Greene Central downs North Lenoir

LA GRANGE — The Greene Central boys’ basketball team played like a team with nothing to lose in the first round of the Eastern Plains 2A conference tournament at North Lenoir on Monday.

As a result, the Rams won, downing a Hawks team, 75-68, that had swept it in the regular season.

“Coming in, we knew we had to pick it up or go home,” junior guard Danny Moye said. “We had to play this game like it was our last, because it very well could’ve been.”

The Rams were led by the pair of Moye and Albert Barron, who scored 27 points each. Moye also added 16 rebounds, including eight on the offensive end.

GC had lost at North Lenoir only three days earlier in the regular season finale in Wheat Swamp. GC coach David Laton said his team learned some lessons from that encounter.

“We found out we could play some 2-3 (zone) and rebound out of it,” Laton said. “We really learned something in the fourth quarter; that we could get the ball behind the zone, drive the baseline and looking to get it inside more.”

North Lenoir (12-13) led 58-54 entering the fourth quarter and 66-64 on two free throws from Juel Bizzell with 3:24 left. But Greene Central got a jumper from Moye and a lay-up from Barron to go ahead 68-66 and to start an 11-2 run to end the game.

“Maybe we used up all our sense of urgency in Friday’s game,” NL coach John Eric Waters said. “We kind of coasted a little bit tonight.”

The Hawks, who are holding the fourth and final state playoff seed from the EP2A, are off until Feb. 26. Barring a tournament championship from Greene Central, the Hawks will open the 2A playoffs at the North State 2A champion.

Waters said he was giving the Hawks today off, but that they’d return to practice on Wednesday.

“If we can’t defend better in the paint or rebound the basketball better, it’s going to be a quick in and out in the tournament,” Waters said.

Greene Central (6-19) will play at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday at regular season champion Farmville Central, who is 19-3 and went unbeaten through the EP2A this season.

“We have to play the same way that we did this game,” Moye said. “We have to get the momentum early and we’ll be all right.”

Laton said, “Farmville Central is a great team. We’re going to enjoy this one tonight and spend (today) getting ready for them. We’re just happy to advance.”

Bryan C. Hanks can be reached at (252) 559-1073 or at bhanks@freedomenc.com. Check out Bryan’s blog at http://bhanks.encblogs.com