North Duplin’s Lily Fulghum getting challenged on a throw in late in the 4th quarter. (Robert Taylor|mountolivetribune.com)
FAISON — The North Duplin Rebels advanced to the next round of the state championship with a commanding 58-45 victory over the Gates County Barons. The Rebels maintained control throughout the game, using strong defensive pressure and efficient scoring to hold off their opponents.
North Duplin wasted no time asserting dominance, jumping out to an early 6-2 lead as Abby Rose and Abigeal Norris worked well together offensively while Lilly Fulghum played a key role in shutting down Gates County’s attack. A free throw by Tateyawna Faison extended the lead to 9-2, and the Rebels’ defense continued to apply pressure, forcing multiple empty possessions from the Barons.
A turnover from North Duplin momentarily shifted momentum, but Addy Higginbotham responded with a quick layup, pushing the lead to 11-2. The Rebels’ defensive intensity remained high as Faison secured a steal, and Rose capitalized with a mid-range jumper to make it 13-2.
With 1:12 left in the quarter, Gates County called a timeout to regroup. However, North Duplin continued to press, with Maggie Brown adding a layup to stretch the lead to 15-2. Just before the buzzer, Fulghum drained a three-pointer to extend the advantage to 18-2. The Barons managed to get on the board again with a last-second three-pointer, closing the quarter at 18-5.
Gates County opened the second quarter with a quick basket, trimming the deficit to 18-7. North Duplin struggled briefly, with an errant pass leading to a turnover. The Barons capitalized on the mistake, adding another layup to make it 18-9.
North Duplin responded as Higginbotham found an open shot beyond the arc, draining a three-pointer to make it 21-11. The Rebels’ rebounding efforts, led by Faison and Brown, kept them in control, but Gates County answered with a three-pointer of their own.
With 3:37 left in the half, North Duplin called a timeout to reset. The adjustment paid off, as Fulghum drove inside for a layup, and Faison secured another key rebound to deny Gates County second-chance points. However, a turnover led to an easy Barons layup, cutting the lead to 24-16.
North Duplin quickly regrouped as Higginbotham knocked down a free throw and Rose converted back-to-back layups, extending the lead to 28-16. The Barons had a late push, drawing a foul and converting two free throws. In the closing seconds, Fulghum drove inside, drawing contact and sinking both free throws, giving the Rebels a 30-18 lead at halftime.
North Duplin continued to control the pace in the third quarter, with Faison sinking two free throws early to push the lead to 35-20. She then made a strong defensive play, blocking a shot that resulted in a Gates County turnover.
The Barons managed to convert one of two free throws, but Faison answered with a layup at the other end. A brief lapse allowed Gates County to score on a quick transition layup, but North Duplin maintained their lead as Higginbotham went to the line and hit both free throws, making it 38-23.
With 2:50 left in the quarter, North Duplin extended their lead when Rose made a long pass to Faison, who finished a layup in stride to put the Rebels up 41-23. Moments later, Fulghum intercepted a pass and sprinted down the court but was fouled on her layup attempt.
Despite Gates County converting a free throw to inch closer at 43-26, North Duplin stayed aggressive. Faison had a layup attempt with 26 seconds left, and though she missed, she came up with a crucial block on the defensive end. She then got fouled with just 2.9 seconds remaining but was unable to capitalize at the line, leaving the score at 43-26 entering the final quarter.
North Duplin started the fourth quarter strong, with Higginbotham coming up with a steal. However, a quick turnover gave Gates County an opportunity, which they converted into a smooth layup, making it 43-28.
After a timeout at 7:06, Faison was fouled on a layup attempt and made both free throws, extending the lead to 45-28. The Barons kept pushing, scoring inside to cut the deficit to 45-30, but Rose responded by connecting with Faison for a well-executed layup to keep the Rebels in control at 47-30.
Gates County refused to back down, earning a free throw and a jumper to trim the margin to 47-33. Brown then added two more points for the Rebels, but the Barons answered with a side jumper and another layup, narrowing the score to 49-39 with just over three minutes remaining.
North Duplin remained composed down the stretch. Rose drove inside for a layup, and after the Barons hit a three-pointer to make it 51-42, Higginbotham calmly sank two free throws, extending the lead to 53-42.
With under a minute left, a lapse in focus led to a turnover, allowing Gates County to score on a quick layup. They added another free throw, closing the gap to 53-45. However, North Duplin quickly responded as Rose converted a layup, effectively sealing the victory.
The final moments saw Gates County miss consecutive three-point attempts, and Faison closed out the game with a free throw before Rose added the last layup, securing the Rebels’ 58-45 victory.
With the win, North Duplin advances to the next round of the state championship. Their balanced attack, strong rebounding, and defensive intensity proved to be the key factors in their success. Faison played a pivotal role with key rebounds and defensive stops, while Fulghum, Higginbotham, and Rose provided steady scoring throughout the game.
