Lady Rebel Tateyawna Faison goes up for the layup in front of a Rosewood defender. (Robert Taylor|mountolivetribune.com)
Eva Quintanilla boxes out the defense for her Rebel teammates. (Robert Taylor|mountolivetribune.com)
North Duplin’s Maggie Brown prepares to hand off the ball to teammate Abby Rose for a layup in a game against Rosewood Monday. (Robert Taylor|mountolivetribune.com)
The North Duplin Rebels made a strong statement Monday night with a dominant 47-16 victory over the Rosewood Eagles in a crucial conference matchup. The Rebels took control early and never looked back, relying on tenacious defense, fast-break opportunities, and a steady offensive rhythm to secure the win.
Tateyawna Faison led the charge for the Lady Rebels, delivering a standout performance on both ends of the floor. Faison’s hustle and scoring touch set the tone for the game, while Addy Higginbotham, Lilly Fulghum, and Maggie Brown played key supporting roles.
North Duplin wasted no time establishing their defensive presence. Maggie Brown opened with a quick drive to the basket, but Rosewood’s Abby Rose responded with a block. Moments later, Faison made her presence known, grabbing a defensive rebound and pushing the ball in transition.
The Eagles struck first to take a 2-0 lead, but the Rebels answered with a series of plays that quickly swung momentum. Higginbotham found Faison under the basket for a layup, tying the game at 2. On the next possession, Faison drew a foul and calmly knocked down both free throws, putting North Duplin ahead 4-2.
As the quarter progressed, North Duplin tightened up defensively. Faison stripped the ball and converted an easy layup to make it 6-2. Fulghum added a 3-pointer from the wing, extending the lead to 8-2 and prompting Rosewood to call a timeout with 2:52 remaining.
Coming out of the timeout, North Duplin’s defense forced multiple turnovers. Faison scored again on a fast break, pushing the lead to 10-2. Late in the quarter, Abigeal Norris played lockdown defense, and Faison capped the quarter with an explosive drive to the basket, giving North Duplin an 11-3 lead at the break.
Rosewood came out with renewed energy in the second quarter, but North Duplin’s defense continued to stifle their offense. The Eagles managed to score early, but Faison answered by sinking two free throws to keep the Rebels comfortably in front at 13-5.
North Duplin found success on the boards, with Faison and Brown grabbing key rebounds. Higginbotham added a layup, followed by another basket from Faison, pushing the lead to 20-5 with just under three minutes left in the quarter.
Rosewood’s Eva Quintanilla provided a spark for the Eagles with a layup, but North Duplin responded quickly. Fulghum scored on a fast break, and Faison added a free throw to extend the lead to 23-7. Quintanilla tried to cut into the deficit with a steal and fast-break opportunity, but North Duplin’s defense held strong, closing the half with a 24-8 lead.
The third quarter began with Rosewood showing some tactical adjustments, but North Duplin’s defense refused to let up. Higginbotham started the quarter with a 3-ball, and Faison added a layup moments later, stretching the lead to 29-10.
Brown got in on the action with a steal and layup, prompting a timeout from Rosewood at the 4:45 mark. Coming out of the timeout, North Duplin’s offense continued to hum. Fulghum and Higginbotham scored back-to-back layups, giving the Rebels a 37-12 lead by the end of the quarter.
Despite a pair of late free throws from Rosewood, the quarter belonged to the Rebels, who carried a commanding 37-16 advantage into the final frame.
North Duplin showed no signs of slowing down in the fourth quarter. Norris opened the scoring with a layup, followed by another layup from Faison to make it 39-16. Quintanilla came up with a block for the Eagles, but the Rebels maintained control.
Faison added another layup to push the lead further, and Norris capped off the game with a strong defensive effort, keeping Rosewood from mounting any sort of comeback. The Rebels held the Eagles scoreless for most of the quarter and sealed the game with a 47-16 victory.
After the game, North Duplin head coach Jon Kornegay praised his team’s effort and highlighted their defensive intensity. “It was a big win for us tonight,” he said. “We played well overall and set the tone early with our defense. Conditioning played a big role, and it’s great to be a game up in the conference now. We’re peaking at the right time heading into the playoffs.”
The game was also a special milestone for Tateyawna Faison, who reached 1,000 career points during the contest. Her all-around performance —scoring, rebounding, and defending — was a key factor in the Rebels’ victory.
With the win, North Duplin improves its position in the conference standings and builds momentum heading into the postseason. If the Rebels can continue playing at this level, they’ll be a tough team to beat in the playoffs.
North Duplin now holds an impressive 17-4 overall record and sits at 7-1 in the 1A Carolina Conference, placing them atop the standings. Lakewood and Neuse Charter are both close behind at 6-2, making the final stretch of the season even more competitive.
