The North Surry boys basketball team headlined the Northside Group Holiday Classic with a lopsided victory over Patrick County (Va.).
The Greyhounds entered the 90-point threshold for the second time in two weeks, defeating the visiting Cougars 90-44. A balanced scoring effort saw 10 different North Surry players score; five of those finished in double figures.
Tuesday’s 90-point outing brings North Surry’s scoring total for the season up to 744 points. This is fourth in N.C.’s 2A division and 14th among all classifications. The Hounds have scored at least 80 points in three games this season after combining for five such games in the previous four seasons.
No one player dominated scoring for North Surry. Leading scorer James McCreary had 16 points – all of which came in the first half – followed by Jackson Smith with 15, Kam McKnight with 14, Ryan Simmons with 12 and Jahreece Lynch with 10. Kolby Watson, Cam Taylor, Keaton Leonard, Luke Tickle and Isaac Johnson all scored in single digits.
The Greyhounds displayed their versatility against the Cougars, but can ride the hot hand when needed. In North’s 99-91 win over Forbush on December 17 Lynch led all scorers with 35, McCreary added 28 and Watson scored 14.
McCreary also set the bar with six assists against the Cougars. Of North Surry’s 32 total field goals made 21 were assisted, or 65.6%. Lynch finished the game with four assists, while Tickle and Makiyon Woodbury each dished out three.
North Surry scored first and never trailed in Tuesday’s game. The offense did stall for a brief period in the first quarter, allowing Patrick County to tie the score at 7-7 with 3:19 on the clock, but the stalemate didn’t last long. The Greyhounds closed the quarter with a 10-0 run that featured eight-consecutive points from Simmons.
Like the varsity girls game before it, North Surry’s boys had a different leading scorer in each quarter. Simmons’ led the team in the first quarter behind his hot streak, then McCreary caught fire in the second quarter.
The junior guard recorded a block on defense and went coast-to-coast for a layup, putting the Hounds up 26-13. The next time down the court McCreary drilled a 3-pointer off a Lynch pass, then did the same thing the next time he touched the ball and once more off a pass from Simmons. McCreary’s 11 second-quarter points helped the Greyhounds take a 43-17 halftime lead.
North Surry’s second unit played most of the second half. Six Greyhound players hit field goals in the third quarter, led by Tickle’s two 3-pointers. The Hounds only shot 3-of-15 (20%) from deep in the first half, but turned it around in the second half by knocking down 7-of-11 attempts, or 63.6%.
The Greyhounds scored 25 points in the fourth quarter even with a running clock toward the end. North scored the first six points of the quarter, Patrick County hit a jumper and then the Hounds went on a 15-0 run. Kam McKnight, the lone freshman on the varsity roster, erupted for 14 fourth-quarter points thanks to four 3-pointers and a pair of free throws.
Isaac Johnson added a triple as the sharpshooting Greyhounds ran away with the win.
North Surry improves to 8-2 overall with the win. After a non-conference game against West Stokes on January 5, the Greyhounds will resume Foothills 2A Conference competition at West Wilkes on January 7. North Surry sits atop the FH2A rankings at 2-0, and Surry Central is the only other team unbeaten in conference play.
Scoring
Patrick County – 7, 10, 19, 8 = 44
North Surry – 17, 26, 22, 25 = 90
PC: Demontez Hill 10, Jai Penn 9, Michael Nelson 6, Triston Underwood 6, Payten Stovall 4, Jalen Hagwood 3, Ben Hylton 3, Kailer Hoble 2
NS: James McCreary 16, Jackson Smith 15, Kam McKnight 14, Ryan Simmons 12, Jahreece Lynch 10, Luke Tickle 9, Kolby Watson 8, Isaac Johnson 3, Cam Taylor 2, Keaton Leonard 1
21/32 65.6% assist, 15-of-24 from the line,
Source: https://www.mtairynews.com
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