North Lenoir Rolls Past South Lenoir, Extends Win Streak to Four
WHEAT SWAMP– North Lenoir had been waiting for this one.
After suffering a heartbreaking 70-68 loss to rival South Lenoir on Jan. 16, the Hawks took full control Tuesday night, rolling to a 71-54 victory at home to extend their winning streak to four games.
From the opening tip, North Lenoir played with purpose. Senior Jack Herring set the tone early, knocking down a three-pointer on the first possession before adding a strong finish in the post. His hot start continued into the second quarter, where another deep ball electrified the crowd.
“My teammates set me up great to hit those threes,” Herring said. “I haven’t been executing like I wanted to lately, but today they fell, and it felt good.”
While Herring got things rolling, junior AJ Black took over on the defensive end, turning key blocks into scoring opportunities. His presence at the rim led to transition baskets, and he poured in 10 points in the second quarter alone. By halftime, North Lenoir’s 12-9 first-quarter edge had ballooned into a commanding 30-12 lead.
“I love playing defense,” Black said. “Might not score a lot, but I’m going to play defense no matter what.”
South Lenoir, already struggling to generate offense, took a tough hit early when senior big man Jacob Howard went down with an apparent ankle injury in the first quarter. Without their primary post presence, the Blue Devils had to adjust, forcing others to step up.
“We had to go small,” South Lenoir head coach Brandon Battle said. “Some of our plays where we get to the post, we couldn’t do that. Jacob has been playing great lately, and he was going to be a big part of our offense.”
In the second half, North Lenoir’s offense continued to click, with sophomore Julian Veal catching fire from deep. He exploded for 15 of his 18 points after halftime, capping off a dominant night for the Hawks.
“It felt good out there, man,” Veal said. “The three-ball was hitting, and it brought the energy to the team. That’s what we needed to get the dub.”
Chris Veal added 16 points, including a solid 6-of-8 performance from the free-throw line, while Black finished with 17 points. Herring, despite focusing more on setting up teammates in the second half, contributed eight points.
For South Lenoir, K. Graham stepped up in Howard’s absence, leading the team with 15 points in the paint, while Amari Edwards chipped in 11.
Battle acknowledged the struggles but remained proud of his team’s growth.
“These guys are my guys,” Battle said. “To see them come from where they started to where they are now is amazing. As a coach, my job is to meet them where they are and get them where they need to be. The losses don’t reflect that, but I’ve seen the growth this season.”
With a grueling stretch of three games in three days ahead against South Lenoir, Greene Central, and Kinston, Black knows the key to maintaining their momentum.
“A lot of ice and rest,” he said with a grin.
Meanwhile, for Herring, a win over a rival always carries extra weight.
“After my four years being here, we know a lot of people in Deep Run,” he said. “We always want to beat them, especially on the football field—where we put a running clock on them and won by 20—so it always feels pretty good.”
With the postseason approaching, North Lenoir is playing its best basketball at the right time, while South Lenoir looks to snap a five-game losing streak and regain its footing.
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