"It is a good scenario for us," Burns said. "We have been in a lot of pressure games this year and have played in front of large crowds so I think we will be fine."
The Cougars started off the season like a ball of fire and then cooled down after winning the annual Edgecombe County Holiday tournament. The Cougars got back on track in the later part of the season after dropping five straight games in conference play. They ended the regular season with two consecutive wins and then ousted the North Pitt Panthers in the first round of the conference tournament.
In the semifinals of the tournament, the Cougars played up to Burns' expectations against the highly ranked Kinston Vikings, before eventually falling to them.
Burns was excited about the way his team played overall in their loss to Kinston. He said his players played a complete game and thought they handled it better the third time around against them. Burns felt like his team wasn't under any pressure and said that is why he believes they played consistent the entire game. The Cougars went cold from the field in the second half, which turned out to be their downfall.
Burns told his two seasoned veterans, Anthony Coley and Javine Hinton, that they needed to be the Cougars floor generals this year and guide them in the right direction. Both seniors have done just that. They have led their teammates in the right direction and the same way that Burns wanted to go. He wants to rebuild the program and turn it into a winning and competitive one.
Coley and Hinton are averaging double figures in scoring and are close to double figures in rebounding. They have been the Cougars achilles heel this year and have been a major asset on both ends of the floor on the boards.
Those two, along with the rest of the team will have to show up and have a repeat performance of Wednesday's game against Kinston, minus the cold shooting second half for them to have a chance to advance to the second round.
For the Cougars to be successful, they are going to haver to play their style of ball and play at their own tempo. If they get out in transition and score off of forced turnovers then they can possibly win. They have proven that this year after knocking off a couple of 3-A schools who made the playoffs and playing with Kinston.
Burns sees the excitement in his players eyes and knows that they want to go in and make a name for themselves.
Sports
Related Photos
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SouthWest Edgecombe Cougar Javine Hinton looks for a teammate to pass the ball to out of the corner in a recent game. The Cougars travel to Jacksonville tonight to play No. 1 seed Northside in the first round of the 2-A NCHSAA state playoffs. Photo/Van Holland
Cougars get 16th seed in boys bracket
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Cobb, Rhodes inducted in Cougars Hall of Fame
PINETOPS – The SouthWest Edgecombe Cougars athletic department inducted two legendary coaches into their Hall of Fame Monday night. Former football coach Raymond Cobb and former baseball coach Bruce Rhodes were the recipients of the awards.
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SWE Athletes of the Year
SouthWest Edgecombe Cougar Dawson Gould was named Female Athlete of the Year and Kenneth Plummer was named Male Athlete of the Year Monday night at the Cougars annual athletic awards banquet. Gould played volleyball, basketball and softball. Plummer played football, ran indoor and outdoor track.
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Pinetops 300
PINETOPS – With the threat of rain during the weekend, it put a little damper on the Pinetops 300 Tractor and Truck Pull attendance. Friday night there was a large crowd in attendance, but not the amount it has been the last several years. There was 500 less people in attendance Friday then there was a year ago, but it didn't stop the pullers from slinging mud everywhere. The fans in one section even had a chance to see what it looked like when a belt breaks on a fine tuned machine. During the Mini Modified run, Thomas Coleman, of Stoneville, had a belt break on his KB 526 Pure Hell ride and the belt slung into the crowd. No one was injured.
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Vikings, Cougars compete in 2-A state meet
The Tarboro Vikings and SouthWest Edgecombe Cougars had six girls apiece competing in the NCHSAA 2-A state track meet in Greensboro Friday at North Carolina A&T State University.
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Six Tarboro girls to compete in track finals
Motivation is a big part of the Tarboro Viking girl's track team's success this season. They enjoy working hard during practice for their coach Rickie Dozier and get fulfillment when they compete in events. Friday will be no different for the six girls that are headed to Greensboro to compete in the NCHSAA 2-A state championship meet at North Carolina A&T State University. They will compete in three relay events and the long jump.
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BIG FISH
Camden Grant and her boyfriend Ricky Davis, Jr. caught a 10 pound carp at a state wildlife pond Wednesday morning off of Highway 33 just outside of Tarboro. Grant said she caught the fish on a piece of shrimp around 10:30 a.m.
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Vikings ousted from playoffs by Jaguars
CARRBORO – After defeating the No. 1 seed in the playoffs Friday, the Tarboro Vikings forgot one thing, they had to hit the ball again Tuesday against the Carrboro Jaguars or their season would be over.
Tarboro failed to be productive at the plate and were eliminated from the NCHSAA 2-A playoffs after losing 8-0 in the second round. Tarboro never gave in after getting down early, but they just couldn't catch a break offensively and get anything going after trailing by five runs after the second inning. -
Cougars finish 7th in state golf match
The SouthWest Edgecombe Cougars went through the regionals and won by four strokes. They just couldn't get it going in the state golf championships Monday or Tuesday at Longleaf Golf and Country Club in Southern Pines. The Cougars finished seventh as a team after shooting 658 over the two day period.
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Vikings advance to second round after defeating Bunn
BUNN – The Tarboro Vikings brought their "A" game and some lively bats with them Friday night when they defeated the Bunn Wildcats 7-5 in the first round of the 2-A NCHSAA state baseball playoffs. The last time the Vikings won a playoff game it was at the same location five years ago.
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Bess hired as new Vikings basketball coach
The Tarboro Vikings have made a coaching change in boy's basketball. They hired Reggie Bess as the new Vikings skipper April 26. Bess is a former Viking basketball star who played for Tarboro in 1995-96. He was part of a team that went to the Eastern Regional finals in 95.
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