Southern Wayne’s Jayden Hardy blocks a shot by East Wake’s Malachi Harris during their Quad County 3A game Friday evening. Watching is teammate Jaylen Bowden. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
Southern Wayne’s Jayden Hardy (with ball) takes a shot against East Wake defenders Donovan Majette (10) and Malachi Harris (24) during second-half play Friday evening. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
Southern Wayne’s Demetrius Elliott, right, attempts to draw a charge against East Wake’s Ben Fox during first-half play Friday evening. Fox scored a career-high 50 points against the Saints. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
Southern Wayne’s Chris Carmon (with ball) works against East Wake’s Deion Perry during fourth-quarter play Friday evening. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
DUDLEY — Ben Fox turned “The Halo” into his own personal playground Friday evening.
The 6-foot-3 junior forward torched the nets — and Southern Wayne’s defense — for a career-high and school-record 50 points during East Wake’s 92-64 romp in Quad County 3A play.
Fox became the 77th person in state history to achieve the feat.
“That comes down to somebody has to have the heart … to say ‘I need to guard him and I’m going to stop him, or at least I’m going to wear him down to where I’m physical with him, bump him, make sure he works to get open,” SW head coach Brian West said.
“Right now, that’s not in my locker room.”
Fox drained five of his game-high eight 3-pointers in the opening quarter. He converted 20 field goals, shot 2 for 3 at the free throw line and did not commit a foul on the night.
East Wake led 40-29 at halftime.
Two consecutive turnovers allowed the Warriors to stretch their advantage and eventually remain unbeaten (7-0) against QCC opposition this season.
“Heart [again],” West said. “When you come out and have back-to-back turnovers against a team that’s already making a run on you, you give them more rhythm.”
After Fox drained his seventh trifecta of the night, Demetrius Elliott and Jayden Hardy helped pull the Saints to within 49-38.
East Wake (13-4 overall) answered with another monster run and squelched any further momentum Southern Wayne attempted to build the remainder of the night.
Freshman shooting guard Kairel Evans paced the Saints’ offense with 19 points, including 15 from behind the 3-point arc. Hardy tallied 12, while Chris Carmon supplied 10 points.
JV call-up DeQuan Stevens scratched for eight points.
“I’m taking my licks right now with my chin up and my chest down,” West said. “I’m going to go back to work with my young team.”
Southern Wayne (7-11, 3-5 QCC) travels to West Johnston on Tuesday.
