Kinston Continues Dominance at Home, Beating Southwest Onslow 72-48
Kinston Continues Dominance at Home, Beating Southwest Onslow 72-48
By: Jayden Willis
The Kinston Vikings entered their matchup against the Southwest Onslow Stallions with both teams riding impressive streaks. Kinston carried an eight-game home winning streak, remaining undefeated on their court this season. Meanwhile, Southwest Onslow was on an eight-game winning streak of its own. In the end, Kinston continued its dominance at home, defeating the Stallions 72-48 and ending their streak.
"Defensively, I thought we were really good tonight," said Head Coach Perry Tyndall.
To start the game, both teams went through a feeling-out process, testing what worked offensively against the strong defenses in front of them. The first quarter was filled with turnovers that led to fast-break points on both sides. It was a back-and-forth battle, with Kinston holding a narrow 13-12 lead at the end of the first.
"Ending that was big. We knew we had to carry that out the rest of the game," said Tyndall.
The second quarter followed a similar pattern, though both offenses began to settle in. The Vikings attacked the paint aggressively, drawing fouls and finishing tough layups to maintain their lead. Meanwhile, Southwest Onslow found success with a balanced offensive approach, scoring both inside and outside to keep the game within reach. In the final minute of the half, Kinston went on a small run to extend its lead to 32-23 at the break.
"It felt a little similar to the first time we played them," said Tyndall. "I thought in the second half we answered."
Kinston carried that momentum into the third quarter, steadily growing its lead. The Vikings continued attacking the rim, earning multiple tough finishes and trips to the free-throw line. Late in the quarter, their defense fueled the offense, leading to two emphatic slam dunks by sophomore guard Keyshawn Herring. The high-energy plays put Kinston firmly in control, up 56-34 heading into the fourth.
"Complete game—we put it all together tonight," said Tyndall. "Played Kinston basketball for 32 minutes."
The Vikings extended their lead further in the final quarter, having fun with flashy assists and high-flying dunks. Southwest Onslow struggled to find consistency, getting good looks but failing to capitalize. With two minutes left, both teams emptied their benches, and Kinston closed out the dominant win, 72-48.
"When this place is rocking, it can be a fun place to play," said Tyndall. "I appreciate all the support we had tonight."
With the win, Kinston moves into a tie with Southwest Onslow at the top of the conference, improving to 13-3 overall and 7-1 in conference play. Nine of their 13 wins have come at home, where they remain undefeated. The Vikings look to extend their six-game winning streak against the James Kenan Tigers.
The Stallions, meanwhile, suffered their first loss of January, dropping to 15-3 overall and 7-1 in conference play. They’ll look to regroup in their next matchup against the South Lenoir Blue Devils.
