DEEP RUN — When you’re alone in first place each game becomes bigger than the last.
South Lenoir’s boys basketball team is getting accustomed to such games, and hope they keep getting bigger.
The Blue Devils, who sit by themselves atop the East Central 2A Conference, will host second-place Clinton tonight in yet another key league game.
South Lenoir has already beaten East Duplin and Jacksonville Northisde, who are tied for third, and Croatan, which is alone in fifth.
A win tonight will give the Blue Devils (10-4, 6-0) a sweep of the teams in the top half of the conference.
“It’s going to be a big one,” said second-year coach Jeremy Barnett, whose team practiced before lunch time during the holiday on Monday. “We had practice this morning and we talked about, ‘We should be used to it by now.’
“It’s seems like every game we’ve played in the last week was huge. But we should be used to playing it what we would say big games.”
South Lenoir is coming off perhaps its most underachieving yet gratifying win of the season.
The Blue Devils may have walked off Jimmy Smith Court at Munn Gymnasium on Friday with a 53-42 victory over Croatan, but it wasn’t until the final 8 minutes that Barnett got what he’s come to expect out of his team in its seventh straight win.
Barnett, an admitted creature of habit, thinks maybe it was the fact Friday was a day off for students. Or maybe it was the Cougars imposing their will on the Blue Devils.
Regardless, Barnett finally got inspired play out of his team in the final period — South Lenoir outscored Croatan 26-12 in the quarter — to hold on to the league’s top spot.
He knows he’s going to need a lot more than 8 minutes of solid play tonight to remain unbeaten in the conference.
“They’re going to be very athletic. They’re very long — they’ve got a 6-(foot)-9 kid and their guards are all 6-2, 6-3 — it seems like they’re all in that range,” Barnett said. “It’s going to be a challenge for us, but I think it’s going to be one that our guys are looking forward to.
“It was just a weird day (Friday), no school, (and) they were kind of out of their routine. Now, the big thing, is just trying to get them back into their routine.”
Things don’t get any easier for South Lenoir after tonight, win or lose. If the Blue Devils knock off Clinton (11-3, 5-1), they’ll head to East Duplin on Friday with the Panthers trying to be the first to hand South Lenoir a league loss. If South Lenoir loses tonight, it’ll head to Beulaville trying not to fall for a second straight time.
Regardless, Barnett is looking for each game to get bigger as the season progresses.
“Hopefully, games like this are preparing them. Because we’ve got bigger plans down the road,” he said.
“Every game is a big game, and this is a big game. But hopefully it’s not going to be the last big game we’re going to play in this year.”
Ryan Herman can be reached at 252-559-1073 or Ryan.Herman@Kinston.com. Follow him on Twitter: @KFPSports.