Roger Whitehead
SILER CITY — Jordan-Matthews High School took a twinbill from visiting Providence Grove last week in a Mid-State 2A Conference showdown.
The Jet girls started the sweep by holding off a late PG charge to post a 57-38 win, while in the nightcap the J-M boys gained revenge for an earlier loss to the Patriots, staging a fourth-quarter rally for a 63-55 triumph.
The Patriots played the game without the services of senior starter Tyler See, out with a hip injury.
Earlier in the week, it was Providence Grove’s turn to rack up a sweep as they downed Eastern Randolph. The Patriot girls chalked up a 46-31 win and the boys sailed to a 81-62 victory.
Providence Grove has a light slate this week, the only contest at home Friday night against Reidsville. The girls tip off at 6 p.m.
Play against Jordan-Matthews saw the Patriot girls fall behind early at 6-1, rally within 6-5 and trail 13-9 after one period.
J-M pulled in front 29-20 in the second stanza and were ahead 32-23 at halftime.
The teams matched points in the third quarter as PG rallied within 32-29 at 7:01 of the fourth period before the Jets took flight with a 8-1 run for a 40-30 lead at 5:11 and continued to pull away.
Logan Hardin led the PG effort with 14 points while Erin Mixon added nine.
The boys game featured breakaway dunks and 3-point field goals as the teams raced up and down the court.
Providence Grove took an early lead and stayed in front until midway of the fourth quarter.
The Patriots led 46-43 as the period opened and 50-48 with 3:27 left in the game. The Jets tied the game at 50-50 with 3:14 to play and moved in front at 54-50 at the 2:36 mark. PG could get no closer than three points the rest of the way.
A close first quarter ended with a 15-14 PG lead, which was extended to 32-27 by intermission.
Riley Comer paced the Patriots with 23 points and 17 rebounds. Zeb Milliner had 17 points and Ryan Powell added eight points and 15 rebounds.
In the sweep of Eastern Randolph, the Patriot girls pulled away from an early 8-7 lead to hold a 21-15 margin after one quarter.
At 5:02 of the second stanza, Kristie Langley hit a layup and a free throw for a 30-17 margin and PG went on a roll for a 46-31 halftime advantage.
The lead grew to 60-37 at 4:01 of the third period on a Kassie Lowe followup and the Pats coasted in from there. They led 81-51 with 5:10 left in the game.
Langley led PGHS with 27 points while Mixon and Hardin each posted 15 points and Casey Haithcox had 11.
Top scorer on the night was Logan Castleberry of the WIldcats, burning the nets for 32 points, while Athanette Tucker collected nine.
The Patriot boys jumped to a 8-2 lead on a pair of free throws by Comer and never looked back, sailing to a 18-7 first-quarter lead.
Eastern Randolph regrouped in the second stanza and traded points, but were down 37-26 at the half.
From a 45-35 lead at 4:57 of the third period, PG went on a 11-4 run, and a slam dunk by Z. Milliner at 32.5 seconds gave the Patriots a 62-43 bulge.
In the fourth quarter, the Wildcats matched baskets but couldn’t make a dent in the Patriot lead.
Z. Milliner led all scorers with 28 points while Comer notched 17 points and See posted 13. Powell pulled down 17 rebounds and Comer grabbed 11.
The Wildcats were paced by Khyri Crawford with 19 points and James Cannon with 13. Keontai McKenzie had 11.
