By By KEVIN TRAVIS, Sports Editor
AYDEN — Roanoke got some revenge on Wednesday night.
Aaron Baker pumped in 10 of his team’s points in a 14-4 run, while Alonza Higgs hit some clutch free throws in the final 30 seconds to help give the Redskins a 57-53 win over the Ayden-Grifton Chargers at Bob Murphrey Court.
Baker paced the Chargers with 20 points and Higgs tallied 17.
The Chargers, who got 17 points from Matt Dougherty and 16 from Steffen McGhee, raced out to an 11-2 lead. Roanoke (8-3) answered with a 9-0 spurt, tying it at 13-all on a drive by Kenneth Hyman.
It stayed close throughout the second quarter as the teams traded the lead. Amos Perkins buried a jumper to tie it at 22-all, while Zack Pipkin’s layup evened the count at 24-apiece heading into the half.
Baker nailed a triple to start the second half to give Roanoke a 27-24 lead. The Redskins wouldn’t trail again.
Baker added another triple and a pair of short jumpers during a 14-4 run, which gave the Redskins a 38-28 advantage.
The Chargers were able to pull within 40-35 thanks in part to a McGhee jumper.
Higgs dropped home a long-range jumper early in the fourth to push Roanoke’s lead back to 10 at 45-35. After a 7-0 Charger run made it 45-42, Savion Hudson and Baker got inside for easy baskets to make it 49-42.
The Chargers refused to go away. Dougherty’s triple with 33 seconds remaining pulled Ayden-Grifton within 51-49.
Higgs was able to hit 5 of 6 at the free throw line, putting Roanoke up 56-50 with 15 seconds left. McGhee’s triple five seconds later pulled the Chargers within 56-53, but Hudson hit the second of two free throws with eight seconds remaining to help ice the game.
Ayden-Grifton girls win
After building a big lead and then watching Roanoke rally, the Ayden-Grifton Chargers converted on 5 of 8 free throws in the final minute to take a 43-39 win over Roanoke.
Lavasia Taylor’s 3-pointer had pulled the Redskins (6-5) within 38-36 with 55 seconds to play, but the Chargers (9-4) were able to hit enough at the charity stripe to stay ahead.
Krystal Williams, who finished with 12 points, buried a pair of free throws. Later, Lakwoya West hit two and Derrica Jones split a pair to give the Chargers a 43-36 lead.
Shale Dolberry’s triple in the final seconds capped the scoring.
Roanoke trailed 15-10 at the half, but used a 6-0 spurt to grab the lead. Emoni Jones, who finished with 10 points, got inside for a bucket to give the Redskins a 16-15 lead.
The Chargers answered with an 8-0 run, going up 23-16 on a trey by Williams. Teirra Johnson got inside for a handful of baskets to help push the lead to 29-20.
The Redskins made another run in the fourth, but came up short. Jade Green tied Jones for team-high honors with 10 points.
The Redskins play host to Camden on Friday.
Roanoke 13 11 16 17 — 57
Ayden-Grifton 15 9 11 18 — 53
ROANOKE (57)
Aaron Baker 20, Alonza Higgs 17, Hudson 7, Perkins 6, Hyman 5, Little 2, Cooper, Collins, L. Baker.
AYDEN-GRIFTON (53)
Matt Dougherty 17, Steffen McGhee 16, Pipkin 7, Bouldin 6, Gay 4, Dail 3, Howell, Rodriguez.
Girls
Roanoke 6 4 10 19 — 39
Ayden-Grifton 10 5 14 14 — 43
ROANOKE (39)
Emoni Jones 10, Jade Green 10, Dolberry 9, Taylor 8, G. Roberson 2.
AYDEN-GRIFTON (43)
Teairra Johnson 13, Krystal Williams 12, Jones 6, Crandell 4, Hyman 4, West 2, Woods 2.