AHOSKIE – Greenville Rose built a 15-0 lead a shade over five minutes into the game and defeated an ice-cold Hertford County squad, 67-46, here Tuesday night in a non-conference, varsity boys basketball game.

The Bears, who fell to 1-1 on the young season, never got untracked against an aggressive, match-up zone defense employed by the visiting Rampants. HCHS shot a dismal 24 percent (15-of-62) from the field, including an &uot;Eskimo effort&uot; 5-of-29 in the first half from where they trailed 33-20.

Hertford County – thanks to a pair of deuces from Brandon Long, a hoop by Pert Simons and Lorenzo Benthall’s solo free throw – did close to within 12 (39-27) early in the second half, but the Bears hit on just one of their final nine shots of the third quarter and trailed 53-35 entering the final eight minutes of action.

Rose stretched their lead to as many as 24 points (65-41) with 3:20 left in the game thanks to a trio of three-point bombs from Kenneth Weston.

Simons, who shared co-game-high scoring honors with his 19-point performance, kept the Bears from getting completely blown out of the gym as he buried seven free throws in the second quarter, leading a rally that saw HCHS rebound from an 18-4 deficit to trim the Rose lead down to 10 (27-17). But the Bears could never rebound from that early 15-point deficit as HCHS missed their first nine shots from the field.

Greenville Rose (67)

Johnny McLawhorn – 19, Kenneth Weston – 15, King – 9, Gagnon – 6, Blackwell – 4, Council – 4, Johnson – 4, R. Smith – 4, T. Smith – 2.

Hertford County (46)

Pert Simons – 19, Long – 7, Benthall – 6, Jenkins – 4, Bond – 2, Lee – 2, Valentine – 2, White – 2, Wiggins – 2.

Lady Rampants pour it on in 2nd half

In varsity girls action, Rose shot a sizzling 11-of-17 from the field in the third quarter, turning a narrow 24-23 halftime lead into a 49-29 lead and the visitors went on to rout the Lady Bears, 67-37.

Hertford County helped Rose’s cause by connecting on just 5-of-30 shots in the second half, including an icy 2-of-15 touch in the pivotal third quarter.

Meanwhile, Rose was turning-up the offensive heat as Randi Watts and Joelle Johnson each buried three baskets in the third period while Laquasha Jordan and Jessica Little each added a deuce and a trey to fuel a 25-6 run.

It was a different story in the first half where a pair of Chaquitta Holloman hoops and a basket each from Kendra Cofield, Whitley Grant, Jamie Britt and Erika Mizelle helped HCHS forge a 13-13 tie after one period of play.

Rose built a six-point lead (20-14) in the second quarter before Mizelle’s deuce and two free throws plus a trey from RonGina Wilder got the Lady Bears to within one (24-23) at halftime.

Lady Rampants (67)

Laquasha Jordan – 15, Little – 9, Grice – 8, Johnson – 8, Watts – 8, Culberth – 4, Furness – 4, Lee – 4, Little – 4, Best – 3.

Lady Bears (37)

Wilder – 9, Mizelle – 8, Britt – 5, Holloman – 4, Robinson – 4, Grant – 3, Cofield – 2, Fennell – 1, Thomas – 1.