WINDSOR – Sure, saying &uot;there’s no place like home&uot; is a clich\u00E9, but Bertie Falcons’ boys basketball coach Calvin Moore sure likes the sound of it after his team routed First Flight, 72-49, Friday night in Windsor.

&uot;This was just our fifth home basketball game this year out of 18 ball games&uot; said a smiling Moore. &uot;Sometimes being at home you just get that extra momentum and things you just need to do.&uot;

The ‘Big-Mo’ worked in the Falcons’ favor in their ‘bird battle’ against the Nighthawks.

Bertie sprinted out to an early 8-2 lead and were never really tested the rest of the way. 

It was also the best home-game of the season for Old Dominion signee Kent Bazemore, who led the Falcon scoring with 19 points, 12 of them coming in the first half.

Irwin Brown, William Credle, and Darrius Wesson led the charge and keyed the defense that held First Flight to just three field goals in the first quarter.  Wesson thrilled the crowd with a spectacular three-point play, as he was fouled on a driving lay-up. Bertie took a 21-8 lead after just one quarter of play.

The second quarter pretty much belonged to Bazemore: from a pair of above-the-rim crowd-dazzling lay-ups to a soft fingertip put-back that gave Bertie a 34-16 second quarter lead to a long-range three-pointer well beyond 22 feet, he seemed to score at will. 

The best shot of the quarter was a Dequan Williams three-point attempt that bounded high off the rim, came back for a couple of more soft bounces before in settled thru the twine and made the score 43-22. 

Jermaine Jackson closed out the half with a three-pointer, and Bertie had doubled-up the Nighthawks at the break, 46-23, by halftime.

Brandon Brown bombed in a long trey to open the second half as First Flight still could not get on track. Irwin Brown followed with a soft lay-up off the glass for a 15-point Falcon lead at 53-28 when coach Moore began to substitute at will in a very gamely show of sportsmanship.

Just as in the first quarter, the Nighthawks could manage no better in the third frame as the stifling Falcons defense held the visitors to just three field goals in a quarter for the second time in the game, and Bertie was rolling with a 59-35 lead with just one quarter left to play. 

After a Travis Bond free-throw opened the final quarter’s scoring for Bertie, Bazemore had the crowd rising to it’s feet on a feed from Desmond Williams for what looked like a snowbird slam dunk, but the ball merely clanked high off rim, and despite a scolding look from his coach, Bazemore managed a sheepish grin and a wag of his head to the crowd over his misfortune on his trip back down the court.

But the crowd’s disappointment would not last for long as on his very next trip down the court Bazemore gave the fans what they were waiting for as he drove the baseline, soared over two defenders for a thunder-dunk to the cheers of the Falcon faithful. He made one more attempt at a rim-rattler off an alley-oop, but instead was whistled for a technical foul for hanging on the rim, which brought jeers and moans from the crowd. 

Bazemore closed out his scoring with a follow shot of one of his own misses before being taken out for the final four minutes of play.

Moore’s liberal substituting with such a large lead allowed all 11 Falcon players who had dressed out for the game to score, and Bertie coasted to the 23-point win, 72-49.  Anders Jacobson made a pair of late baskets for the Nighthawks and finished as the only First Flight player in double-figures with 12 points on the night.

&uot;It was one of our better offensive games,&uot; said Moore after the contest.  &uot;Guys played with some heart, and after a couple of tough losses this past week in the conference so to end this up on a good note is pretty good for us and we’ve got two more home games out of the last three we have.&uot;

Based on Friday’s performance, the home-cooking might not be as tasty for the Falcons’ opponents.

 

Bertie (72): Kent Bazemore - 19, D. Wesson - 9, D. Williams - 6, D. Askew - 6, J. Jackson - 6, B. Brown - 5, O. Dobbin - 5, W. Credle - 5, Deq. Williams - 5, I. Brown - 3, T. Bond - 3

First Flight (49): Anders Jacobson - 12, J. Rudolph - 9, R. Lyons - 7, A. Matthews - 7, J. Sadler - 4, N. Watts - 4, S. Smith - 2, S. Dwyer - 2, S. Saunders - 1, J. Masico - 1