Fuquay, Jordan-Matthews outgun Eastern Randolph 86-80

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RAMSEUR — Camden Fuquay poured in 24 points to lead a Jordan-Matthews quartet in double figures, while his fast break layup with 1:54 to go in the third period put the Jets in front to stay before they managed to hold off a feisty Eastern Randolph squad down the stretch to secure an important 86-80 PAC 7 2A Conference victory on the road Tuesday night.

Scoring its most points since an 87-74 triumph over Graham back on January 30, 2015, J-M improved to 7-12 for the year whereas the Wildcats dropped to 8-11 overall, while the outcome left both clubs with a 3-5 record in the conference. If the teams should end up tied in the final league standings, Jordan-Matthews would receive the higher seed in the conference tournament by virtue of the Jets sweeping the regular-season series.

Lanice Hedgepeth tallied 22 points for the victors, while Huston Causey and Jayden Davis came off the bench to contribute 16 and 13 points, respectively. J-M connected on 29-of-56 (52 percent) of its field goal attempts while turning the ball over 18 times.

Osiris Ross tossed in 24 points to top three Eastern Randolph starters finishing the evening in double figures. Cade Snotherly chipped in 15 points and Landon Collins added 10 for the Wildcats, who shot 28-of-61 (46 percent) from the floor and held a 27-26 advantage on the glass while committing 23 turnovers.

“It was a fast-paced game where we got caught up in Eastern Randolph’s aggressive style of play, but we were able to push the ball when we had the opportunity,” noted Jordan-Matthews’ coach Rodney Wiley. “We did a nice job breaking their press in the third quarter for some easy wide-open baskets that allowed us to eventually take the lead for good before our ability to hit free throws in the final period, coupled with Eral Jones’ strong play on the boards in the closing minutes, kept them from ever reclaiming an advantage.”

Wildcats’ coach LaShawn Robinson was unavailable for comments following the game.

After the Jets fashioned a 7-0 lead in the first two minutes of play, Eastern Randolph battled back to pull even twice in the opening frame, the last time at 14-all on a Collins jumper in the lane with 2:18 left in the initial period, prior to J-M closing out the quarter with a 9-5 run to forge a 23-19 advantage.

Following Jacquez Thompson’s jumper from the left wing that extended Jordan-Matthews’ lead to 28-22 with 6:35 to go in the second stanza, the Wildcats managed to trim the difference to 31-30 on Carter Moore’s layup a minute-and-a-half later.

Then after the Jets surged ahead 39-32 on Timothy Eubanks’ jumper off the left baseline with 1:54 remaining until intermission, Eastern Randolph fought back to narrow the gap to 40-39 on a Snotherly free throw with 9.8 seconds left in the period before Hedgepeth’s lane drive with 1.1 seconds on the clock gave J-M a three-point cushion at the break.

After a Ross three-pointer from the left side gave the Wildcats their first advantage of the evening at 45-42 with 5:41 to go in the third frame, the lead changed hands six times prior to Fuquay’s wide-open layup that put Jordan-Matthews ahead for good at 58-57, and the Jets went on to stretch the margin to 65-62 entering the final eight minutes.

A pair of Fuquay free throws and his three-pointer from the right wing over the first minute of the fourth quarter permitted J-M to equal its biggest advantage of the night and Eastern Randolph never came closer than three the rest of the way, cutting its deficit to 80-77 on a Collins trey from the left corner with 1:58 to play before Jordan-Matthews wrapped up the win at the foul line.