Mackenzi Hudson scores for the Lady Raiders.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/John Lucas)
Midway split East Central 2-A Conference varsity basketball games against visiting Goldsboro on Tuesday, with the Raiders winning the girls game and the Cougars taking the boys game.
Midway overcame struggles with foul trouble to take a 55-37 win over Goldsboro in the girls game.
“We played a good game,” said Midway girls coach Allen McLamb. “I was not real satisfied with the first half fouling. All we did was foul and keep that team in the game. We addressed that and cleaned some of that up and I thought we played a very, very good second half. We did more like what I wanted to do. All in all, I think we came out and played ball like we wanted to, once we cleaned our fouling up.”
Sophomore Kris’Shyia McKoy had 15 points, four rebounds and three steals, senior Jenna Pope had 13 points and junior Makenzi Hudson had 11 points, eight rebounds and three steals to lead the Raiders (9-1, 2-0 ECC).
Rylie Williams had four points and six rebounds. Allison Belflowers had four points. Kaylah Jackson and Alyssa Hargrove had three points apiece. Ashante Warren had two points. Caitlyn Holland had six steals.
As a team, the Raiders shot just 19-for-33 (57.6 percent) at the free throw line, but Midway’s bigs had strong performances at the line. Hudson was a near-perfect 7-for-8 (87.5 percent) and Pope was 5-for-7 (71.4 percent) to lead the team.
“(Hudson)’s actually been getting better and better and better from the line,” McLamb said. “My two bigs, my four and my five, were my leading foul shooters. Dump the ball inside, let them work and get fouled and go to the line. We’ll be alright.”
The Cougars (3-5, 1-1) were led by junior Mary Archibald, with 11 points.
Midway went on a 10-2 run through the first quarter, but Goldsboro outscored Midway 13-12 in the second to cut the lead to 22-15 at halftime.
But Midway controlled the second half, outscoring Goldsboro 18-11 in the third quarter and 15-11 in the fourth.
Midway was competitive early, but Goldsboro pulled away in the second half to take an 82-42 win in the boys game.
“I thought we had some good opportunities out of the press break,” said Midway boys coach Aaron Lane. “We had some good looks at it and just couldn’t score there in the third quarter. They got all of our misses and turned them into transition offense and made every single play. They made a ton of shots. I’d love to know their shooting percentage in the second half, because it looked like they made all of their shots.”
Senior Jamar Autry, who was not eligible to play until January, had 12 points to lead the Raiders (4-5, 0-2).
“He adds a different dynamic that we didn’t have before,” Lane said.
Cameron Barefoot and Thornton Baggett had five points apiece. Tyler Godwin had four points. Luke Strickland and Jaden Covington had three points apiece. Mickael Barrow, Cade Hewlett, C.J. Cooper, Wyatt Holland and Grant Naylor had two points apiece.
Senior Christian Bullock had 22 points and junior Xavion Atkinson had 20 points to pace the Cougars (9-1, 2-0).
At the end of a competitive first quarter, Goldsboro held a 17-15 lead.
Goldsboro opened the second quarter with a 7-0 run before Midway responded with an 8-0 run to cut the lead to just one, at 24-23. But Goldsboro ended the quarter with an 8-1 run to lead 32-24 at halftime.
Goldsboro dominated the second half, outscoring Midway 28-8 in the third quarter and 22-10 in the fourth.
Midway finishes the week with a pair of conference games on the road, traveling to James Kenan on Thursday and East Duplin on Friday.
Midway’s Jenna Pope shoots in a 55-37 win over Goldsboro.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/John Lucas)
Jamar Autry, blocking a shot, has returned for the Midway boys.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/John Lucas)
