Union’s Kayley King, back, defends against Neuse Charter’s Chloe Kozloff, who looks for an open teammate. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
Neuse Charter guard Cayley Cochran (2) chases after a loose ball against Union. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
Neuse Charter’s Addyson Barefoot, left, and Mikayla Cusack, right, try to knock the ball away from Union guard Ariyona Spearman during their Carolina 1A tournament semifinal. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
Rosewood’s Gavin Cuddeback (15) and Tizlin McCrae (24) bottle up a Hobbton player. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
Rosewood’s Collyn Smith saves a ball from going out of bounds during play against Hobbton. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
Hobbton’s Israel Espada, with ball, is hemmed in by Rosewood defenders Bryson Hobbs, left, and Gage Lewis, back, during first-half action. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
Hobbton’s Zack Aman, left, looks for an open teammate against Rosewood defender CJ Lucas during their semifinal-round game in the 2024 Carolina 1A Conference tournament Wednesday afternoon. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
Rosewood head JV boys coach David Gurganus talks with his team during a fourth-quarter timeout Wednesday afternoon. The Eagles eliminated Hobbton from the Carolina 1A Conference tournament. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
CALYPSO — Opponents with a “nothing to lose” attitude took two No. 1 seeds down to the wire during semifinal-round play in the 2024 Carolina 1A basketball tournament Wednesday.
Top-seeded Rosewood overcame a nine-point deficit and defeated fourth-seeded Hobbton, 49-40, in JV boys action.
Neuse Charter built a 10-point lead in the second half, but had no answer for Union senior guard Ariyona Spearman. The conference’s leading scorer dumped in 27 points to cap the Spartans’ come-from-behind, 41-36 win.
Semifinal-round play continues today with a pair of two-time defending tournament champions – North Duplin’s girls and Rosewood’s boys – battling on the North Duplin hardwood.
The No. 2 seeded Rebel girls meet nemesis Lakewood at 6 p.m.. The second-seeded Eagles meet Neuse Charter in the nightcap, which is a rematch of the last two tournament finals won by Rosewood.
North Duplin’s JV boys face Union at 4:30 p.m.
JV Boys
Rosewood 49, Hobbton 40
Hobbton led 37-28 with 2:06 left in the third period.
The Eagles, directed by head coach David Gurganus, responded with an impressive, game-changing 21-3 run.
CJ Lucas’ offensive putback knotted the contest at 39-39 with 4:29 remaining in regulation. Gavin Cuddeback pushed Rosewood in front, 41-39, with an offensive stickback of his own.
Branson Waters followed with a 3-pointer for the Eagles, who outscored the cold-shooting and turnover-prone Wildcats 17-3 in the final period.
Bryson Hobbs paced the Eagles’ offense with 13 points. Lucas and Tizen McCrae collected eight points apiece, while Gavin Cuddeback scratched for seven points. Waters finished with six points.
Zack Aman turned in a 15-point effort for Hobbton, which concluded the year 8-13 overall.
Girls
Union 41, Neuse Charter 36
Neuse Charter stretched a five-point halftime advantage to 25-15 early in the third quarter, capped by Chloe Kozloff’s jumper.
Spearman outscored the Cougars 15-2 over the next six-plus minutes and drained a buzzer-beating 3-pointer to end the third period.
Union extended its advantage to 34-29 before fourth-seeded Neuse Charter tied the contest. Cayley Cochran and buried a 3-pointer and Addyson Barefoot kissed a layup off the glass, which created a 34-34 deadlock.
After the Spartans misfired on an offensive possession, Cochran got fouled on a three-point attempt. The point guard swished two of three free throws, which put Neuse Charter ahead 36-34 with 3:06 left in regulation.
Spearman answered with seven consecutive points to propel Union (18-4 overall) into the tournament final for the second straight year. Backcourt mate Zadariyah Faison added 13 points.
Cochran finished with 15 for the Cougars, who ended their season 13-15 overall. Barefoot tallied nine points. Layla Johnson and Kozloff contributed seven and five points, respectively.
2024 Carolina 1A Conference
Basketball Tournament
Monday’s games
Girls
(at Lakewood HS, Salemburg)
Neuse Charter 47, Rosewood 23
Lakewood 58, Hobbton 18
Tuesday’s games
Boys
(at Neuse Charter, Smithfield)
Lakewood 69, Hobbton 64
Neuse Charter 79, Union 33
Wednesday’s games
Semifinals
(at North Duplin HS, Calypso)
JV Boys
Rosewood 49, Hobbton 40
Girls
Union 41, Neuse Charter 36
Boys
North Duplin 76, Lakewood 68
Today’s games
Semifinals
(at North Duplin HS, Calypso)
JV Boys
4:30 p.m. — North Duplin (11-8) vs. Union (8-13)
Girls
6 p.m. — Lakewood (11-10) at North Duplin (15-7)
Boys
7:30 p.m. — Neuse Charter (11-18) vs. Rosewood (13-10)
Friday’s games
Championships
(at North Duplin HS, Calypso)
JV Boys
4:30 p.m. — Rosewood (12-9) vs. TBD
Girls
6 p.m. — Union (18-4) vs. TBD
Boys
7:30 p.m. — North Duplin (14-9) vs. TBD
