AHOSKIE – Effort and communication led to victory.

Hertford County High School head varsity basketball coach Charles Simmons said he was pleased with the way his team played Tuesday night, giving good effort and communicating well as they rolled by Pasquotank 97-80.

“I was pleased with our effort,” Simmons said. “We did a good job of communicating with each other on the offensive and defensive side of the ball.”

The contest was a close one until the Bears went on a 10-2 run in the final two minutes of the third quarter.

Holding a slim 59-57 lead, the Bears got free throws from Lamar Monger and Tydreke Powell before Marcus Burnell hit back-to-back hoops. Danny Dembry then closed out the quarter with a three-pointer as the Bears led 69-59.

The Bears continued to pull away as the fourth period opened with Monger hitting the first hoop of the period and then adding three shots from the charity stripe before LaMarcus “Buck” Jenkins added a pair of free throws. The result was a 76-62 lead for HCHS.

Holding a 13-point lead (80-67) moments later, the Bears rolled off five of the next seven points thanks to hoops from Dembry and Monger as they surged ahead 85-69.

Hertford County then hit free throws to preserve the win late in the contest.

Overall, the Bears got 24 points from Monger, 22 from Jenkins, 13 from Dembry and 11 each from Burnell and Powell

Pasquotank was led by the dual 19 points of Nick Whidbee and Justin Mitchell.

In the opening moments of play, Pasquotank rushed out to a 10-7 lead thanks to hoops by Mitchell, but the Bears scored six unanswered late in the first quarter n two each from Burnell, Monger and Jenkins n to lead 24-18 after one period.

The Bears kept up the pressure in the second quarter and grabbed a 47-34 lead at the intermission.

Pasquotank began to come back in the third period, going on a 12-2 run late in the quarter to get within two (59-57).

HCHS improved to 12-2 on the year and 3-1 inside the Northeastern Coastal Conference. They will host Bertie Friday evening.

HCHS (97): Lamar Monger n 24, LaMarcus Jenkins n 22, Danny Dembry n 13, Tydreke Powell n 11, Marcus Burnell n 11, A. Lyles n 7, P. Downing n 5, D. Everette n 4

Pasquotank (80): Nick Whidbee n 19, Justin Mitchell n 19, Creven Powell -13, Kevin Offer n 10, M. Vontoure n 8, C. Riddick n 5, J. Brackett n 3, B. Barnes – 3