RAEFORD – After three quarters of the middle school boys basketball season opener between Rockingham and West Hoke, anyone in attendance would be excused for thinking that the game was going to come down to the final possession.
Heading into the fourth period, those packed into the full West Hoke Middle gym had witnessed an intense back-and-forth battle featuring eight ties, six lead changes and no lead larger than four points.
However, despite the hostile environment, foul trouble and early shooting struggles, the Rockets couldn’t seem to miss the hoop in the final moments turning a late run into an impressive 69-42 victory.
“Hoke County is always a tough place to play,” said Rockingham head coach Julius Bowden. “We found ourselves in early foul trouble but guys like C.J. Covington, who played out of position all night, was a huge part of our success.”
Much like he did on the football field for the Rockets, Chance Crowder got off to quick start and gave the Rockingham basketball team an early lead just 5 seconds into the game when he took the opening tip straight to the hoop for an uncontested layup. Sixteen seconds later, he hit one of two free throws on the Rockets’ next possession to give Rockingham a 3-0 lead.
Crowder, who finished with a game-high 25 points, went on to record 10 points, 2 assists and 3 steals in the opening period to help his team carry a 14-10 advantage into the second quarter.
The Rockets began to have shooting struggles missing their first eight shots of the second quarter allowing West Hoke to go on a 7-1 run giving the home team its first lead at 17-15. With just under a minute left until the break, Graham Odom turned a Tiger turnover into two points knotting the game at 17-all, but West Hoke quickly answered, reclaiming its two-point advantage with just 40 seconds left until halftime.
Finally, after going 0-10 as a team from beyond the arc, Crowder swished a clutch 3-pointer with 2 seconds on the clock to send the Rockets to the locker room with a 20-19 lead.
The second half scoring started as quickly as it did in the first for the Rockets, this time with B.J. Hinson taking it straight to the hoop off of the inbound pass just four seconds into the third quarter. Buckets on back-to-back possessions by the Tigers put the home team back in front at 23-22.
Crowder scored five straight points (a layup, a put back and a free throw) in the next 1:15, but a pair of free throws and two baskets from West Hoke shifted the momentum back in favor of the home team who held a 29-27 lead with 2:37 remaining on the third quarter clock.
Graham Odom answered for the Rockets to tie the game once again, but it took West Hoke only 10 seconds to jump back in the lead with a basket at the 1:55 mark.
From there, it was all Rockingham. After a Crowder miss, Kiemoree Crump wrestled the rebounded ball away from two Tigers and put it up and in to knot the game at 31-all. Two possessions later, Crump was true on a 3-point attempt to put the Rockets ahead for good.
Two free throws from Josiah Brewington and another basket by Crowder resulted in a 4-3 run for Rockingham in the final 30 seconds to send the visitors into the final period with a 38-34 lead.
After a West Hoke basket cut their deficit to two, Crowder sprinted down the court with the ball looking as though he was going to attack the paint once again. As the Tiger defense converged on him, he delivered a bullet to teammate Devin Hanes who was open for an easy layup and Hanes was fouled in the process.
The perfectly executed delivery ignited the Rocket bench and after Hanes completed the old-fashioned 3-point play the Rockets finished out the game on an incredible 31-6 run in the final 6:30 of regulation.
The long ball and second chance opportunities that had eluded them in the first half no longer seemed to be an issue as the Rockets connected on four 3-pointers during the run (two from Hinson, one from Crowder and one from Julius Bowden). They also dominated the offensive boards in the final moments with Cameron Coley recording two put backs and Hanes hauled in three offensive rebounds and netted a put back during the run.
“Chance Crowder and B.J. Hinson knocked down some big shots in the fourth that helped put the game away,” Bowden shared. “We have to do a better job on the boards and knocking down the open shots. Coach (Deion) Green works with the guards every day in practice and it paid off in the second half. It was a total team’s effort and I’m proud of the guys.”
Hinson finished the night with 12 points, Crump had 6, Hanes and Bowden each tallied 5, Coley and Odom netted 4 apiece, and Brewington, Covington, and Xander Chavis each added 2.
Rockingham (1-0) will host Carver (1-0) in its home opener on Monday.
