Third-Quarter Surge Lifts South Lenoir Past North Lenoir, 62–52

South Lenoir walked into the North Lenoir gym Friday night with something to settle — and left having done exactly that.

Behind a decisive third-quarter surge, the Blue Devils pulled away for a 62–52 road win over the Hawks, avenging an 81–75 loss from the season opener and snapping a long-standing drought in the rivalry. The victory moved South Lenoir to 4–2 on the season, while North Lenoir dropped to 2–4.

The game turned after halftime.

South Lenoir erupted for 27 points in the third quarter, flipping a tight contest into a double-digit cushion. Gavin Brock led the charge, scoring 10 of his game-high 21 points in the period as the Blue Devils seized control with tempo, ball movement, and consistent interior finishing.

North Lenoir showed flashes early, particularly in the opening quarter. Darion Witherspoon accounted for nine of the Hawks’ 13 first-quarter points, drilling three three-pointers to give the home side early momentum. North Lenoir added 12 points in the second quarter, all coming from the Veal brothers — Christian Veal with three and Julian Veal with nine — to stay within striking distance at the break.

Julian Veal continued to be a steady presence after halftime, scoring seven of North Lenoir’s 13 third-quarter points and finishing with a team-high 16. Christian Veal added eight points in the fourth quarter to reach 13 on the night. Witherspoon finished with nine points, while Anton “A.J.” Black added six and Jaquell Garner chipped in four. The Hawks went 5-for-8 from the free-throw line.

Still, South Lenoir’s balance proved decisive.

Brock’s 21 points led a quartet of Blue Devils in double figures or near it. Jaylyn Mills controlled the paint with 15 points, while TJ Harvey added 10. Braden Barnett and Kamarion Graham each scored five, and Christian Wooten contributed four as South Lenoir matched scoring runs with timely answers.

The Blue Devils opened the game with eight first-quarter points, highlighted by two early three-pointers from Brock, before steadily building momentum. After a 15-point second quarter, the third-quarter explosion created separation that North Lenoir could not erase, despite a 14-point fourth-quarter effort.

The win carried added significance.

According to program records, this marked South Lenoir’s first official win over North Lenoir in 13 meetings. Although the Blue Devils defeated the Hawks last season on the floor, that result was later vacated due to roster issues, making Tuesday’s result the first to stand in the series since before that stretch.

South Lenoir has now won four of its last five games, with the lone loss in that span coming against Kinston. The Blue Devils will look to keep that momentum rolling when they face Wallace-Rose Hill on Dec. 29.

North Lenoir, meanwhile, has dropped four of its last five games, with the lone win during that stretch coming in a hard-fought overtime victory on the road at North Pitt. The Hawks won’t have much time to regroup, as they return to action later today with a matchup against Kinston scheduled for around 5:30 p.m.

Friday night belonged to South Lenoir — not just on the scoreboard, but in a rivalry that finally tilted their way again.