James Kenan’s KonNiya Joyner (32) gets trapped by North Duplin’s Reece Outlaw (4) and Addy Higginbotham during second-half action of their game Wednesday evening. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
North Duplin head varsity girls’ basketball coach John Oliver, left, talks with sophomore Tateyawna Faison during action against James Kenan on Wednesday. Faison posted a double-double, 10 points and 11 rebounds, in the Rebels’ non-conference win. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
North Duplin sophomore Addy Higginbotham, left, goes in for a layup as James Kenan’s LaTonia Mason trails on the play. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
North Duplin assistant coach Sandy McCarty and M’chelle Jaco work on Reece Outlaw, who suffered a cramp against James Kenan on Wednesday evening. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
North Duplin senior guard Cole Beavers, 12, gets the pass from Trashawn Ruffin, 54, and drives toward the basket while James Kenan’s TJ Oates, 3, and Aiden Venecia, 45, defend on the play. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
North Duplin’s Brady Byrd, 14, goes up for a shot against James Kenan’s Kel Artis, 43, and TJ Oates during first-half action Wednesday evening. At right is North Duplin senior Richard Noble. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
North Duplin’s Levi George, 20, takes a shot over the outstretched arms of James Kenan defender Kel Artis on Wednesday evening. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
North Duplin’s Trashawn Ruffin covers a loose ball against James Kenan’s Stephone Stanley, 3, Aiden Venecia, left, and another Tiger on Wednesday evening. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
North Duplin JV boys assistant coach Matthew Hines, left, Branson Martin, middle, and head coach Nick Nielsen, right, watch from the bench during Wednesday’s contest against county rival James Kenan. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
CALYPSO — Victory is like a fine wine — it’s years in the making and moments in the tasting.
The North Duplin varsity girls’ basketball team sampled that sweet nectar of triumph against long-time county rival James Kenan on Wednesday evening.
Junior guard Reece Outlaw torched the nets for a game- and team-high 27 points in a physical, 61-43 triumph contested before a near-capacity crowd. The Rebels halted a 23-game skid against the Tigers.
But it was a struggle.
ND overcame 24 turnovers and a woeful 15 of 28 effort (53.6 percent) at the free throw line.
“Forced turnovers, I can live with them,” Rebels head coach John Oliver said. “But when you, [with] no force [and] no pressure, turn it over, that doesn’t make any sense. We didn’t play as smart as I would have liked for us to play and that includes turnovers.”
Unbeaten in seven outings this season, the Rebels toiled through 15 first-half miscues. They managed to flip a five-point deficit into a 29-22 advantage at intermission.
Outlaw, backcourt mate Addy Higginbotham and center Tateyawna Faison came alive in the second half. The trio combined for 26 points, mainly off turnovers that allowed the Rebels to flourish in transition.
Oliver said his team might have been overconfident.
In the same breath, he added there might be a change in his coaching strategy.
“Maybe I need to do more before games than I normally do,” Oliver said. “I might go back to skills [work] in practice because we’re turning the ball over too much, not blocking out [on rebounds]…not doing the little things that can hurt you against good teams.”
Faison notched a double-double — 10 points, 11 rebounds. Higginbotham provided 15 points, nine assists and four steals. Lily Fulghum collected four rebounds and three steals, while Meghan Martin chipped in five points.
Boys
James Kenan rode the momentum of a stout second-quarter run to post a 77-34 victory despite missing five players due to various reasons.
The Tigers notched their 14th straight win over the Rebels and 21st overall in 23 meetings since 2010.
North Duplin trailed 16-10 after one quarter.
A cold-shooting stretch and flurry of turnovers enabled James Kenan (2-2 overall) to stretch its advantage to 43-18 by halftime. Both coaches emptied their respective benches and gave reserves some playing time in the second half
Freshman center Trashawn Ruffin paced the Rebels’ offense with 12 points, while Brady Byrd knocked down eight.
JV boys
Branson Martin and Tev Collins buried 3-pointers on consecutive possessions and sparked unbeaten North Duplin to a 46-36 win.
Tied at 29-29 after three quarters, Collins drained a 3-pointer from the left corner, which ignited an 8-0 run. Martin swished a 3-pointer and Ben Bullard added a layup to push the Rebels in front, 37-29.
James Kenan (1-3) missed its first eight shots from the floor.
Martin’s uncontested layup off Anthony Kornegay’s assist gave the Rebels their biggest lead, 43-32, with just over 60 seconds remaining in regulation.
Collins led North Duplin (7-0) with 15 points, while Martin scored 11. Bullard and sophomore Luke Kelly supplied six points apiece.
The Rebels return home Friday for a non-conference matchup against Eastern Wayne.
