Boys basketball
New Hanover 54 Topsail 52
New Hanover shot 54 percent from the field and Ramello Williams scored a team-high 12 points as the Wildcats narrowly escaped a near upset following a 54-52 result against Topsail.
Williams was 4-for-9 from the field, with seven rebounds, three assists and two steals. Freddie Taylor drained three treys in the effort. He added 11 points and dished six assists.
New Hanover kept atop the division, improving to 6-2 in conference and 15-5 overall. Topsail has struggled to put games away late all season. The Pirates fell to 0-8 in league play and 8-10 on the year.
Hoggard 53 South Brunswick 35
Robert Wilkerson paced a short-handed Hoggard squad on Friday night as the senior led all scorers with 20 points for the Vikings in a 53-35 victory over South Brunswick.
Wilkerson’s points came on seven field goals and two three pointers, while Keon Bradley added eight points. Hoggard carried a two possession lead into the second half before outscoring South Brunswick 15-6 during the decisive third quarter.
Tyler Steinman chipped in seven points of the Vikings, who moved to 6-2 in league play and 12-6 with their six consecutive win. South Brunswick was led by Jace Mc Kinney’s 10 points.
S. Brunswick 10-8-6-11=35
Hoggard 12-9-15-17=53
West Brunswick 64 Laney 36
The home standing Trojans sprinted to a 14 points lead after the first quarter and never looked back in a 64-36 rout Laney on Friday night. Josh Woodard led three West Brunswick players in double digits with a game-high 13 points.
A well-rounded offensive effort helped the Trojans grab a comfortable 21-7 cushion moving into the second period. Taye Vereen and Brandyn Parker contributed 10 points apiece. West Brunswick extended its cushion to 36-16 at halftime and never looked back.
The Trojans remain tied atop the conference at 5-2 inside the division and 13-5 overall. Chris Bennett paced Laney with 10 points. The Bucs dropped to 2-5 in conference and 9-10 this season.
Laney 7-9-12-6=36
W. Brunswick 21-15-15-13=64
Harrells Christian 49 Cape Fear Academy 41
Girls basketball
New Hanover 59 Topsail 18
Four different players finished in double figures for the Wildcats on Friday night. New Hanover extended its winning streak to 10 straight games following an impressive 59-18 result against Topsail.
Azariah Fields, Amani Muhammad, Michelle Jacobs and Ayonna Cotten paced the first-place Wildcats, who led 24-0 after the first quarter. New Hanover remains unbeaten inside conference play at 8-0 in the division and 17-2 overall.
Hoggard 66 South Brunswick 48
Coming off their only setback in conference play, the Hoggard girls basketball team picked up a 66-48 bounce back win against South Brunswick. Lola Lovitt led the way with 16 points. The junior guard was 5-of-6 from the charity stripe, with six rebounds, five steals and three assists.
Angel Smith connected on four of nine field goal attempts to finish with 12 points. Nine different players found the scoring sheet for the Vikings. Tara Poteat and Keeley Britt chipped in eight apiece.
Hoggard moved to 7-1 in the division and 16-2 overall.
Laney 49 West Brunswick 35
Jenson Edwards drained three shots from long range on way to a game-high 21 points for Laney in a 49-35 result against West Brunswick. Edwards was 8-of-13 from the field, while Lexi Melville added 16 points, including 7-of-8 at the free throw line.
The Bucs trailed by five after the opening eight minutes before Edwards and Melville combined for 15 points in the second period as Laney outscored West Brunswick 17-5 during the frame to grab a 24-17 advantage at the break. Micah Morley added six points in the win.
Laney moved to 4-3 in conference and 13-6 overall.
Laney 7-17-14-11=49
W. Brunswick 12-5-7-11=35
North Brunswick 55 Northside 47
The Scorpions picked up key conference win thanks to a big effort by Taylor Perkins as North Brunswick grabbed a 55-47 result in overtime on the road against Jacksonville-Northside.
Perkins dropped a game-high 23 points, including six in the extra frame. North Brunswick extended its winning streak to five straight, unbeaten at 4-0 in league play and 14-2 overall.
N. Brunswick 16-8-18-3-10=55
Northside 9-14-4-18-2=47
Harrells Christian 38 Cape Fear Academy 18
Fayetteville Christian 55 Coastal Christian 11
