Greene Central Powers to 2–0 Start, Sweeps North Lenoir with 65–49 Road Win
Greene Central Powers to 2–0 Start, Sweeps North Lenoir with 65–49 Road Win
LA GRANGE — Greene Central walked into a charged North Lenoir gym Tuesday night and walked out with its second win over the Hawks in just eight days, securing a 65–49 victory and improving to 2–0 on the young season.
The Rams didn’t waste time setting the tone. Their opening burst — a 13–2 run stamped by a Justin Mitchell corner three — immediately put North Lenoir on its heels. The Hawks couldn’t find rhythm early, managing just one field goal in the first quarter, a tough finish from DJ Gooding. Free throws made up the rest of their points, and Greene Central held an 18–7 lead after eight minutes.
But if the Rams looked sharp early, head coach Blue Edwards made it clear afterward that the real key wasn’t the scoring — it was the rebounding battle.
“I think coming into the game tonight we had to gang rebound,” Edwards said. “We’re not that big. Deuce Wilson is our biggest player and he’s not 100 percent yet from football. When he’s not on the floor, we have to rebound by committee… I thought getting into both boards was a key tonight.”
The Rams certainly backed that up. Greene Central grabbed a massive 18 offensive rebounds, constantly extending possessions and wearing down the Hawks. Even on a night where they struggled from the perimeter — shooting just 2-for-15 from deep — the extra chances were the difference.
And no one benefitted more from those second-chance opportunities than Mitchell, who posted 13 points on 6–of–10 shooting while pulling down seven rebounds and adding two steals. Edwards praised the junior’s versatility afterward.
“Justin Mitchell is doing a good job right now,” Edwards said. “It’s good to be able to get him some minutes starting. He’s playing out of position, so I give him a lot of credit for getting out there and playing good basketball.”
North Lenoir did make things interesting midway through the second quarter. A hard-nosed steal and coast-to-coast layup from Jakell Cannon sliced the deficit to 19–13 with 5:30 left, and moments later Julian Veal buried a three to keep the margin at 25–18. Veal was sharp all night, finishing with a team-high 15 points, while Jaquell Garner added 12.
But Greene Central never lost control, taking a 32–22 lead into halftime — and that’s when their floor general took over.
Rams point guard Josh Cetnar, who returned to the lineup this season, wasted no time impacting the second half. He opened the third with a smooth three from the left wing and later delivered the game’s biggest momentum swing — a fast-break layup followed immediately by a steal and another score, pushing the Rams ahead 50–34.
Cetnar’s fingerprints were everywhere: 14 points, two steals, constant pressure, and the kind of leadership Edwards has come to rely on.
“The point guard position is very vital — he’s an extension of me on the basketball court,” Edwards said. “Having him back, he’s more experienced. He knows the team is his. He has to score more for us and still facilitate for us. He is very key for us.”
While Cetnar directed the attack, DJ Williams provided the power. Williams led all Greene Central scorers with 15 points on an efficient 5-of-9 shooting night, also grabbing five rebounds. Nick Avent added nine points, four assists, three rebounds, two steals and a block — another do-everything performance that helped Greene Central compile 12 total steals.
North Lenoir battled, never folding even as the Rams built a comfortable cushion, but the early deficit and Greene Central’s relentless defense proved too much to overcome.
With the victory, Greene Central (2–0) turns its attention to North Pitt on Friday at home, while North Lenoir (1–2) hits the road to face the Panthers as well on December 10.
