Greene Central boys drop heartbreaker to Southwest Edgecombe; Lady Rams fall in tough night at home
Greene Central boys drop heartbreaker to Southwest Edgecombe; Lady Rams fall in tough night at home
Greene Central suffered a split decision Tuesday night at home, with the Rams dropping a one-point thriller to Southwest Edgecombe in the boys game before the Lady Rams endured one of their toughest outings of the season in a 56-23 loss.
Boys: Southwest Edgecombe 68, Greene Central 67
Greene Central’s bid for a late comeback came up just short as Southwest Edgecombe escaped with a 68-67 win, handing the Rams their first home loss of the season.
The loss drops Greene Central to 10-6 overall, and it marks the Rams’ third loss in their last four games heading into a critical road matchup at rival Farmville Central.
Southwest Edgecombe leaned heavily on Alijah Lassiter, who delivered a game-high 24 points on 10-of-15 shooting, including 3-of-5 from three-point range. Ricky Smith Jr. added 19 points, while Justin Bridgers chipped in 16, giving the Cougars three players in double figures.
Despite being outshot overall, Greene Central stayed within striking distance all night behind balanced scoring and timely perimeter shooting. Dejuan Beamon scored 14 points, knocking down three triples, while D. Williams also finished with 14, hitting four shots from beyond the arc. Josh Cetnar added 12 points, and Jason Wilson posted 11 points and eight rebounds.
The Rams made their push late, sparked by Wilson inside and Beamon on the perimeter, trimming the deficit to one in the closing seconds. Beamon’s final basket cut the lead to 68-67 with four seconds remaining, but Greene Central had no timeouts left. Southwest Edgecombe struggled on the ensuing inbound, yet the Rams were unable to capitalize before time expired.
While the game was non-conference, Greene Central currently sits 2-1 in conference play, trailing Farmville Central and Kinston, making Friday’s trip to Farmville even more significant.
Girls: Southwest Edgecombe 56, Greene Central 23
The Lady Rams were never able to find a rhythm in the nightcap as Southwest Edgecombe jumped out early and controlled the game from start to finish.
Southwest Edgecombe led 21-9 after the first quarter and limited Greene Central to just two points in the second, opening a commanding halftime advantage. The Cougars’ defensive pressure forced turnovers and contested shots throughout, holding Greene Central to 22 percent shooting from the field.
Kiedria Collins led all scorers with 13 points, while Kamaryia Gandy and A. Mabry each added four. Southwest Edgecombe dominated the glass and capitalized on second-chance opportunities, finishing with a significant rebounding edge.
For Greene Central, Jayce Russell scored seven points and pulled down 12 rebounds, while An’Nysha Wooten added five points and nine rebounds. The Lady Rams struggled to generate consistent offense, managing just 23 total points—their lowest output of the season.
Greene Central now finds itself tied for second place in the conference at 2-1, sitting behind Kinston. With a matchup against Farmville Central looming, the Rams will look to respond quickly after a challenging night on their home floor.
