The Standard: Kinston Dominates Walkertown for 12th State Championship
WINSTON-SALEM — It’s time to make room for one more trophy in the case.
After more than a decade without a state title, Kinston High School returned to the top of North Carolina basketball Friday night, defeating Walkertown 80–54 in the NCHSAA 3A state championship game at Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum.
The victory marks the Vikings’ 12th state championship in program history and their first since 2015, further cementing Kinston’s place among the most successful programs in the state. Only New Hanover, with 14 titles, has more.
For a program built on tradition, toughness and championship expectations, the performance was a reminder of the standard that has defined Kinston basketball for generations.
“This week we talked about the Kinston standard — toughness, competing on defense, playing together and having the will and desire to win,” head coach Perry Tyndall said. “Our guys did exactly that tonight.”
The Vikings (22-3) delivered one of the most dominant performances in recent championship memory, turning a competitive first half into a runaway by relentlessly attacking the basket in the second half.
Kinston scored 40 consecutive points around the rim during a devastating stretch that broke the game open late in the third quarter and sent the large contingent of green-and-white-clad supporters into celebration.
The run featured a thunderous dunk from Genesis Wiggins and two old-fashioned three-point plays from Keyshawn Herring, as the Vikings repeatedly sliced through Walkertown’s defense.
After attempting a pair of three-pointers early in the second half, Kinston abandoned the perimeter and went straight to the rim for the remainder of the contest. The adjustment proved unstoppable.
By the final buzzer, the Vikings had shot a remarkable 36-for-60 from the field — an efficient 60 percent.
Walkertown (18-9), making its first appearance in a state championship game, struggled to keep pace. The Wolfpack finished the night shooting 36.1 percent from the floor and endured a critical stretch in the third quarter where they went just 1-for-10.
During that same span, Kinston caught fire, connecting on 12 of its next 14 shots.
The Vikings’ balanced scoring attack was led by tournament Most Valuable Player Jamarion Washington, who finished with 21 points. Backcourt partner Keyshawn Herring matched him with 21 points of his own.
Jhayeir Koonce added 14 points, while Brennan Chambers recorded a double-double with 10 points and 13 rebounds. Chambers was named the East Most Outstanding Player.
Genesis Wiggins added seven points, while Keyshawn Kenner, Justin Gooding and Jayden Herring also contributed.
Kenan Grady led Walkertown with 17 points, while Ricco Daniels added 12. Jaden McCandies scored seven points and Jordan Autry added six.
Despite the final margin, the opening minutes suggested the championship game might unfold as a defensive battle.
The teams combined for just four points through the first three and a half minutes. Walkertown’s A.J. Durant scored the first basket of the game with 4:23 remaining in the first quarter, and Kinston answered less than a minute later.
From there, the Vikings seized control.
Kinston closed the opening quarter on a 10–2 run to take a 12–4 lead. Walkertown finished the quarter with more turnovers (six) than points while shooting just 2-for-11 from the field.
The Wolfpack found better rhythm in the second quarter but were unable to string together stops. After Kenan Grady cut the deficit to 14–11 with a layup, Kinston responded with a 7–0 run to reestablish control.
Walkertown entered halftime with nine turnovers, while Kinston used eight offensive rebounds to generate six second-chance points and maintain its advantage.
Once the second half began, the Vikings never looked back.
By the time Kinston emptied its bench with two minutes remaining, the Vikings led by 29 points and the celebration had already begun.
Before the game, Walkertown’s Kenan Grady and Kinston’s Jaylen Hawkins were each presented with the NCHSAA Sportsmanship Award for their respective teams.
For Tyndall, the moment represented far more than a championship trophy.
“It’s been 11 years since we won a state championship, and it’s just been a blessing in my life to be the head coach at Kinston High School,” Tyndall said.
He also reflected on the deeper meaning behind the journey.
“I couldn’t have this moment without saying that Jesus Christ has done something in my life that is undeniable,” Tyndall said. “Not because we won a state championship, not because we’re sitting up here, but because he put me in a situation to be in these guys’ lives as a 46-year-old man.
“It was not easy. Nothing is easy. The journey these guys had to go through was different from any other team I’ve been with. There are so many untold stories about what these guys battled through.”
For the players, the championship fulfilled a dream that had been years in the making.
“I thought I was going to get one my senior year,” Herring said. “But getting one my junior year — that’s a blessing.”
Washington, the game’s MVP, summed it up simply.
“It was God’s timing,” he said.
Chambers echoed the emotion inside the locker room.
“I told these guys this last game we just had to put all our heart into it,” Chambers said. “And we did that. I love these guys — all of them.”
With the victory, Washington, Herring, Chambers, Wiggins and the rest of the Vikings etched their names into the long list of Kinston legends.
And after an 11-year wait, the hardware is finally heading back home — right where it belongs
