Kinston lost to James Kenan back in February of 2024, but they didn't allow them the same satisfaction on Thursday. The Kinston Vikings came out on top against the James Kenan Tigers by a score of 50-38. Given the Vikings' advantage in MaxPreps' North Carolina basketball rankings (they are ranked 68th, while the Tigers are ranked 366th), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.
Multiple players turned in solid performances to lead Kinston to victory, but perhaps none more so than Nasheyla Mason, who went 5 of 9 en route to 15 points and five rebounds. Mason is trending in the right direction considering she's improved her point production for three straight games. The team also got some help courtesy of J'Riyana Edwards, who posted seven points and six rebounds.
Kinston was working as a unit and finished the game with 14 assists. That's the most assists they've managed all season.
Several Tigers players turned in solid performances despite ultimately coming up short. Perhaps the best among those players was Aleyah Wilson, who put up 12 points. Another player making a difference was Y'Anna Rivers, who had ten points.
Vikings
| 01/09/25 vs James Kenan | 50-38 |
| 01/03/25 vs South Lenoir | 56-30 |
| 12/19/24 vs Greene Central | 56-33 |
| 12/17/24 vs J.H. Rose | 68-26 |
| 12/03/24 vs West Carteret | 57-29 |
| + 2 more games |
Kinston's victory was their seventh straight at home dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 12-1. Those victories came thanks to their defensive effort, having only surrendered 29.9 points per game. As for James Kenan, they have traveled a rocky road recently having lost three of their last four matches, which put a noticeable dent in their 2-4 record this season.
Kinston didn't take long to hit the court again: they've already played their next game, a 41-35 win against Wallace-Rose Hill on the 14th. As for James Kenan, they also wasted no time getting back out on the court and have already played their next contest, a 47-42 victory against Clinton on the 13th.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
