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The visiting Hurricanes grabbed the lead midway through the first quarter and led the entire game until the final moments.
Trailing 53-38 with under a minute left to play, the Yellow Jackets scored five points in 10 seconds. Tyler White hit a pair of free throws to trim the margin.
After a timeout, Roanoke Rapids went to the press, created the turnover over at midcourt and got the ball to White. The junior guard took three dribbles and calmly nailed a three-pointer, tying the game at 53-all with a half-minute to play and sending the home crowd into a frenzy.
After another timeout, the ‘Canes held for the final shot but missed. On the rebound, Rawles was at the right spot and put back the miss as the horn sounded.
The win evened the season series betwen the two non-conference teams at one game apiece.
“Every time we play Roanoke Rapids, it's a close game,” said West coach Jerome Williams. “It went to the buzzer at our place and again tonight.”
Williams said his team's game plan was “to get inside to the basket and we were able to do that.” He added, “we needed this win with Weldon coming in Friday night. “
The veteran coach said the play of Ramel Belfield was a key. “He was outstanding tonight.”
David Miles led the Hurricanes with 16 points and Belfield had 13, to go with three key offensive rebounds off missed free throws in the fourth quarter. Jeffrey Rooks and Jasmine Clemonts had nine each for West.
Jacket coach Terry Frazier, though disappointed by the outcome, had praise for his team's comeback in the final seconds.
“We did a great job getting the steal and Tyler (White) made a great shot. We just need to keep up the intensity entering our conference games,” he added.
White topped the Jackets with 18 points, nine of which came in the final period.
Chad Hedgepeth and Kareem Martin tossed in nine points each, and Jacob Spragins came off the bench to get eight. Martin had seven blocks, but spent most of the second half on the bench in foul trouble. Martin played just 50 seconds in the final quarter and fouled out with 3:11 left in the game.
Jackets take girls' game, 44-29
When you suit up just six players and start three freshmen, you have your work cut out for you. That was the daunting task for West coach Jerry Squire in the girls' game.
On the other side of the coin, Roanoke Rapids was coming off a big conference win and played like a team with a purpose.
The result was a Yellow Jacket victory, 44-29.
The Jackets (3-11, 1-3) scored the game's first eight points and opened up a 16-4 lead after the first quarter. Keisha Mosley hit a long three-pointer to end the period, then hit another bomb from the same spot to open the second quarter.
Two free throws and a third trey from Mosley had the Jackets safely on top at the break, 32-16.
Coach Gary Edwards cleared his bench midway through the final period and only six points were tallied in that quarter.
“I thought we played good overall,” said Edwards. “Keisha (Mosley) hit some big threes for us, and Leslie (Stallings) did a good job down low. It was a great win and right now, I'll take any win we can get,” he added.
Hurricane coach Jerry Squire said she “applauded the effort” of her six players. “It's not the size of the dog in the fight, but the fight in the dog.”
Squire said she hopes to have one player back soon (flu) and two others at the end of the grading period.
“Hopefully, by the end of the year, we will be where we want to be,” she said.
Leading the Jackets was Mosley with 23 points. Kristy Shaw had six off the bench, while Brittany Shearin and Stallings had five each. Stallings also had nine blocked shots for the game.
For West (0-11), junior Shantilla Evans poured in 19 points, TaShadelyn Lashley had six points and Shaquita Bunch helped out with four points.
Jacket jayvees win opener
Roanoke Rapids' jayvees ran their record to 8-2 on the season with a 45-34 win the the opener.
The Jackets led 29-19 at the half and were never headed. D.J. Epperson paced Roanoke Rapids with 20, Justin Rawles had eight, Anthony Pless seven and David McNair five points for coach Pete Edwards' team.
Troy Golden led the 'Canes with 14 points, while Zachary Broadnax chipped in with 10 points.
Both teams return to conference action Friday night. Roanoke Rapids goes to Northwest Halifax, while Northampton-West has a crucial league encounter with Weldon on the 'Canes' home court.
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