First-quarter spurt leads Hamlet past Rohanen

Girls Middle School Basketball

Dixon, Brown lead Red Rams in season finale

By Kevin Spradlin
PeeDeePost.com

HAMLET — Any game can be a chance for a team to send a message.

Kevin Spradlin | PeeDeePost.com
Chloe Wiggins goes up for a jumper in Hamlet’s 49-28 win over Rohanen in middle school girls basketball action.

On Thursday, the Red Rams were communicating to anyone who would listen: Bring on the postseason. Hamlet raced to a huge first-quarter lead and never looked back as the home team routed the visiting Rebels 49-28 in both teams’ regular season finale.

Hamlet improved to 8-2 while Rohanen dropped to 4-6. Playoffs begin Monday, and the outcome of other Thursday night games will determine which teams play where for the Southeastern Middle School Conference title.

Trinity Dixon and Greyson Way each scored 11 points for Hamlet. Chloe Wiggins had nine points and Jaira Stevons added eight points for the Red Rams. Kennedy Alexander chipped in with four points, while Jasmine Ewing scored three points, Jayla Lowery two and Kieondra Williams one.

Kevin Spradlin | PeeDeePost.com
Rohanen’s Tatiana Little (4) fights for a loose ball with Hamlet’s Kieondra Williams (5).

Wiggins started the scoring off with a 3-pointer only 27 seconds into the game. Rohanen took a 4-3 lead on two free throws from Tatiana Little — who finished with a game-high 18 points, including four of seven from the charity stripe — and a field goal from Tasheka Harrington. But Williams grabbed the offensive rebound with four minutes and 12 seconds to play in the first quarter and hit the layup for a 5-4 Hamlet lead. The Red Rams never trailed again, as the red and white used that bucket as the start of a 25-0 run.

Hamlet led 20-4 after one quarter of play and led 28-4 after Way’s field goal midway through the second. Little hit the back end of a one-and-one to break the scoring monopoly, but it didn’t do much to slow the Red Rams’ offense.