North Lenoir Boys Snap Skid, Girls Fall Late in Conference Doubleheader
North Lenoir Boys Snap Skid, Girls Fall Late in Conference Doubleheader
North Lenoir’s boys basketball team showed resilience Tuesday night, while the girls were left searching for answers late, as the Hawks split a home conference doubleheader.
Boys Basketball: North Lenoir 65, North Johnston 54
Shorthanded but steady, North Lenoir found a way.
Playing without leading scorer Julian Veal (12.8 PPG), the Hawks leaned on balance, defensive execution, and timely scoring to earn a 65–54 conference win over North Johnston—snapping a three-game losing streak in the process.
North Lenoir set the tone early, scoring 31 first-half points behind a consistent offensive rhythm. The Hawks opened with 16 points in the first quarter and followed with 15 more in the second, taking a 31–25 lead into halftime.
North Johnston made its push in the third, outscoring the Hawks 17–16 to cut the margin to 47–42, but North Lenoir responded when it mattered most. The Hawks delivered their best quarter of the night in the fourth, pouring in 18 pointswhile holding the visitors to 12, sealing the win.
Senior Jakell Cannon stepped into a larger role and delivered, finishing with 10 points, including five key points in the fourth quarter to help close the door. Cris Veal led all scorers with 14 points, while A.J. Black added 11.
North Lenoir also got contributions across the board:
Darion Witherspoon knocked down two three-pointers and scored six, sparking the offense in the third.
D.J. Gooding, Reggie Saunders, and Zymer Rosber each chipped in six points.
The win moves the Hawks to 6–13 overall and 3–4 in conference play, currently sitting fourth in a tightly contested league that features Southwest Edgecombe at the top, followed by Washington and Eastern Wayne.
North Lenoir will face its stiffest test yet on January 28, traveling to Southwest Edgecombe.
Girls Basketball: North Johnston 52, North Lenoir 30
The night was far tougher for the Lady Hawks.
North Lenoir started strong but couldn’t sustain its momentum, falling 52–30 to North Johnston in a conference matchup that slipped away late.
The Hawks came out aggressive, scoring 12 first-quarter points to grab a 12–10 lead, fueled by early buckets from Cassidee Fraser and Ta’Sheena Lynch. But offense became harder to find as the game wore on.
North Johnston gradually gained control, and despite North Lenoir staying within striking distance, the Hawks entered the fourth quarter trailing just 35–27.
That’s where the game turned decisively.
North Johnston closed the contest with a 17–3 fourth-quarter run, pulling away as North Lenoir struggled to generate scoring outside of its two primary options.
Fraser finished with 10 points, while Lynch added nine, accounting for 19 of the team’s 30 points. The rest of the Hawks combined for nine points.
The loss drops North Lenoir to 7–11 overall and 3–4 in conference play, currently fourth in the standings behind North Pitt. It marks the Hawks’ second straight loss and fifth defeat in their last six games.
North Lenoir will look to reset quickly with a road matchup on January 28 against conference-leading Southwest Edgecombe.
