Chatham Central let one slip away here on Monday night in Bear Creek as Eastern Randolph rallied to take a 68-63 victory over the Bears in non-conference basketball action.
The loss dropped Chatham Central to a misleading 1-4 on the season, while also wasting a contest in which Michael Moore and Jamieon Degraffenreaidt pumped in 20 and 18 points respectively.
Eastern Randolph, which beat Central 56-46 a week earlier in Ramseur, improved to 3-1.
The contest was entertaining from the outset as both clubs pushed the ball up and down the court, with the Bears gaining an early lead which it would keep until late in the fourth.
Moore had seven points, including a trey, and Tavon Clay chipped in four, and Jarious Cheek a three-pointer to send Chatham Central up 15-10 after one.
Zach Manley had four points, Jalen Jones a trey and Kameon Marley three points, including a one handed slam on a fastbreak, for the Wildcats in the opening frame.
The action heated up in the 2nd as the teams were clicking full throttle offensively. Degraffereaidt got hot for the Bears from the oustide, hitting a trio of tree-balls on the way to 10 points in the period, while Moore added five, and Clay a trey as the locals used a 20-17 advantage to go up 35-27 at the break.
Jones had a pair of treys and eight points for Eastern Randolph in the period, while Cade Snotherly added seven, including a three-pointer.
Chatham Central would extend its lead to 41-29 in the third before Eastern Randolph came roaring back to close the deficit to within 50-48 entering the fourth. Jones keyed the Wildcats rally with three long range treys while Braxton Luther added five points, Marley four, and Manley three more.
Moore had five, including another trey, for the Bears, while Degraffenreaidt chipped in four points, and Walker a trey.
In the fourth, Eastern Randolph would take its initial lead of the night on a Marley driving hoop with 3:52 remaining to send the visitors in front 59-58.
Chatham Central countered with a bucket by Cheek to regain the lead at 60-59 with 3:31 remaining, but it would be the last time the Bears would lead in the contest.
The Wildcats would grab the lead back at 61-60 at the 2:52 mark on a Luther short lay in.
After the teams traded turnovers, Degraffereaidt had a trey attempt rim out and Eastern Randolph pushed the ball down the court with Luther scoring in transition to send the Wildcats up 63-60 with 1:58 remaining.
Another CC turnover resulted in Manley making one of two foul shots at the 1:17 mark to extend the lead to 64-60 before Degraffenreaidt swished a trey from the left corner to close the gap to 64-63 with :56 seconds remaining.
Eastern Randolph would used a 4-0 spurt to close the game with a transition bucket by Marley off a great feed from Manley, and two insurance free throws from Manley and Luther to cap the 68-63 comeback win.
Clay added 10 points in the loss for Chatham Central while Cheek chipped in nine.
Jones led all scorers with 23 points while Marley chipped in 13, and Manley and Luther 12 apiece.