Kinston boys pull away, girls dominate as Vikings sweep Ayden-Grifton

Herring sparks second-quarter surge as Kinston rolls past Ayden-Grifton, 65-35

The Kinston Vikings used a dominant second quarter and relentless defensive pressure in the second half to pull away from Ayden-Grifton for a 65-35 win at home Tuesday night.

Kinston trailed 13-11 late in the first quarter, but the momentum shifted quickly in the second period behind Keyshawn Herring. The junior scored 13 of Kinston’s 28 first-half points, helping the Vikings outscore Ayden-Grifton 17-5 in the quarter to take control of the game.

From there, Kinston took over completely.

The Vikings’ defense fueled the second half, forcing turnovers and turning them into transition opportunities. Kinston consistently attacked the paint and ran the floor, building a commanding lead and cruising to the 30-point victory.

Herring finished with a game-high 21 points, knocking down four of Kinston’s five three-pointers. Dejabriel Brown added the other triple. Kinston also lived at the rim, scoring 20 two-point field goals and going 10-of-19 from the free-throw line.

Jhayeir Koonce scored 10 points, Brennan Chambers added nine, and Genesis Wiggins finished with eight as the Vikings’ balanced attack overwhelmed Ayden-Grifton.

Ayden-Grifton was led by Khimani Nelson with 10 points. The Chargers connected on six three-pointers—three in the opening quarter—and shot 6-of-12 from the free-throw line.

With the win, Kinston improved to 12-2 on the season. The Vikings’ only two losses have come against Northern Nash and Farmville Central, teams that hold a combined 37-1 record this season.

Kinston will host Tarboro next, with the Vikings entering the matchup riding a three-game winning streak against Ayden-Grifton. Since 2014, Kinston is 17-2 against the Chargers, with Ayden-Grifton’s last wins coming in 2017 and 2021.

Kinston girls dominate Ayden-Grifton, improve to 15-1

The Kinston Vikings girls basketball team continued its strong stretch Tuesday night, rolling past Ayden-Grifton 59-24 at home to improve to 15-1 on the season.

Kinston controlled the game on both ends of the floor, using defensive pressure, rebounding, and balanced production to pull away early and never allow Ayden-Grifton to find a rhythm.

The Vikings finished with 33 total rebounds, including strong work on the defensive glass that limited second-chance opportunities. Kinston also recorded 10 assists and forced consistent disruption defensively with 18 steals, turning those takeaways into transition scoring opportunities.

Aleah Hill delivered one of the most complete performances of the night, scoring 12 points while pulling down six rebounds, dishing out two assists, and collecting four steals. J. Edwards anchored the interior defensively with seven rebounds and two steals, helping control the paint throughout the game.

Willow Gardner added four rebounds, while America Lloyd contributed six rebounds along with two assists and three steals. Ariyona Willis finished with four steals and three assists, continuing Kinston’s defensive intensity on the perimeter.

The Vikings’ defensive effort was balanced across the roster, with multiple players contributing steals and rebounds as Kinston built a comfortable lead and maintained control through all four quarters.

The win marked Kinston’s fourth straight since its loss to Goldsboro. The Vikings are now 18-0 against Ayden-Grifton since 2014, with every win in that span coming by double digits, further cementing their dominance in the series.