South Central holds off late surge, defeats White Oak 55–51

South Central holds off late surge, defeats White Oak 55–51

The South Central Falcons used early shooting and late-game execution to hold off a determined White Oak Vikings rally, securing a 55–51 win after a tightly contested second half.

The game opened at a slow pace, but the Falcons (9–5) struck first, building a 3–0 lead with six minutes remaining in the opening quarter. Back-to-back three-pointers and a layup quickly stretched the advantage to 11–1, forcing the Vikings (11–5) to regroup early.

South Central continued to control the tempo and closed the first quarter ahead 16–7, while White Oak struggled offensively, scoring all seven points from the free-throw line without a made field goal.

The Vikings found their first basket early in the second quarter, but the Falcons’ full-court pressure caused multiple turnovers and disrupted any offensive rhythm.

Falcons junior forward Justin Blow led the team in scoring with 14 points, six of them coming in the second quarter. But the Vikings refused to fade, finishing the half with a strong push behind two three-pointers from junior guard Zarion Hobbs to trim the margin to 29–24.

The Falcons carried a 32–24 lead into halftime.

“We let the lead slip away a little, but we’re used to adversity. Coach (Leland Jones) told us to keep our heads up and continue playing hard,” Blow said regarding the team’s mindset after halftime.

Momentum shifted early in the third quarter as the Vikings continued their comeback. Trailing 32–28, White Oak knocked down a three to cut the lead to four before another three from Hobbs pulled them within one at 32–31.

A triple from Hobbs pushed the Vikings ahead 38–32, and the back-and-forth quarter ended with White Oak holding a 40–37 lead.

The fourth quarter remained tight throughout. The game was tied at 42 with five minutes remaining when the Vikings drilled a three to take a 45–42 lead. White Oak briefly regained the lead at 47–46 with just over two minutes left, but the Falcons answered down the stretch.

“It’s always about the next play. Even if you think you got fouled, or missed a layup, or turned the ball over, you have to play the next play,” Jones said about his message to the team late in the game.

Blow delivered when it mattered most, scoring six points in the final quarter.

“Despite the lack of calls, I knew I had to keep my head down in the paint and give effort. I felt like I wanted it more than them,” Blow said.

Hobbs finished with a game-high 19 points, but it wasn’t enough, as the Falcons reclaimed the lead at 50–47 in the final minute and sealed the win from the free-throw line.

South Central will look to continue its momentum as it travels to face the New Bern Bears (13–2) on Jan. 23, while White Oak will look to bounce back against the Jacksonville Cardinals (5–6).