AHOSKIE – It was a game of runs here Tuesday night as the Eagles of Northeastern High School visited Hertford County looking to avenge their January 16th loss to the Bears at home.

The Bears, however, grabbed a 73-63 Northeastern Coastal Conference win to remain atop the league standings.

The Eagles started on the right track by quickly scoring five points before Hertford County took their first shot.

That was short lived however as the Bears pounded the ball inside to Senior Pert Simons for their first eight and took a one-point advantage with 4:40 left to play.

Both teams traded buckets until Northeastern ended the first period on a 7-2 run giving the Eagles a 21-16 lead to start the second quarter.

Both teams reverted back to trading buckets for most of the second period until Hertford County Senior Reggie Wiggins and Sophomore LeMarcus Bond combined to score 11 straight and gave the home team a seven point &uot;cushion&uot; at halftime.

&uot;If it ain’t broke don’t fix it&uot; seemed to be the motto as the Bears once again pounded the ball inside to start the second half on the way to a 10-2 run and 48-33 advantage with 3:20 remaining in the third.

Three straight trips to the charity line for Northeastern returned only two points as the Eagles failed to close the gap and found themselves down by 13 going into the final period.

Back to back buckets by the Eagles cut the Hertford County lead to single digits less than a minute into the fourth quarter.

The Bears quickly answered with four points of their own returning the lead to 13.

Northeastern once again managed to cut the advantage, this time to six after Javon Brunsey’s lay-up capped an 8-0 run with 53 seconds remaining in the game.

Any hope of a comeback by Northeastern was soon discarded as the hometown Senior Lorenzo Benthall sank four clutch freethrows and secured the Bears 73-63 victory.

Bears Head Coach Charles Simmons likes where his team is at as they prepare for their final regular season game against rival Bertie Friday night and a chance to wrap up the conference title.

&uot;

I feel pretty good about us,&uot; said Simmons.

&uot;We are beginning to gel as a team at the right time.

Last year we gelled to early and it hurt us.&uot;

Hertford County (73)

Pert Simons – 21,

Lorenzo Benthall – 18,

LaKendrick Lee – 15,

L. Bond – 8,

R. Wiggins – 7,

C. Jenkins – 3

Northeastern

(63)

Ladonte Adams – 20,

Javon Brunsey – 17,

Durente McNeil – 13,

T.K. Combs – 11,

S. Munden – 5,

C. Elliot – 4, S. Morgan – 3,

J. Banks – 2,

M. Dixon – 2