Greene Central wins the Kinston/Lenoir Sports Alumni Basketball Tournament with a buzzer-beater over Kinston

Jul 15

Jul 15 Greene Central wins the Kinston/Lenoir Sports Alumni Basketball Tournament with a buzzer-beater over Kinston

Another classic Kinston versus Greene Central basketball matchup went down today and Jimmy Edwards played the spoiler.

In conclusion to the Kinston/Lenoir Sports Alumni Basketball Tournament, the Greene Central (GC) Alumni clinched victory in an overtime showdown, sealed by a clutch buzzer-beater by Jimmy Edwards.

The tournament, held at Lenoir Community College , featured the alumni teams of Kinston, Greene Central, Ayden-Grifton, and JH Rose. GC started strong, defeating Ayden-Grifton in the first round with a score of 40-33. Meanwhile, Kinston overpowered JH Rose with a decisive 43-26 victory. Ayden-Grifton went on to claim the consolation game over JH Rose 59-37.

The ultimate match-up was Greene Central versus Kinston in the championship game. Kinston is known for having one of the most successful basketball programs in the country. Khigh boasted a star-studded lineup including Isaac Parsons, Denzel Keys, Chris Brown, and many more.

The final match was a neck-to-neck game. GC took an early lead with a 7-0 run, only for Kinston to storm back with a 20-5 run of their own. GC's all-time great, Imajee Dodd, led a counter-charge with an 8-0 run and two impressive blocks. The teams battled down to the wire, pushing the game into overtime.

In a thrilling finale, Jimmy Edwards emerged as the hero for GC, saying: “When GC has all of its pieces we [are] real tough to beat. Having a defensive anchor like Dodd and having the rest of the squad locking in on defense and hitting timely shots, they put me in position to get the ball." Edwards showcased his clutch gene by going coast-to-coast and delivering a game-winning floater over Kinston's shot blocker Reginald "Tigger" Clark, ending the game at 36-34 in GC's favor.

After the tournament, GC coach Charles Gamble praised the event, saying: "This was a great event. It was good to see all of the alumni, fraternities and sororities, media, as well as the rest of the community. I enjoyed it and I hope it continues and grows.”

The victorious Greene Central roster was comprised of: