By JORDAN HONEYCUTT

New Bern Sun Journal

 

BAYBORO — Pamlico junior guard Josiah Simmons swished the first shot he took Friday night at home against Southside, a 3-pointer from the right wing.

He then proceeded to swish many more, as he led Pamlico with 31 points in a 74-69 Coastal Plains Conference victory.

“Jo (Simmons) was awesome tonight, but really all five guys on the court were awesome,” Pamlico coach Earl Sadler said. “We played within our offense and Jo’s shots were within it. We got a lot of turnovers that helped us get easy layups and didn’t turn it over down the stretch.”

Pamlico led 31-27 at halftime, but hit the visitors from Chocowinity with an 11-4 run to start the third quarter and outscored them 24-12 in the frame.

The Seahawks came charging back, largely on the shoulders of guards Donshae Miller and Rashaun Moore.

Miller had just two points through three quarter, but scored 13 in the fourth, including three 3-pointers that ignited the rally.

Moore was the high-scorer for Southside with 26 points.

“First half was pretty tit-for-tat and it seems like every time we play these guys, it’s a close, hard-fought game,” Southside coach Sean White said.

“Both of our guards, Donshae (Miller) and Rashaun (Moore) were great for us when we needed them there as they usually are. We just didn’t get those looks we had in the fourth quarter to fall early.”

Cameron Moore added an all-around solid performance for Pamlico with 15 points, six rebounds, five assists and four steals.

Simmons added seven rebounds, four assists and two steals to his marquee night. “I was pretty hyper today for this one since before the game,” Simmons said.

“Coach just preached to us to drive and kick and find the open shooter and get out and run when we could tonight.”

Jawaan Coffey also reached double-figure scoring, chipping in 12 points for the ‘Canes.

Both teams had their sloppy moments with the basketball as Pamlico turned it over 20 times to Southside’s 25.

“We’re getting better and we always say that we like to be playing our basketball toward the end of the year,” Sadler said. “Tonight was one we had to have though after the East (Carteret) loss. We needed to win it and win it the right way, by playing our style of basketball and we did that.”

Pamlico improves to 9-6 overall and 3-1 Coastal Plains Conference and Southside drops to 10-3, 3-1.

The Hurricanes travel to Bear Grass Charter Monday, while Southside hosts rival Northside the same night.