WINDSOR – Currituck County shook off a lackluster first quarter, but paid compliments to their defense as they rose from a 6-1 margin after the first eight minutes of play to post a 49-33 win over the hometown Bertie Falcons.

Jaqwan Baylor was the only Falcon to get on the scoreboard as he made one of two free throws to get Bertie within one at 2-1 early.  However, Bertie was cold from there the rest of the quarter and trailed 6-1 after one.

It was still a five-point margin for the Falcons 12-7 before Currituck went on a 12-0 run to open up the game.  Baylor got a put back, a lay-up for Josh Burden, and field-goal from Alden Cottle were all the offense the Falcons could muster before the Knights’ run.  Quatravis Riddick hit a three-pointer just before the buzzer and the teams headed to the locker-room with the Knights ahead, 24-10.

Currituck opened the second half on a 9-2 run that made it 33-12 before the two teams started swapping baskets.  Baylor scored twice and once for Eric Speight and Jahreek Bardlevens – who became the second Bertie player to end the period with a triple, but by then, the Knights had opened up a 37-19 lead.

Bertie’s offense woke up in the fourth quarter, but the Falcons were staring at an 18-point hole. Jamari White got a lay-up and was later fouled; making both free throws that cut the Currituck lead down to 15.  But that was as close as Bertie would come.   Speight did all the late scoring for Bertie on two foul shots and a pair of jumpers.  Still, it went into the books as a 16-point loss for the Falcons – their fifth setback in league play this season.

Bertie (3-14; 2-5, NCC) is off until a Friday road trip to Kitty Hawk where they will meet First Flight.

CURRITUCK  (49)

Nick McDonald-18, Tre Burton-12, Ricky Owens-8, Jordan Downs-5, Trey Galloway-2, Lorenza Spence-2, Isaiah McCarraher-2.

BERTIE  (33)

Eric Speight-10, Jaqwan Baylor-7, Jamari White-6, Quatravis Riddick-3, Jahreek Bardlevens-3, Joshua Burden-2, Alden Cottle-2.