RALEIGH — Broughton overcame a slow start Tuesday to roll past Enloe 67-49 in Cap Eight boys’ basketball.
The Caps (11-3, 3-1), ranked No. 5 in The News & Observer’s poll of area teams, used a huge second quarter to pull ahead.
Down by one after the first period, the Caps outscored Enloe 20-5 in the second quarter to take the lead and create plenty of distance to secure the home win.
“We were in such a hurry and we just made some bad decisions early on, and yet we were only down by a few,” Broughton coach Jeff Ferrell said. “I had to get on them a little bit and they responded.”
It was Devonte Graham who kept Broughton in the game and poised for a comeback early on. The senior scored all seven Broughton points to pull even with Enloe and then hammered in a breakaway dunk for the Caps’ first lead in the first quarter.
Enloe (7-6, 1-3) answered to briefly regain the lead, but couldn’t maintain control.
“We just couldn’t get the ball in the hole there and then they got going,” Enloe coach Tommy Moore said. “We had them for eight or nine turnovers early on, which helped our cause, but then we had them for one (in the second quarter). You just can’t give a team like that spurts.”
The Caps led 31-17 at the half, then both teams got off to a slow start in the third quarter.
Broughton senior Jamie Rucker went down with a hip injury that halted play for more than 10 minutes midway through the quarter. He was taken away by emergency personnel.
The Caps held Enloe without a field goal for nearly six minutes in the second half and Broughton scored a quick seven points once play resumed to go up 42-20 with 2 minutes, 23 seconds remaining in the third.
“Sometimes a break like that can be bad for both teams, but our guys didn’t get down and said ‘let’s do this for Jamie,’ ” Ferrell said. “Enloe’s a good team. They can make a 20-point lead and 10-point lead really fast, so I’m proud of my guys. … I thought James (Hemphill) and Chris Brickhouse played well in the paint and really looked for each other.”
Hemphill scored 10 of his 14 points in the second half, and Brickhouse added nine of his 13 after the break.
Graham led all scorers with 22 points.
The Eagles scored 10 points in the last two minutes of the third quarter after senior Dominique Lee broke the slump, but the offensive burst was too little too late.
Lee led Enloe with 13 points and Micah Turner added seven.
“I’m proud of them because I didn’t think we quit,” Moore said. “We know how this league is. It’s easier said than done, but we have to look past this and get ready for tomorrow and prepare for Friday.”
Enloe will host Wakefield on Friday and Broughton will host Heritage.
Grant: 919-829-4538
