North Duplin sophomore Tateyawna Faison, right, grabs a rebound against Rosewood’s Avery Ramsey during their semifinal-round game in the Carolina 1A girls’ basketball tournament Wednesday evening. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
North Duplin’s Meghan Martin, right, snags a rebound while teammate Tateyawna Faison (12) and Rosewood’s Sienna Robinson on Wednesday evening. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
Rosewood’s Haley Bedford, right, and North Duplin’s Reece Outlaw scramble for a loose ball in their Carolina 1A girls’ basketball semifinal-round game Wednesday evening. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
North Duplin senior Kasey Jones, left, and Rosewood’s Haley Bedford collide underneath the Rebels’ basket after Jones picked up a loose ball and attempted to score Wednesday evening. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
North Duplin senior Adaisha Bernal attempts a free throw against Rosewood on Wednesday evening. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
North Duplin junior Reece Outlaw knocks down two of her game- and team-high 19 points against Rosewood during their semifinal-round game in the Carolina 1A girls’ basketball tournament Wednesday evening. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
NEWTON GROVE — North Duplin needed a mere 62 minutes to dismiss Rosewood from the Carolina 1A Conference girls’ basketball tournament semifinals Wednesday evening.
Reece Outlaw just missed a triple-double with 22 points, eight assists and eight steals during the top-seeded Rebels’ 57-18 victory.
Next up is Union. The teams square off at 6 p.m. Friday at Hobbton High School.
“I told the girls we had to come out with intensity [and] the idea to let them know within the first two or three minutes you’re not going to win this game,” ND head coach John Oliver said.
“You could see the distraction and I told the girls to keep pouring it on because we’ll get them where we want them.”
The Rebels did.
Higginbotham converted her first three shots – one on an assist from Tateyawna Faison on the game-opening tip-off and two turnovers. Outlaw got into the scoring act and North Duplin led 11-2 barely four minutes into the game.
Rosewood (3-20) attempted to stay close, but fell victim to turnovers.
The miscues, along with the Rebels’ pick-pocket prowess on steals, claimed an insurmountable 38-9 advantage by halftime.
“I commended them on their defense,” Oliver said. “They stepped into the passing lanes. We only missed one or two chances [to steal] … didn’t react quick enough to get the ball.”
However, rebounding disappointed Oliver.
On occasion, the Rebels either stood flat-footed when shots caromed off the iron or didn’t put a body on their opponent. Meghan Martin emerged as the team’s top glass cleaner with five rebounds.
“If you’re going to stand around, box somebody out,” Oliver said.
Faison finished with eight points and four boards. Adaisha Bernal and Lily Brothus contributed five points apiece. Kasey Jones supplied three rebounds and two steals.
One piece of business remains.
“They’ve made up their mind they want to do it [conference double] back-to-back and don’t care who it is,” Oliver said. “If we have the same effort we did tonight, then they’ll have to be mighty good to beat us.”
