AHOSKIE – Boom!

If it’s one thing Washington County High School basketball teams are known for its explosions.

After the Panthers girls’ basketball team struck for 27 points in a row in their win over the ladies of Gates County High, the boy’s team put together a 19-point run. They used that to pull away from the Red Baron boys in a 69-39 Washington County win in the opening round of the Roanoke-Chowan News-Herald Holiday Classic Wednesday night.

While the old Plymouth High School, coached back then by Marvin Davenport, scored a pair of News-Herald Classic titles, if the Panthers boys secure one – just like with the girls – it would be the school’s first tournament crown.

Washington County broke a 2-2 early stalemate with a seven-point run and a 9-2 lead thanks to senior Cedez Norman. Norman would finish the first quarter with seven points total for his team and an 11-7 advantage.

The Panthers opened the second quarter with another seven-point run, staking themselves to an18-10 run thanks to a three-pointer from Gates’ Izaiah Walton. But after Walton’s trey, Washington County turned up the game tempo and turned up the defense, holding Gates scoreless the rest of the first half, while they just barely missed striking for 20 unanswered thanks to Omar Harris missing a free throw. It was still good for a 37-10 lead as both squads headed to the locker room for halftime.

Thanks to a small burst from the ‘Barons to open the third quarter, Gates cut their deficit to 25 points, thanks to outscoring Washington County 6-to-4 to open the frame. But the Panthers were unfazed; fast-breaking their way to a 9-to-2 run of their own and a 50-18 spot on the scoreboard.  An 8-to-4 Gates run to end the quarter had Washington County’s lead under 30 points, 54-26.

Gates was only outscored by two points 13-to-15 in the most competitive quarter of the entire game.  But the Red Barons were in too deep a hole, and despite head coach Lamont Gilliam clearing his bench, the Panthers built a lead of as much as 32 points before settling in with the 30 point final.

Both Washington County’s girl’s and boy’s team faced Hertford County in the second round on Thursday night.

GATES COUNTY BOYS (39)

Izaiah Walton-16, Kevonte Leary-8, Josh Olsen-6, Jawan Riddick-5, Cassius Gary-2, Dequan Drake-2.

WASHINGTON COUNTY BOYS (69)

Cedez Norman-22, Omar Harris-17, Quymel Chesson-13, Clantrez Taylor-7, Kevon Burnette-5, De’Andre Downing-5.