Triton took a pair of 20-point nonconference varsity basketball wins over visiting rival South Johnston on Friday night.

Triton pulled away in the second half to win 64-44 over South Johnston in the girls game.

“You’re going to have moments,” said Triton girls coach Richard Rozier. “It’s amateur basketball. No one’s getting paid to play. So, things like that are going to happen. But we’ve got a great group of young ladies and this was, to me, one of our better team wins this season. When you go 3-0 in a week and finish winning by 20 over a rival, and we knew we were going to get their best shot, so that’s always satisfying.”

Freshman Nashara Watlington-McNeill had 20 points and senior Abby Hood and sophomore JaNiah Smith had 12 points apiece to pace the Hawks (4-1).

A’Shari Watlington and Jakiya Leach had five points apiece. Kamari Walker and Navaeh Hawley had four points apiece. Zion Cameron had two points.

Sophomore Lannah Price led the Trojans (0-4) with 11 points.

Brooke Winborne had nine points. Meagan Worley had eight points. Dianna Boykin had six points. Caroline Tucker had five points. Emma Thornton and Madison Carter had two points apiece. Skykeria Sanders had one point.

Triton outscored South 24-14 in the first quarter before the Trojans rallied to cut the lead to 36-29 at halftime. But the Hawks outscored the Trojans 13-7 in the third quarter and 15-8 in the fourth.

The third quarter was the major difference-maker as Triton beat South Johnston 65-45 in the boys game.

“South’s always tough,” said Triton boys coach T.J. Morrison. “They’ve got some tough, gritty kids. The third quarter was, I think, the key. We gave up four points in the fourth quarter. I always tell them our goal is 10 or less in a quarter. If you can do that a time or two in a game, you’ve got a good chance to win the game. I believe giving up four points in the third quarter was the turning point.”

South Johnston said cold shooting in the second half was costly for the Trojans.

“They’re a talented group,” Massengill said. “And it seems like they’re kind of hitting their stride. I thought we battled like crazy in the first half and we hit some shots. In the second half, we didn’t hit many shots. And I think we were 17-for-34 at the free throw line. That ain’t going to win many games. We attacked the basket. I didn’t think it was about not getting looks. We’ve just got to make more shots. And if we can keep teams in the 50s, that’s what our goal is and we weren’t far off of that goal. We’ve just got to keep working and keep getting better.”

Senior Will Heard had 17 points to lead the Hawks (4-1).

Romello Pegues had nine points. Jalen Evans and Quashaun Williams had eight points apiece. J.J. Cowan had five points. Jaleel White and Winston Waite had four points apiece. Ahmad Morris and Will Watson had three points apiece. Nate McKoy and James Shaw had two points apiece.

Sophomore Cole Norris led the Trojans (1-3) with 12 points.

Connor Lee and Nick Jackson had nine points apiece. Chase Norris and Lucas Layman had four points apiece. Eli Price and Kaleb Williams had two points apiece. Ryan Hudson, Jayden Richardson and Caleb Beasley had one point apiece.

Triton led 16-11 at the end of the first quarter and 34-29 at halftime before outscoring South 14-4 in the third quarter and 17-12 in the fourth.

Triton starts All American 3-A/4-A Conference play at E.E. Smith on Tuesday and South Johnston is at home for nonconference games against Southern Nash on Wednesday.