Warriors snap three-game losing skid
Jan. 25—OXFORD — There are no must-win games in the regular season of high school basketball, but there are contests where coming out with a victory can do much more than simply etch another notch in the win column.
This rang true for J.F. Webb on Tuesday, who played host to Durham School of the Arts in the midst of a three-game losing streak. The Warriors had fallen in their last two contests by a combined 13 points, including an overtime loss to Granville Central.
At 3-4 in Northern Lakes Athletic Conference play, they were in danger of falling into the bottom half of the league standings.
But in dominating fashion, Webb earned an 87-74 victory over the Bulldogs, using a 34-point fourth quarter to secure the win.
Seniors Jamarri Williams (30 points) and Markeevis Latta (29 points) combined for 59 of the Warriors' points and shot an impressive 21-for-34 from the field and 10-for-18 from three-point range.
Head coach Alex Tharp also praised the efforts of senior Jayson Savoy, who, along with 12 points in the effort, recorded steals on three straight possessions in the fourth quarter to assist in the double-digit win.
As a team, Webb converted 55% of their shot attempts, including 67% from inside the arc and 43% from 3-point range.
Even more impressive was their ability to share the ball, recording 18 assists. This marked their third highest total on the season and the most since their Dec. 16 meeting with the Bulldogs, in which they also amassed 18 assists.
Senior guard Cameron Wilkerson led the way with four dimes, while Latta and senior Elijah Rogers each had four.
On the glass, the Warriors were able to limit the number of second-chance points for DSA, as Latta tallied a team-high eight boards with Williams and Rogers right behind with six apiece.
Not to be overlooked is their success at the free throw line, an area in which Webb struggled over their three-game skid, shooting 65.5% in the losses.
On Tuesday, they shot 73% from the charity stripe.
Looking to start a winning streak, the Warriors will travel to Durham County for a matchup with powerhouse Southern Durham on Friday.
After road matchups against the Spartans and the Carrboro Jaguars, they will return home for the final three games of the regular season.
Despite facing Southern Durham and South Granville, who are separated by half a game atop the conference standings, the record of the Warriors' final five opponents is 41-47, giving them a chance to finish the regular season on a high note.
