ELIZABETH CITY – Bertie High School claimed another Northeastern Coastal Conference tournament championship here Friday night.

The Lady Falcons knocked off rival Hertford County 52-39 to secure the victory at Elizabeth City State University. Ayanna Wilson led the Falcons with 14 points while Eboni Bond and Montreshia Perry added 11 each.

Hertford County got 14 from Deondra Morrison and 11 from Briante Bond.

“I was pleased with the way the girls responded,” said veteran BHS skipper Alice Lyons. “They told me all day long they were ready and when they got on the court they proved it.”

The Falcons indeed seemed ready when they took the court Friday, scoring the first 11 points and racing to a 30-6 halftime lead.

Bertie’s first bucket came on a three-pointer by Wilson which was followed quickly by a pair of free throws from Monica Outlaw. The Lady Falcons got a hoop from Perry before Wilson hit another triple to make it 10-0.

Outlaw hit 1-of-2 from the free throw line to give Bertie an 11-0 lead before Hertford County got on the board.

The Lady Bears scored at the 1:45 mark of the first quarter when Briante Bond buried a triple to close within 11-3.

Wilson and Eboni Bond each hit two from the charity stripe over the closing minutes of the quarter to push the Lady Falcons lead to 15-3 after one period of play.

Eboni Bond started the second quarter with a three-pointer for the Falcons, but was answered by a Morrison hoop.

Bertie then rolled off five straight getting buckets from Perry and Lotoya Gilliam and a free throw from Wilson.

The Lady Bears finally got a free throw from Brandi Burden to close within 23-6, but it would be their last score of the first half.

Bertie closed the second period on a 7-0 spurt thanks to a three-pointer by Perry and scores by Outlaw and Eboni Bond, leaving the Falcons with a 30-6 lead.

Hertford County got the first bucket of the third quarter, but Bertie came back with five straight points thanks to Ya’Shonti Bridgers as the Falcon lead reached 35-8.

The Lady Bears then put together their best run of the game, scoring nine in a row and 12 of the final 15 points of the period to close within 18.

Morrison started the spurt with a field goal that came just before a Briante Bond hoop. Senior Jaleesa Chinn then buried a triple before Morrison hit two straight from the free throw line to close the gap to 35-17.

After Wilson hit a free throw and a hoop for Bertie, the Lady Bears got a bucket by Briante Bond and a free throw from Morrison to close within 38-20 as the third quarter closed.

The fourth quarter began with the Lady Bears still on a tear. Briante Bond hit a field goal just before a Burden hoop. Morrison then hit 1-of-2 at the charity stripe to close Hertford County within 38-25.

Bertie got a free throw from Outlaw, but Chinn answered with a three-pointer that closed the gap to 39-28.

After a Gilliam hoop for Bertie, the Lady Bears got back-to-back buckets from Briante Bond and Chinn to get within 41-32.

The Lady Falcons, however, rolled off seven of the next eight points to pull back ahead by 15. Outlaw had a triple on that spurt and Wilson added a hoop.

Morrison had successive shots to get the Lady Bears back within 11 (48-37), but that was as close as they got.

The Lady Falcons got free throws from Eboni Bond and Perry to close out the win.

“The defense was awesome and the offense was clicking right on time,” Lyons said. “Now that’s behind us, we’re ready for the state playoffs. We’re not finished yet.”

The Lady Falcons (21-4) hosted Greene Central in the first round of the North Carolina High School Athletic Association playoffs last night (Monday). The Lady Bears (14-6) played host to D.H. Conley in the 3-A playoffs. Both games finished too late for press time.