PEMBROKE — Behind a game-high 23 points from Kylie Chavis, the Purnell Swett girls basketball team defeated Hoke 68-26 at home Tuesday to bounce back from a loss to Seventy-First 24 hours earlier.
Chavis’ 23 points was an uptick from the team’s offensive showing on Monday night against the Falcons, but Purnell Swett (13-8, 9-4 SAC) also hit five 3-pointers after failing to knock down one in the loss.
Natalie Evington’s big third quarter included a trio of 3-pointers as the Rams scored 30 in the frame and jumped ahead 56-20 after three quarters. Evington had 11 points and Emily Oxendine added 10 points.
Hoke (4-18, 0-13 SAC) was led in scoring by Wynasia Bratcher with 15 points.
Rams drop third straight to Bucks
PEMBROKE — The recent struggles for the Purnell Swett boys basketball team continued on Tuesday in a 68-66 overtime defeat at home to Hoke.
The loss makes three straight for Purnell Swett (7-14, 4-9 SAC) and seven in the last six Sandhills Athletic Conference games that dates back to after the Rams beat Hoke (9-14, 4-9 SAC) on the road last month.
Purnell Swett was outscored 6-4 in overtime after taking a 49-41 lead into the fourth quarter.
Xavier Jones had 32 points and 15 rebounds for the Rams, with 16 points coming in the second half.
Hoke was led in scoring by Kamonte Williams with 17 points and Ervin Everett had 12 points.
Purnell Swett closes out the regular season at Lumberton Friday.
Red Devils cool off at West Columbus
CERRO GORDO — After winning five straight games entering Tuesday’s matchup with West Columbus on the road, the hot streak came to an end for the Red Springs boys basketball team in a 61-56 loss.
West Columbus (18-4, 12-3 TRC) jumped ahead of Red Springs (11-11, 10-5 TRC) 18-9 after the first quarter and led by as much as 13 points in the second half before Red Springs fought back to tie the game in the fourth quarter.
Jowan Baker had 14 points and Corell Love added 12 points for the Red Devils.
Leading the Vikings in scoring was Brandis Kelly with 14 points and Tyquawn Johnson had 11 points and Winston Mason had 10 points.
Red Springs hosts St. Pauls on Friday.
Fairmont closes regular season with wins
FAIRMONT — The Fairmont basketball teams claimed a Three Rivers Conference sweep at home over East Columbus on Tuesday to close out the regular season.
In the boys game, Fairmont defeated the Gators, 72-50, after posting 20 points or more in the first two quarters.
Kobe Davis had 18 points to lead the Golden Tornadoes, and Jahkeem Moore had 12 points and 11 rebounds for Fairmont (11-11, 9-6 TRC).
East Columbus (10-12, 3-11 TRC) was led in scoring with Tahjir Melvin scoring 16 points.
In the girls game, Fairmont ran away in the second half for a 64-24 win over East Columbus.
Leading 19-9 at halftime, Fairmont (8-14, 7-8 TRC) scored 25 points in the third quarter against East Columbus (8-13, 3-11 TRC).
Amyrikal Vaught had 20 points, 10 rebounds five steals for Fairmont, while Paris Bethea added 12 points and Georgianna Waters had 11 points.
East Columbus was led by GioVanna Bellamy and Lazaydia Flowers each with nine points.
Middle school championship field set
The championship matchups for the Robeson County middle school basketball championship on Thursday after Tuesday’s semifinal action.
The girls title game pits St. Pauls Middle against Littlefield Middle at Pembroke Middle at 4 p.m., and the boys game to follow will feature Fairmont Middle against Lumberton Junior High.
St. Pauls’ girls defeated Townsend, 37-10, and Littlefield defeated Prospect, 34-15 on Tuesday. On the boys side, Fairmont defeated Red Springs, 34-30, and Lumberton Jr. defeated South Robeson, 45-27.
Littlefield defeated Prospect with its suffocating defense, holding the Wildcats scoreless in the first quarter and never allowing more than six points in any quarter the rest of the game in a rematch of last year’s county girls championship.
Florence Ferguson led all scorers with 13 points and had 14 rebounds. Prospect was led in scoring by Alexis Locklear with six points.
Lumberton Jr.’s boys path to reclaim the county boys title started with a strong showing in the semifinals against South Robeson.
Jaiden Shephard had 16 points and Dimetrious Jones added 11 points for the Vikings in the win. Camren McIntyre added nine points and nine rebounds for Lumberton Jr.
LJHS jumped out to a 6-0 lead and as Shephard had four of first six points and the Vikings never slowed down. Jones had five straight to push lead to 11-2 after a 3-point basket. The Mustangs cut the lead to 19-12 at half. McIntyre scored six of his nine points to push lead out to 13 points for Vikings after 3 quarters.
Roberson meet and greet set for Thursday
PEMBROKE — A meet and greet is planned on Thursday for incoming Purnell Swett football coach Stephen Roberson.
Roberson was approved last month as the next head coach for the Rams and will meet with the community inside the Purnell Swett cafeteria at 6:30 p.m. Light refreshments will be served.
