WINDSOR – Too little; too late.

That’s what happened to Bertie’s varsity boys here Tuesday night when they fell to Northeastern Coastal Conference rival Manteo 71-66.

Despite a 19-point fourth quarter effort, the Falcons couldn’t overcome an 11-point deficit in their first game of 2004.

The Falcons didn’t cut into the double-digit deficit until just over two minutes remaining when Jermaine Norfleet sparked a 9-1 run for Bertie

Norfleet, Ramon Maldanado, Jonathan Jackson and Roshon Holley each scored for the Falcons during the run in which they closed to within 69-64.

Bertie got no closer, however as Travis Winstead stepped to the line and buried a pair of free throws to put the contest out of reach.

&uot;The game plan didn’t change in the fourth quarter,&uot; Bertie interim skipper Tony Hoggard said. &uot;I don’t take anything away from Manteo, because they’re a good team and have some very good shooters. They hit some open shots because of busted defensive assignments.

&uot;When you have good shooters like they are, you must contest shots and we didn’t do that in the first half,&uot; he continued. &uot;We have to execute all four quarters.&uot;

Indeed it was Manteo’s shooting that did in the Falcons as senior Catlin Pruitt lit up BHS for 29 points while Winstead poured in 21.

It was a four-minute stretch in the first quarter in which Pruitt pushed a two-point Redskin lead to nine. During that run, Pruitt buried one trey, four field goals and three free throws to push Manteo out to an 18-9 edge.

They were able to hold that margin through most of the contest, except when a Norfleet trey to open the second period got the Falcons to within four (20-16).

The loss, Bertie’s second inside the NCC, makes Friday’s matchup with Pasquotank pivotal, according to Hoggard.

&uot;We need to win Friday night,&uot; he said. &uot;We can’t afford another loss.&uot;

Manteo (71)

Catlin Pruitt – 29, Travis Winstead – 21, Buck Pierce – 10, W. Carver – 4, J. Jackson – 4, R. Cleaver – 1, A. Farrow – 1, S. Meckins – 1

Bertie (66)

Jonathan Jackson – 21, Jermaine Nofleet – 14, Roshon Holley – 10, R. Maldanado – 8, C. Owens – 6, P. Spivey – 5, B. McShepherd – 2

Lady Falcons hold off Manteo

When Manteo’s Carly Pruitt crashed to the floor with an injured knee after scoring a hoop that cut Bertie’s lead to 40-38 early in the fourth quarter, the Lady Redskins’ upset hopes crashed with her.

With Pruitt, Manteo’s only inside presence gone and Bertie turning up the defensive intensity, the Lady Falcons grabbed a 52-44 win to remain perfect (3-0) in the Northeastern Coastal Conference.

Bertie led 40-34 entering the fourth quarter, but Skyla Lamberto-Egan cut into the lead with a hoop at the 6:37 mark.

BHS mentor Alice Lyons-Bennett then called for a time out and the Lady Falcons went into a trapping press only to watch Pruitt score on a lay-up.

That was the last score Manteo would have for over three minutes as Bertie’s defense forced five turnovers during a 9-0 run to put the game away.

Tierra Perry started the streak by burying a trey with 5:56 to go in the contest. Her bucket was followed by shots from Temika Rascoe and Jessica Breland and a duo of free throws from Anquisha Bell to put Bertie up 49-38.

&uot;I could see we were getting tired, so I went away from the full-court press for a few minutes,&uot; Bennett said. &uot;We came back with it and it made the difference.

&uot;That’s what we did last week during the tournament,&uot; she said. &uot;We were using that to make sure we stayed in shape for this game because this one was a big one for us.&uot;

The coach was especially pleased with the play of a couple of her players.

&uot;Tierra made a difference in the ballgame with her outside shooting,&uot; Bennett said, &uot;and Jessica Breland played well with three fouls, showing how disciplined she is.&uot;

Manteo jumped out to an early lead thanks to a trey by Kristin Dalton that helped spurn a 7-2 run for the Lady Redskins, but Bertie bounced back – thanks to a trio of hoops from Breland and a pair from Courtney Ransome – to take a 14-12 lead by the end of the first period.

Lady Falcons (52)

Jessica Breland – 22, Tierra Perry – 10, C. Ransome – 4, T. Rascoe – 4, J. Tuff – 3, A. Bell – 2, D. Rodgers – 2, Q. White – 2, A. Speller – 2, A. Berryman – 1

Manteo (44)

Carly Pruitt – 9, Caitlin Andrus – 9, Skyla Lamberton-Egan – 9, S. Daniels – 5, M. McCarthy – 5, K. Dalton – 3, A. Standley – 2, D. Kelly – 2