LA GRANGE — Reeling from four straight losses North Lenoir’s boys basketball team wanted to start the new year off right.
The Hawks did so with a bang.
Jauquaz Jones scored 22 points and North Lenoir cruised to a 68-37 win over winless South Johnston on Wednesday.
Braxton Davis opened the game with a 3-pointer, the Hawks (7-7, 2-0 Eastern Carolina 3A) scored the first 13 points, opened a 21-6 first-quarter lead and never looked back.
“It being the new year we just wanted to come back and rededicate ourselves to some things,” North Lenoir coach Anthony Loftin said.
“We’re still in first place, and our ultimate goal is to win the conference..”
Coming into Wednesday’s league matchup the Hawks hadn’t won since defeating South Lenoir 77-66 on Dec. 14 — the last of a five-game win streak. Since, they’ve fallen to Farmville Central after the Jaguars rallied late, were defeated soundly by Kinston then dropped two in a Christmas tournament at Wallace-Rose Hill.
With nothing but league games ahead of it on the schedule, North Lenoir knew it had to start 2013 off right and it did.
In addition to Jones’ 22 points, four others had seven or more — Devontae Sutton (seven), Davis (eight), Tyree Hough (eight) and Zongio Troy (nine).
The Trojans (0-9, 0-2) were held to 19 total points after three quarters, but nearly matched their total for the game with 18 in the fourth.
They were led by Justin Jeffress’ 10 points.
“I thought our defense was active tonight. We got into the passing lanes, got some deflections, and I thought we shot the ball real good,” Loftin said.
SOUTH JOHNSTON 46, NORTH LENOIR 25
While the South Johnston boys had trouble its girls did not.
The Trojans got 10 points from Emma Blackman and nine from Alexis Massengill to even their EC3A record at 1-1.
South Johnston held a 10-2 lead after the first quarter and led 18-5 at halftime. Ta’Breia Foster scored eight points for the Hawks (2-12, 0-2) and Amanda Bizzell added six.
North Lenoir is off until it hosts Southern Wayne on Jan. 11.
Ryan Herman can be reached at 252-559-1073 or Ryan.Herman@Kinston.com. Follow him on Twitter: @KFPSports.
BOYS
South Johnston 6 8 5 18—37
North Lenoir 21 15 11 21—68
TROJANS (0-9, 0-2) — Justin Jeffress 10, Collins 6, Ga. Smith 6, Holmes 4, Tart 3, Johnson 2, Ennis 2, Massengill 2, Thornton 2, Clifton 1, Ge. Smith.
HAWKS (7-7, 2-0) — Jauquaz Jones 22, Troy 9, Hough 8, Davis 8, Sutton 7, Rouse 3, Robinson 2, King 2, Carlton 2, Pridgen 1, Stocks.
GIRLS
South Johnston 10 8 18 10—46
North Lenoir 2 3 11 9—25
TROJANS (NA, 1-1) — Emma Blackman 10, Massengill 9, Webster 6, McLamb 5, Johnston 4, Collins 4, Dunn 3, Capps 2, Allen 2, Bizzell 1, Millay.
HAWKS (2-12, 0-2) — Foster 8, Bizzell 6, Cratch 3, Lee 3, Murray 2, Howard 2, Varnell 1, Porter.