AHOSKIE – It wasn’t the fast start second-year coach Tim Boone was looking for.

Still, the Ridgecroft Rams had a strong second quarter and pulled away to top Rocky Mount Prep 70-39.

Holding a slim 15-12 margin heading into the second quarter, the Rams rolled off the four of the first five scores of the period.

Bryan Britton got the spurt started with a field goal and Chris Hill and Evans Jones also scored on the run that put the Rams ahead 23-14.

Josh Morris got the Rams going on another 7-2 push that was capped by a three from Jones and a deuce from Britton to extend the advantage to 30-18.

The lead was 17 (37-20) at the intermission thanks to late field goals by Hill and James Taylor.

Ridgecroft opened the third period with a 7-0 spurt that all but put the game away. Britton started the run with a pair of free throws followed by a John Alexander bucket and a triple from Morris that made it 44-22.

The Jaguars attempted to get back in the game late in the third quarter, but made only three of eight free throw attempts as the Rams held a 52-31 lead after three periods.

After an exchange of hoops, Britton and Hill scored back-to-back buckets and Morris and Hill did the same to push Ridgecroft’s margin to 62-33.

From there, the home team never looked back as they rolled to the 31-point victory.

In the first quarter, the Rams started off hot, getting free throws from Morris and a triple from Hill to take a 5-0 lead.

After a Terrence Whitaker hoop for Rocky Mount Prep, Hill hit a hoop and a free throw and Morris scored to make it 10-2.

The Jaguars answered by scoring 10 of the next 15 points to get within three, including a Ryan McGee three-pointer as the first quarter expired.

The Rams were led by 23 points from Hill, but got 13 from Morris and 12 from Britton to go along with that tally.

The win boosted Ridgecroft to 4-1 on the season as they head into tonight’s (Tuesday) Tarheel Independent Conference opener with Lawrence Academy.

Ridgecroft (70): Chris Hill n 23, Josh Morris n 13, Bryan Britton n 12, E. Jones n 8, J. Alexander n 6, J. Taylor n 2, M. Byrum n 2, M. Newbern n 2, D. Lowe n 2, W. Joyner, D. Baker

Rocky Mount Prep (39): Ryan McGee n 14, T. Whitaker -7, S. McNair n 6, T. East n 5, J. Joyner n 4, A. Franx n 2, J. Lynch n 1, J. Wadsworth, M. Deberry, M. Everett, M. Rowetree, J. Parker