Kinston Returns to the Court with 87–56 Win Over South Lenoir
Kinston boys basketball finally returned to the floor Monday night, and the Vikings made the most of it.
After having their season paused due to Kinston football’s run to the state championship, the Vikings earned their first win of the season with an 87–56 victory over South Lenoir, snapping the Blue Devils’ three-game winning streak. Kinston played the game at home.
“It’s been a long time,” Kinston head coach Perry Tyndall said. “Our guys have been practicing since October 30th. We were super excited for our football team and the run they went on. People don’t understand how hard it is to get to the state championship, and we were their biggest fans even though it meant pushing our season back. We were really, really happy for them, and what they bring back from that run is going to be valuable to our leadership.”
South Lenoir entered the night riding momentum after winning three straight games following a season-opening loss to North Lenoir, but Kinston controlled the pace from the start. The Vikings led 19–11 after the first quarter and continued to apply pressure throughout the night, outscoring South Lenoir in all four quarters.
Kinston scored 21 points in both the second and third quarters, then closed the game with 26 points in the fourth to pull away.
Jemarion Washington was the catalyst early, finishing with a game-high 25 points, including 16 in the first half and 11 in the second quarter alone.
“That was huge for us,” Tyndall said. “I felt like we were stagnant, and I felt like he got us going. We wanted to get a lot of paint touches, and I felt like he answered that call and put us on his back. Sixteen in the first half is incredible. He definitely got us going.”
Keyshawn Herring added 21 points, scoring eight in the first quarter and 14 in the first half as Kinston established early control. Jhayeir Koonce finished with eight points, while Brennan Chambers and Johnterion Cobb each scored seven.
While the Vikings’ offense came together, Tyndall acknowledged the night was more about rhythm than perfection.
“It wasn’t necessarily pretty at times,” he said. “But it felt good to get back out there and play.”
South Lenoir kept competing despite falling behind. The Blue Devils scored 11 points in the first quarter, 16 in the second, 19 in the third, and 17 in the fourth.
Gavin Brock led South Lenoir with 11 points, including nine in the first half. Jaylyn Mills scored nine points, while Jamarion Foye and Christian Wooten added eight points apiece, with Wooten scoring all eight in the first half. TJ Harvey and Amari Edwards each finished with six points, and Alton Dixon added five.
The win opens a busy stretch for Kinston, which will play four games this week.
“We’ve got a crazy week,” Tyndall said. “Southwest Onslow tomorrow, J.H. Rose on Friday, and North Lenoir on Saturday. With this group, we’ve got a lot of guys who can be spark plugs, and tonight it was Jemarion. He definitely answered the call.”
Kinston will face Southwest Onslow (2–4) on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m., while South Lenoir is set to take on North Lenoir on Dec. 19 as it looks to regroup following the setback.
