By By KEVIN TRAVIS, Sports Editor
GREENVILLE — Washington kept battling and battling all night, but the D.H. Conley Vikings were able to hold off the Pam Pack and get some revenge in the process.
The Vikings, ranked 10th in the latest NCPreps.com Class 3-A poll, won their 10th straight with a hard-fought 61-54 victory in Friday night’s Coastal Conference clash. Conley’s only loss this season came at the hands of Washington.
It looked as though the Vikings (15-1, 7-1) would run away with the game after a 13-0 run gave them a 30-19 lead, but the Pack refused to quit. Washington (9-4, 5-3) got as close as one point in the final moments, but Jaron Lane hit all six of his free throws in the final 27 seconds to ice it for Conley.
Lane finished with a game-high 20 points while teammate Akeem Daniels finished with 19. The two players scored most of their points in the paint, and both came up with clutch baskets in the fourth quarter.
The Pack, which got 15 points from Cor-J Cox and 12 apiece from Derrick Mallison and Dakuan Spencer, took a 14-11 lead after the first quarter. Colby Modlin’s steal and layup in the final seconds gave Washington the three-point lead.
While that proved to be Modlin’s only basket, he was a force on defense. Lawrence said that Modlin, who saw limited playing time in the first 11 games, has earned more minutes.
Modlin didn’t seem fazed by the big-game atmosphere.
The Pack wasn’t able to keep the momentum going in the second quarter as the Vikings used a 6-0 spurt to grab a 17-14 lead. A three-point play by Daniels and a slam by Lane ignited a 13-0 run for the Vikings, giving them the 30-19 advantage.
Mallison drilled a pair of triples late in the half to help the Pack pull within 36-27 at the break.
Spencer took over for the Pack in the third quarter, scoring a variety of ways. His layup got Washington within 44-42 before the Vikings extended their lead to 48-42 heading into the fourth.
A three-point play by Jarees Griffin got Washington as close as one point at 53-52. Following two free throws by Robbie Leavy, Spencer hit a short jumper with 38 ticks remaining to make it 55-54.
The Pack wouldn’t score again as Lane was able to bury his free throws to keep the Vikings in command.
The Pack returns to action Tuesday at South Central. It’s the team’s seventh road game in the last eight contests.
Girls fall on road
D.H. Conley used a 12-2 run in the final 90 seconds to take a 57-46 win over Washington.
The Vikings (12-5, 5-3) were able to hit 10 of 12 free throws in the final two minutes to keep the Pack (8-9, 3-5) at bay.
Washington, which has lost three straight, got 17 points and 13 rebounds from Sam Smith. Hayley Stowe added 12 points and Sharita Grice 10. Davey Ann Burbage, who didn’t score after netting 17 in her previous game, pulled down 14 boards.
The Vikings were led by Tyler Knight’s 24 points. Brittany Wilkins chipped in with 15 points.
Washington overcame an early 19-12 deficit and went up by as many as six in the third quarter. A layup by Smith gave the Pack a 31-25 lead. However, the Vikings tied at 33 heading into the final period.
A jumper by Stowe gave the Pack a 37-35 lead early in the fourth, but it would prove to be Washington’s final lead.
JV boys win
Traja Langley’s driving layup with under five seconds to play lifting the Washington junior varsity boys team to a 56-54 win.
Langely scored a game-high 26 points in the win.
Washington 14 13 15 12 — 54
D.H. Conley 11 25 12 13 — 61
WASHINGTON (54)
Cor-J Cox 15, Dakuan Spencer 12, Derrick Mallison 12, Daniels 6, Godley 4, Griffin 3, Modlin 2, J. Moore, M. Moore, Cogdell.
D.H. CONLEY (61)
Jaron Lane 20, Akeem Daniels 19, Leavy 6, Setters 5, Mularski 3, Best 3, Lewis 2, Evans 2, Abdullah 1.
Girls
Washington 12 10 11 13 — 46
D.H. Conley 15 8 10 24 — 57
WASHINGTON (46)
Sam Smith 17, Hayley Stowe 12, Sharita Grice 10, Simpkins 7, Burbage, Palmer, Batchelor, Cox, Weatherington.
D.H. CONLEY (57)
Tyler Knight 24, Brittany Wilkins 15, Bria Wilkins 7, Spruill 5, Andrews 3, Harvey 1, Haithcock 1, Burt 1.