Kinston Extends Win Streak to Eight with 70-50 Victory Over South Lenoir
Kinston Extends Win Streak to Eight with 70-50 Victory Over South Lenoir
DEEP RUN, N.C. — Kinston’s boys’ basketball team continued its dominant stretch, picking up its eighth straight win with a 70-50 victory over South Lenoir on the road Tuesday night. The Vikings, now 18-3 (10-2), showcased their depth and athleticism, pulling away in the second half despite a determined effort from the Blue Devils.
Sophomore guard Jamarion Washington led the charge with a game-high 19 points, while fellow sophomore Keyshawn Herring electrified the crowd with four highlight-reel dunks, finishing with 18 points and a perfect 6-for-6 from the free-throw line. Senior point guard Isaiah Parson added 10 points, including eight in the first half, and Genesis Wiggins contributed nine.
Kinston controlled the pace early, but South Lenoir (8-12, 1-9) refused to go away without a fight. The Blue Devils were led by sophomore Gavin Brock, who finished with 16 points while going 3-for-3 from the free-throw line. Senior big man Jacob Howard added 14 points, continuing his strong season in the paint.
Despite Kinston’s advantage, Parson believes his team still has room to improve as they push toward the postseason.
“We just gotta keep staying disciplined,” Parson said. “In the game, we kept letting them inch back in. Not being disrespectful to them, but I truly believe we could have won by 30 or more. We kind of let them back in, and we gotta work on staying consistent throughout the whole game.”
Kinston’s depth was on full display, with nine different players scoring a basket. Freshmen Dejabriel Brown and Jayden Herring added to the excitement late in the game, each scoring a bucket in the final minutes, sending the Vikings’ bench and crowd into a frenzy.
Parson, the team’s lone senior, has taken on a key leadership role for the young squad and spoke on his responsibility to help guide the team.
“I think it’s big. We have a young team, they have a lot of questions, and if they don’t ask Coach, they come to me,” Parson said. “I basically know what Coach wants or is looking for out of our team’s defense.”
He also highlighted the growth of several key players, including Herring, Wiggins, and sophomore guard Jamarion Washington. Kinston was without their key forward Tyreek Copper for the second game in a row due to illness.
“They are getting hungrier. Gen (Wiggins) has gotten better. Earlier in the year, sometimes he would get down, and now he’s more up, and honestly, he’s becoming more of a leader himself,” Parson said. “Key (Herring) is getting better on defense and is super hungry to attack and win. Pop (Washington) has been more of a leader lately, too—he’s been a weapon for us on offense.”
The Blue Devils, who have now dropped five of their last six games after back-to-back wins in the Brandon Ingram MLK Showcase, will look to bounce back at home against East Duplin. Meanwhile, Kinston will aim to continue its winning ways when it travels to Wallace-Rose Hill on Friday night.
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