North Duplin’s Tateyawna Faison (with ball) goes up for a shot between two East Duplin defenders during their game in Calypso Friday evening. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
North Duplin teammates Reece Outlaw, left, and Tateyawna Faison, right, work together to keep control of a loose-ball rebound against East Duplin Friday evening. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
North Duplin senior Meghan Martin, right, defends as East Duplin’s Sally Hatcher drives to the basket during first-half play Friday evening. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
North Duplin junior point guard Addy Higginbotham (with ball) goes up for two of her game-high 27 points during a non-conference win over county rival East Duplin Friday evening. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
CALYPSO — North Duplin expected county rival East Duplin, a perennial title contender on the East Central 2A girls’ basketball scene, to engage in a physical affair Friday evening.
Players from both teams probably awoke with achy muscles and bruises Saturday morning. The non-conference affair featured constant stoppages due to either fouls or held-ball possessions.
The Rebels survived the challenge.
Junior point guard Addy Higginbotham torched the nets for 27 points in a 67-53 conquest of the previously-unbeaten Panthers, who entered the contest 2-0. North Duplin had lost all eight meetings since 2014.
“I can definitely say from watching film [on ED], I expected physical [play],” Higginbotham said. “We had to realize quicker that this wasn’t going to be an easy ‘win by 50-point game,’ we would have to work for it.”
Higginbotham opened the scoring with two free throws.
East Duplin answered with a 9-0 run, only to see North Duplin tie it at 12-12 on a pair of Lilly Fulghum free throws with 12.7 seconds to go.
The Panthers seized momentum again with a 9-4 run. However, Higginbotham’s 3-pointer and her uncontested layup off a turnover created a 25-25 deadlock at halftime.
“We knew it was war,” Higginbotham said.
Fulghum stole an inbounds pass, kissed a shot off the glass and North Duplin entered the final period up 35-34.
The Rebels never relinquished the advantage.
Tateyawna Faison opened the fourth with an “and-one” play after she drained an offensive putback in the lane. That ignited a 10-2 run capped on Higginbotham’s drive around the 3 1/2-minute mark.
East Duplin climbed to within 45-39 on Kinsey Cave’s 3-pointer, but could get no closer. Two free throws and Eva Quintanilla’s offensive putback sealed the outcome.
“We refused to lose that game,” Higginbotham said. “We were going all in blood, sweat and tears … putting it all on the floor and that’s what we did. We came to the realization that this game is going to be handed to use, we’ve got to work for it.
“That’s what woke us all up.”
Faison just missed a double-double with 10 points and seven rebounds. Meghan Martin snared a career-best 11 rebounds to go along with three points and three assists. Reece Outlaw logged seven points, three steals and three rebounds.
Fulghum finished with six points and three boards.
North Duplin returns four starters off last year’s team that claimed its second consecutive Carolina 1A regular-season and tournament crown. The Rebels advanced to the east semifinals.
“Tonight was supposed to be tough,” ND head coach John Oliver said. “They play just about like we do. I thought maybe we could break away in the second half like we did, but it took the fourth quarter to do it.”
The Rebels improved to 26-1 in home games since the 2021-22 season.
