Blue Devils Fall Despite Strong First Half

DEEP RUN—On Friday night, the South Lenoir's Blue Devils faced a tough challenge against the Southwest Onslow Stallions. Despite a strong start, the Blue Devils ultimately fell, with a score of 71-52, in their first conference game of the season. This setback brings South Lenoir to a 2-7 record for the year.

Since 2006, the rivalry between these two teams has been closely contested, with South Lenoir historically leading the series 8-7. However, with this latest victory, the Stallions have now secured their fifth consecutive win against the Blue Devils.

The game kicked off with intense competition, as both teams were evenly matched in skill and strategy. At the end of the first quarter, the score was tied at 10, a clear indicator of the tight match. The second quarter continued in a similar vein, with neither team gaining a significant advantage.

Freshman Gavin Brock emerged as a key player for South Lenoir, demonstrating remarkable skill in the first quarter by scoring 6 points and leading his team with a total of 12 points. His teammates, Shamar Rhodes with 10 points, RJ Brock with 9, and Frank Haddock with 8 points, also contributed significantly to the team's performance.

Reflecting on the team's first-half performance, Head Coach Thomas Earp noted, "We brought some intensity in the first half, playing good man-to-man defense. Although our three-pointers weren't as successful as we hoped, we managed to sink some crucial shots."

Earp also acknowledged the Stallions' edge in experience.

"Southwest has been in these types of games before. We've had leads at halftime before, or been close, but they know how to close out games. That's something we aim to learn for the rest of the season," he remarked.

The second half saw a shift in strategy from the Stallions, who implemented a zone defense that caught South Lenoir off guard.

"They switched to a zone, and we weren't prepared for that. We had a strategy, but we haven't perfected it yet, and it fell apart," Earp explained. He commended his team's ability to break the press and maintain their man-to-man defense.

Earp had special praise for freshman Gavin Brock, highlighting his potential. "Gavin has a lot of talent. He's physically skilled, but he's still growing mentally. Once he balances both aspects, he'll be a formidable player," Earp predicted.