Anticipation is soaring on the northern side of the river.

Zamareya Jones’ last dance at North Pitt may be her finest as the addition of freshman point guard Jordan Speller has already helped elevate the Panthers’ through the season’s opening weeks.

On Tuesday night, the pair scored a total of 48 points in a highly-anticipated matchup between two of the best girls’ basketball teams in Pitt County.

North Pitt has now defeated South Central for the sixth time in a row. With a 72-48 victory at home, their record for the season improves to 2-1.

The dynamic pair wasted no time, forcing South Central to call an early timeout. Speller and Jones worked together to score two fast break baskets and take a 13-6 lead.

During just the first quarter, the two guards collectively scored 16 points. North Pitt held a lead of 21-12 after eight minutes.

Brooklynne Evans made a strong effort to keep the Falcons in a position to potentially catch up. In the second quarter, the South Central sophomore scored 6 out of her team’s total 20 points.

Even with Evans’ skill in driving to the basket and Sabraya Baker’s four three-pointers in the first half, North Pitt held a lead of 35-24 at halftime.

The lead held by only one point was brief in the third quarter. North Pitt began the second half with a 14-0 streak, increasing their lead to 25.

Corine Beatty and Alliana Duncan sparked the offense with successful three-point shots, followed by Jones scoring 8 consecutive points.

The player committed to NC State ended the game with a high score of 30 points, including 15 points in the third quarter.

The score of 64-34 in favor of North Pitt was their biggest lead of the night, ultimately leading to a 72-48 final score.

The Panthers’ next game will be against Southern Wayne on Friday.

South Central’s overall record falls to 2 wins and 1 loss. The Falcons will face Wayne Country Day at 5:30 PM this Saturday.

North Pitt:

• Jones 30
• Speller 18
• Lightfoot 8
• Edwards 6
• Duncan 5
• Beatty 3
• Woodard 2

South Central:

• Evans 20
• Baker 12
• Dixon 9
• Hukins 3
• McCarter 2
• Boswell 2

Source: highschoolot.com