CLARKTON – Keon Whittington fired in 14 points Wednesday night to lead Tar Heel to their 1st win of the season 25-22 over Clarkton School of Discovery in non-conference boys’ basketball action.
Hunter Wood drained a 3-point shot, and Braylon Johnson dropped in a basket as the Blue Devils took a 5-4 lead. Shyron Thompson muscled in a basket for Tar Heel, and Whittington and Carson Navarro cashed in free throws.
Whittington drilled in a 3-point shot and another basket, and Navarro popped in a basket as the Panthers edged ahead 11-9. JaQuan McRae and Azarion Willis pumped in a basket each to keep Clarkton close.
Whittington keyed a 10-2 Panther run with a trio of baskets, and Cedric McKiver and Thompson tossed in baskets to stretch the lead to 21-11 at the 3rd quarter break. Topher Callihan banged in a basket for Clarkton.
Callihan powered in 2 more baskets in the final period, and McRae canned 2 free throws and a basket. Willis buried a 3-point shot, but Tar Heel held on with baskets from Whittington and Oswaldo Fuentes.
McRae and Callihan topped the Blue Devil scoring with 6 points each, and Willis followed with 5 points. Wood added the 3-point shot. Thompson tallied 4 points for Tar Heel, and Navarro scored 3 points.
The Panthers improved to 1-5 with the win and will travel to West Columbus Monday. Clarkton, now 1-5, will host Tabor City Monday.
Tar Heel 4 7 10 4 — 25
Clarkton 5 4 2 11 — 22
TAR HEEL (25) – Levi Garcia, Keon Whittington 14, Cedric McKiver 2, Demarius Guions, Shyron Thompson 4, Sterling Davis, Cooper Mills, Oswaldo Fuentes 2, Elijah Council, Jarvis McMillian, Dylan McLaurin, Ronnie Labra, Carson Navarro 3, Jordan King.
CLARKTON (22) – Topher Callihan 6, Azarion Willis 5, Hunter Wood 3, JaQuan McRae 6, Omar Powell, Braylon Johnson 2, Noah White, Izaac Elkins, Cayden Moore, Prince Powell, Ryne Priest, Aiden Trinidad, Zanmarion Pone.
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