New Hanover Wins Over Kinston 64-50

Vikings drop a tough one against 4A New Hanover 64-50.

The Vikings came out executing plays and getting defensive stops in the first quarter, leading to a first quarter advantage of 16-12. The Vikings began to play sloppily and lose control against the formidable New Hanover team, which backfired on them.

Photo By: William Hardy

Kinston started missing assignments on defense, turning the ball over, and giving the Wildcats opportunities for fast break layups and scores in transition. The Wildcats flipped the script in the second quarter and were able to go into halftime with a 33-27 lead over the Vikings.

Many people thought that the Vikings had given up because of how sloppily they started playing, but not just yet. Kinston Guard Keyshawn Herring sparked a 10-0 run right after halftime with a two-handed putback dunk at the start of the third quarter, causing the Wildcats’ head coach to call a timeout.

Keyshawn Herring led Kinston in scoring with 11 points, but he wasn’t the only one who provided good energy for Kinston. Tyreek Copper began finding his spots on the court and scoring basket after basket. He also had 11 points in the game, helping the Vikings cut the Wildcats’ lead to just one point.

Said Coach Tyndall, ‘Quick turnaround. Facing a quality opponent and have to lock in with detail and execution, stop their transition, hit the glass and not give up offensive rebounds, push the pace and stay together.’

The Wildcats began making it difficult for the Vikings in the fourth quarter by disrupting their pace and causing turnovers. The Wildcats went on an 18-5 run in the fourth quarter to end the game. The Vikings will be back in action on January 30 against East Duplin at Vikings Gymnasium.”