TERRA CEIA — If there was any doubt in whether or not the Knights could sustain what’s been a storybook season thus far, Friday’s game against the Warriors certainly silenced the cynics.

Lawrence, which entered as the last remaining unbeaten in the Tarheel Independent Conference, had no answer for the home team’s lightning quick ball movement and poised perimeter shooting, as the Knights knocked off the Warriors, 65-44.

“This was an outstanding effort tonight,” said head coach Roger Klaassen. “You just saw the full maturation of a team. To be honest, at practice last night we watched some game video, we had pizza — we just felt the guys needed a break. We asked them to give me their hearts tonight.”

The win capped off a grueling slate of games this week against some of the conference’s top three squads — Hobgood, Pungo and Lawrence — and moved the Knights into sole possession of first place.

From the start, Terra Ceia seemed to have picked up right where it left off against Pungo. Scoring the first eight points of the contest, Klaassen stuck to his signature pressure zone defense, while isolating Lawrence’s top-two producers — twins Nicholas and Nathaniel Holton.

“We just kept switching some things up defensively,” Klaassen said. “We went pressure, then we realized we had to guard the high post, so we took that away from them. You just have to know where they are and then communicate with each other.”

The offense flowed through point guard Quentin Van Essendelft, who not only managed to get his entire team involved, but also finished with 17 points and six steals. In the first quarter, Van Essendelft challenged the Holton’s in the paint by feeding forwards Tyler Hendrix and Chase Furlough timely baseline passes. They did the rest, taking on multiple defenders and finding one another for easy buckets.

After a solid start from the frontcourt, the Knights’ backcourt carried the load in the second quarter. Van Essendelft led the way with 13 points, as Austin Roscoe came through with a pair of steals and a basket in transition. At the half, Terra Ceia led 33-17, holding the Holton’s to a combined nine points.

“We’ve been emphasizing in practice moving the basketball, move through the zone, whatever defense it is,” Klaassen said. “We look for the best opportunity and drive to the basket. They have confidence and don’t care who they pass the basketball to. It’s all about putting points on the board.”

Out of the break, adjustments made by Lawrence head coach Jon Powell spread the floor and opened up space in the paint. Nicholas Holton began to catch fire, scoring nine points in the third quarter, but airtight defense from Van Essendelft and Roscoe shutdown the Warriors outside shooters.

And after a quiet first half, shooting guard Ben Hubers drilled three three-pointers in in the third quarter and drained clock at half court.

Nicholas and Nathaniel Holton combined for 23-second half points, but couldn’t shut down any part of the Terra Ceia offense, in the paint or on the perimeter.

Hendrix finished with 20 points, 13 rebounds and four assists, while Furlough notched 13 points and six rebounds.

“It feels good to be on top,” Klaassen said. “You put things in place to start the season, where we want to go. We told them we’re not going to look at who we’re playing, we just have to face each battle. We’re going to win the war and they come and compete every single night.”

With the win, Terra Ceia improves to 18-2 (7-0 TIC) and will face Albemarle at home on Tuesday.