ROANOKE RAPIDS — Roanoke Rapids won the opening tip, went down the court and scored an easy lay-up to start the game and just like that the Gerald Rook era as the Yellow Jackets head coach was underway. In his debut as the head man with the Yellow Jackets, Rook’s girls used a run and gun style to defeat Northampton-West, 57-42, in the opening round of the Kiwanis Women’s Basketball Tip-off Tournament.

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The first lay-up of the evening by Jessie Scales was a sign of things to come as Roanoke Rapids scored majority of their 57 points around the basket, either on short jumpers or lay-ups. At one point in the second quarter the Yellow Jackets scored 14 straight points off lay-ups to build a, 27-10, lead.

The Hurricanes didn’t evening come out for warm ups to start the second half, probably because they had seen plenty of lay-ups in the first half. Well the Yellow Jackets started the second half with, surprise, a lay-up from Tiana Squire to put the home team up, 32-13, and Rook’s squad would never look back, giving the veteran coach his first win as the Roanoke Rapids head coach.

“It feels great,” Rook said. “We turned the ball over and got sloppy, but we played so hard that we made up for a lot of the era’s. But, the first game after 13 practices, I couldn’t ask for anything more.”

NCHS-West, who returns three starters from a year ago, looked loss at times on the court. However, Head coach Jerry Squire was still optimistic after the game. “We really haven’t had that much practice, but I was very impressed and pleased with the hustle,” she said. “I think we got a little tired at the end of the second quarter and at the end of the fourth quarter, but overall I was pleased with the squad. I have a young squad and I can’t ask for anything more.”

The Hurricanes return to action today when they take on Rocky Mount Charter at 5 p.m. “We have to come back with the same momentum and the same hustle and I feel like we can win some games in this tournament.”

Tanisha Crossen led NCHS-West with 16 points. Tashandy Lashley finished with 9 points before fouling out in the second half.

Squire led Roanoke Rapids with 12 points, most of them coming off transition points. Thanks to the Yellow Jackets pressing style of defense, fast breaks points came often for Roanoke Rapids. “We are going to be a pressing team,” Rook said.

“Even though we may not be the fastest, I hope we get better at getting better positioning. We kept good pressure on the ball and got some turnovers and took advantage by getting easy lay-ups.”

The Yellow Jackets return to action tonight versus KIPP and dynamic scorer Courtney Small. “She is a very good player,” Rook said. “I hope we can defend a little bit better and rebound better.”