Kinston Pulls Away in Second Half for 60-31 Win Over South Lenoir

Kinston improved to 17-2 overall and 8-2 in conference play with a dominant 60-31 victory over South Lenoir. Both of Kinston’s losses this season have come against East Duplin, a conference opponent they could see again in the conference championship if things fall into place. South Lenoir (2-18, 0-10) put up a fight early, trailing just 27-22 at halftime before Kinston pulled away in the second half.

Ariyonna Willis led the Vikings with 15 points, going 5-for-6 from the free-throw line. Sharpshooter Nasheyla Mason drained four three-pointers and finished with 14 points while hitting both of her free throws. J’Riyanna Edwards added 12 points (2-2 FTs), and Madison Green and Aleah Hill each chipped in six points. Kinston shot 14-for-24 from the free-throw line as a team.

After a close first half, Willis and Mason took over in the third quarter, each scoring six points to spark Kinston to a dominant second-half run. The Vikings outscored South Lenoir 33-9 in the final two quarters, limiting the Blue Devils to just seven third-quarter points.

For South Lenoir, Makenzie Herring led the way with nine points, Gracie Tyndall added eight, and Tyazhia Midgette contributed six points while going 4-for-6 from the free-throw line. As a team, South Lenoir shot 8-for-12 from the stripe.

Kinston forward America Lloyd spoke on the team’s growth throughout the season and their playoff readiness. “Yeah, definitely, I think our team is pretty good even with having a young team and not having any seniors,” Lloyd said. “We all have to have that same mindset of ‘let’s go get ‘em.’”

Mason shared insight into Kinston head coach Chris Bradshaw’s halftime message. “He fussed at us about not getting back in transition defense and how we were playing down to our opponent’s level,” Mason said. She also reflected on her performance in the third quarter. “I just realized that someone needed to step up, and my teammates found me, and I did my job.”

On the team’s progress, Mason added, “We are our worst enemies. We just gotta continue to play as a team, stick together, and not let outside energy get to us.”

Despite the loss, South Lenoir’s effort was notable, showing steady improvement under head coach Zach Pierce. While the standings may not reflect it, the Blue Devils are progressing as they work toward building a stronger program.