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AHOSKIE – Featuring five starters in double figures, Northeastern High School used a balanced attack to win the 2024 RC News-Herald Holiday Classic championship, defeating Hertford County, 69-55, here Monday night.

The Eagles, who trailed 14-9 at the end of the first quarter, got their offense rolling at the midway mark of the second period. There, Tyell Saunders had a steal and a layup that staked Northeastern to a lead (20-19) they never would surrender.

Saunders would go on to finish with a game-high 24 points, earning him the tournament’s MVP honors.

A three-ball from Jakeel Stallings plus a bucket by Mekkhei Williams stretched Northeastern’s lead to six (26-20) with 1:41 left in the period.

But the Bears mounted a challenge as Rimiez Williams drained two shots from the field and added a free throw, part of his team-high 20 points. By the time Trevyahn Throne muscled in a basket, Hertford County had whittled their deficit to a single point (28-27).

Z’Kobe Whidbee answered for the Eagles as his basket staked Northeastern to a 30-27 halftime lead.

Williams kept the score close as his basket early in the third quarter got HCHS to within 32-29, but the Eagles put their foot on the gas at that point, scoring nine of the game’s next 11 points to build a double-digit lead at 43-31. Saunders led that charge with two baskets and a free throw.

Another offensive flurry by the Eagles, highlighted by four baskets from Saunders, afforded Northeastern their largest lead of the game, 18 points at 53-35 late in the third quarter.

Hertford County scored the final six points of the period – a basket each from Josiah Powell and Shimere Garris and a pair of free throws by Joshua Harrell – that trimmed their deficit to 12 at 53-41.

The Bears got as close as 10 points (53-43) on Rucker Nixon’s basket early in the fourth quarter and again at 65-55 with 1:06 remaining, but Saunders had four more baskets in the final period to help hold off any chance of a Hertford County comeback.

Whidbee and EJ Sutton joined Saunders on the All-Tournament team, as named during a post-game ceremony.

Williams and Garris were recognized as the HCHS members of the All-Tournament squad.

Others named All-Tournament were Trey Mizelle of Gates County, Ta’Kai Delancy of Greater Destiny Prep Academy, Quentez Richardson of Roanoke Rapids, and Zymiere Dempsey and Tayvien Ward of Bertie.

Northeastern (69)

Tyell Saunders – 24, Unique Blount – 11, Z’Kobe Whidbee – 11, EJ Sutton – 10, Jakeel Stallings – 10, Mekkhei Williams – 2, Tevaughn Bell – 1.

Hertford County (55)

Rimiez Williams – 20, Shimere Garris – 15, Josiah Powell – 8, Remelo Robertson – 4, Trevyahn Throne – 4, Joshua Harrell – 2, Rucker Nixon – 2.