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By ANDRE ALFRED

Sports Correspondent

AHOSKIE – Northeastern High School secured a spot in the boys title game of the News-Herald Holiday Classic by defeating defending champion Bertie, 76-68, in a hard-fought contest here Friday night.

Northeastern opened the first quarter with a pair of three balls, giving them an immediate lead of 6-0. The Falcons answered back with a trey of their own. But the Eagles weren’t finish as they launched another three giving them a 9-3 lead.

The Eagles weren’t finished, as they shot a short-range jump shot shortly after to boost the score to 11-3. The Falcons began to chip away at the deficit and came within two points of the Eagles (11-9).

The first quarter ticked by rather quickly due to the clean defensive style of both teams. There were only three visits to the charity stripe, twice by Bertie and once by Northeastern.

Northeastern maintained the lead throughout the first quarter 20-14.

At the start of the second quarter, the Eagles immediately gained a bucket for the first score. The Falcons answered back with a trey ball to keep the score close at 22-17.

The Falcons remained resilient and kept their hand on the plow as they slowly decreased the deficit. By 3:37 left to play in the first half, Bertie was within one point of tying the Eagles.

A few clutch baskets by Tayvien Ward put Bertie ahead for the first time in game (29-28). The lead changed two more times in favor of the Falcons. Bertie ended the first half ahead 34-33.

Bertie guard Zymiere Dempsey was the only player that went to the free-throw line in the second quarter. Dempsey completed a “and one” to add three points to the Falcons lead.

Bertie remained in control for the majority of the third quarter as the teams see-sawed in scoring with the Falcons barely ahead.

With the quarter coming to an end, and the Falcons up 48-46 with less than 10 seconds left on the clock, Eagles Z’kobe Whidbee banged a deep three just before the buzzer. Northeastern regained the lead 49-48.

Within one minute and two transitions up and down the court the Falcons knotted the at 51 early in the fourth quarter. After a made free-throw and a technical foul called on the Falcons, the momentum shifted. The Eagles began pulling away and outscoring the Falcons.

With only 1:24 left to play in the game the Falcons were down 73-62. Bertie gave a gallant effort down the stretch but they were too far behind in time and score to mount a comeback.