Bulldogs boys cash in, Gryphons roll in girls' game

Nash Centeral’s Montre’ Cash, center, looses possession of the ball as Rocky Mount High’s Dontea Evans jr, left reaches for the loose ball Friday at Nash Central.
©TELEGRAM PHOTO / SARAH LOUYA

Nash Central’s Anna Shaye Thompson, left, fouls Rocky Mount High’s Keyanna Spivey Friday at Nash Central.
©TELEGRAM PHOTO / SARAH LOUYA

Nash Centeral’s Devon Macklin,left, and Rocky Mount High’s Shyheim Battle jump up for the rebound Friday at Nash Centeral.
©TELEGRAM PHOTO / SARAH LOUYA

Fans began to fill the aisles of the bleachers at Nash Central High School and filtered out of the gym with about four minutes remaining in the boys’ basketball game against Rocky Mount High. That’s because the Bulldogs’ Montre Cash sent them home early.

Cash scored points at will and led an important third-quarter run to put away the Gryphons as Nash Central picked up a 72-58 win in Friday’s 3-A Big East Conference game.

“We threw everything at him,” RMH coach Michael Gainey said of Cash. “We threw the kitchen sink, I mean everything, and he still shot the ball well.”

The senior poured in 34 points, a new career high. He made a couple 3-pointers, but did most of damage by finishing silky drives to the rim. His slashing ability created open space on the perimeter for Elijah Cole, who added 16 points.

RMH (6-8, 2-4) held a slim 16-14 lead after the first quarter as it was able to space the floor and keep the Bulldogs from getting out into transition. Damian Moore knocked down a pair of 3s, and Joshua Pittman and Joseph Blue scored around the rim for the Gryphons, But RMH couldn’t keep the Bulldogs at bay in the second quarter, as Cash found his range and had 17 points by halftime to give Nash Central a 37-32 lead.

Nash Central (13-4, 5-1) played its best basketball out of the break, and used a 13-3 run to break the score open. The Gryphons ran a press to try and slow down the Bulldogs’ offense, and used a halfcourt trap to occupy the guards at midcourt. But Nash Central was ready for that, too, and went to a press-breaker it has had success with since the Christmas tournament. It was a variation on one that coach Renny Taylor has used his entire career, but he threw in a new wrinkle last month that has been more effective. The breaker revolves around Devon Macklin in the middle, and a quick passes to inch the ball forward until a lane opens.

“We’re a good press-breaking team,” Cash said. “Macklin is great in the middle, me and Elijah are strong on the ball, and we’ve got some good players on the wings that can get open and make the right plays. Once we started to pull away in the third, I knew we had this one.”

Cole was the kickout option for Cash, and he responded with several 3s and even got to the foul line seven times, making six of those shots. Taylor said Cole arrived at school early Friday morning to watch film with his coach, and has been smarter with the ball.

“Elijah was in a terrible slump early in the season,” Taylor said. “He felt pressure to shoot everything, and would sometimes be frantic with the ball. But the more we watched film the more he understood what he was doing, and now he’s playing under control and you’re seeing him play to his ability.”

The Gryphons offense dried up after most of their energy was focused on defense, and managed just eight points in the third quarter. That deficit proved to be too much to rebound from. Blue led RMH with 17 poiints, with Shyheim Battle and Moore each adding eight points.

But this game belonged to Cash and the Bulldogs, who are proving that they can play with anyone.

Girls

Rocky Mount High 51

Nash Central 36

Rocky Mount High was down a starter and pace-setter in guard Michelle Gainey, but her absence didn’t slow the Gryphons as they pounded the paint in a convincing 3-A Big East Conference win on Friday.

Gainey sat due to a lingering knee issue, and it was Keyanna Spivey who picked up the added responsibilty. The strong forward attacked the rim often and scored a game-high 24 points, even as she drew two defenders. Spivey also pulled down 13 rebounds.

“I knew I had to step up with Michelle out,” Spivey said. “I played as hard as I usually play, but I had more intensity because you know the team is going to need it.”

Spivey couldn’t be slowed as the Bulldogs don’t have a true post defender on the roster. She would step out to the 3-point arc in order to get a clean touch away from the double team, then went right back into the lane. Starting in Gainey’s place was Mya Pittman, a sophomore guard who usually provides a spark off the bench. Pittman had eight points, and helped defend the Bulldogs’ trio of talented guards.

“I knew that I had to bring it as a starter,” Pittman said. “It was a good feeling, because my teammates have been on me to have a game just like this.”

Nash Central (8-7, 3-2) got points from just three players, but each proved hard to stop.

Kayalin Mitchell had a team-high 16 points, while Michaela Nelms added 12 and Myia Spivey had eight.

Nelms showed off her ability to finish in the lane, and Mitchell knocked down jump shots to keep the score tight, but a three-point second quarter and an 8-0 RMH run doomed the Bulldogs.

“It’s hard when you plays teams opposite you,” Mitchell said. “They have some great players in the post, and we have more guards. I’ve been working on developing my game so I can score from diffrent spots. But we just have to keep working as a team and fight through this.”

The Gryphons (13-2, 6-0) stayed perfect in conference play with the win.

BOYS

Nash Central 72

Rocky Mount High 58

RMH 16 16 8 18 – 58

NC 14 23 19 16 – 72

RMH: Joshua Pittman 4; Jamar Ellis 4; Damian Moore 8; Shyheim Battle 8; Spencer Ramsey 2; Rodney Alston 11; Joseph Blue 17; Artavious Richardson 4

NC: Devon Macklin 9; Montre Cash 34; Tim Bridgers 5; Elijah Cole 16; Dominick Dixon 1; Ta’Rod Brown 5; Wrayshon Battle 2

GIRLS

Rocky Mount High 51

Nash Central 36

RMH 11 14 11 15 – 51