Smith HS sweeps double header from Dudley

Golden Eagle Morgan Smith has her jumper rejected by Dudley Panthers Kimora Haith and Heaven Cooper (#34). Smith still managed to score a team-high 20 points in the Eagles’ 72-36 blowout of Dudley. Photo by Joe Daniels/Carolina Peacemaker.

Smith girls blowout Dudley

The Ben L Smith girls remain unbeaten in the Mid-State 3-A Conference with a 72-36 blowout over intercity rival Dudley Friday night at Dudley’s Chester Bradley Gym.

The Golden Eagles jumped out to 16-1 first quarter lead and were never threatened again. The Panther’s Makayla Carney, a junior forward, scored Dudley’s first field goal with 4:36 remaining in the second quarter. They were trailing 23-2. Starting the fourth quarter the Eagle led by 29 points 55-26.

The Eagles improved to 15-2 overall, 10-0, conference while the Panthers dropped to 13-6, 7-3 in conference. Morgan Smith, a junior guard had a team-high 20 points, while teammates Kandake Boyd (junior forward) and Azahreya Drayton-Gill (freshman center) scored 16 apiece. The Panther’s Carney finished with 16 points and Kimora Haith, a sophomore guard added 11 points.

Smith’s Markquan Gilbert drives to the basket against Dudley’s Bryson Hall. Gilbert added seven points in the Eagles’ Mid-State 3-A Conference win. Photo by Joe Daniels/Carolina Peacemaker.

Smith holds off Dudley boys, 60-54

In a battle for second place in the Mid-State 3-A Conference, the Golden Eagles of Smith High School and the Dudley High Panthers entered Friday’s contest with 16-3 records respectively. Dudley was 7-1 and Smith 6-2 in conference play. The Chester Bradley Gym, home of the Panthers, rocked with a standing room only capacity crowd for the inter city rivalry game. Smith escaped with a 60-54 win to tie Dudley for second place in the Mid-State 3A.

The Panthers kept it close for most of the game. Smith’s largest margin was 10 points, 43-33, with1:50 left in the third quarter. Dudley trailed 58-54 with 38 seconds remaining in the game. The Panthers lost a jump ball and Smith’s Markquan Gilbert was fouled at the 12 second mark. Gilbert canned both free throws enabling the Eagles to take flight for the win. Gilbert finished the game with a team-high 19 points for the Eagles while sophomore guard Carlos Neely added 10 points.

Freshman guard CJ Jones was the only player in double figures for the Panthers with 12 points.