North Duplin’s Lilly Fulghum knocks down two of her career-high 17 points against Lakewood’s Kiyah Braxton during their Carolina 1A semifinal-round tournament game Thursday evening. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
North Duplin’s Lilly Fulghum, second from left, and teammate Eva Quintanilla battle for a loose ball with two Lakewood defenders. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
North Duplin senior guard Reece Outlaw, left, is fouled by Lakewood’s Kiyah Braxton. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
North Duplin’s Meghan Martin, right, battles Lakewood’s LaShunta Joyner for a loose ball while teammate Tateyawna Faison watches. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
North Duplin’s Reece Outlaw, left, looks for an open teammate against Lakewood’s Honestee Williams. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
North Duplin’s Reece Outlaw, right, and Lakewood’s LaShunta Joyner chase a loose ball during first-period play. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
Lakewood’s Honestee Williams, with ball, attempts to score a first-quarter basket against North Duplin’s Tateyawna Faison. Watching from behind is Lilly Fulghum. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
North Duplin junior point guard Addy Higginbotham (5) can’t hold onto the ball after getting fouled by Lakewood’s Honestee Williams. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
CALYPSO — LaShunta Joyner’s 3-pointer off the game’s opening possession silenced a pro-North Duplin crowd Thursday evening.
Amiyah Smith’s baseline jumper revved up Lakewood’s fans.
“I got kind of nervous because, normally, that’s scoring [early],” ND head girls’ basketball coach John Oliver said.
Oliver’s butterflies quickly disappeared.
The Rebels reeled off 10 consecutive points and eventually claimed a 56-32, semifinal-round triumph over the Leopards in the season-ending Carolina 1A Conference tournament.
North Duplin (16-7 overall) tangles with regular-season champion Union at 6 p.m. today. It’s a rematch of last year’s game won by the Rebels in Newton Grove.
“I didn’t know how it was going to come out, but they were excited so I knew we had a chance,” Oliver said. “I’ll take it [an ugly win] because that means we play tomorrow night.”
Junior point guard Addy Higginbotham put the Rebels on the board. Teammates Tateyawna Faison, Reece Outlaw and Lilly Fulghum got into the scoring act to turn momentum in North Duplin’s favor.
Oliver’s team led 14-6 after one quarter.
The Rebels carried a 13-point lead into halftime despite 13 turnovers and a 10-for-37 shooting display from the floor.
“The pressure came from Lakewood [early] and not from us,” Oliver said. “We can’t beat teams without [defensive] pressure if we stand back in a zone. Our three people up top need to put pressure on the ball.
“When we get out running, we’ve got a chance to get some offense. We’re not a good set-offense team.”
Lakewood’s second-half miscues enabled North Duplin to increase the tempo and score in transition. Higginbotham looked up court on numerous occasions and found either Fulghum, Faison or Outlaw for easy baskets on the offensive end.
The Rebels outscored the third-seeded Leopards 32-21 in the second half, including 19-9 in the third period.
Fulghum tossed in a career-high 17 points for North Duplin, which remained unbeaten in 10 home games this season and is an eye-popping 31-1 on its home court since 2022.
Higginbotham provided 17 points, six steals, six rebounds and four assists. Outlaw flirted with a double-double — 10 points and eight steals.
Faison stuffed her stat sheet with six points, six blocked shots, nine rebounds and seven steals. The junior center has 643 career points. She boosted her season totals to 134 rebounds and 51 blocked shots.
Meghan Martin contributed seven rebounds and three points. Freshman Abigeal Brown recorded a basket, four rebounds and two steals off the bench.
