Scots hold off Cape Fear with late-game free throws

LAURINBURG —Senior Zaymon Gibson scored 26 points as the Fighting Scots’ boys basketball team (11-11) defeated the Cape Fear Colts on the road, 58-55, Thursday. This victory helped Scotland get back on the winning track and even their record at .500.

Sophomore Kam Prince scored 12 points, while freshman Cornelius Davis contributed a solid nine off the bench. With this victory, the Scots took a significant step toward qualifying for the playoffs.

“The guys did everything we asked of them,” head coach Jarvis Cobb said. “With it being the end of the year, we want to be in the playoffs and have to be playing at our best.”

The Scots held a lead at the end of each quarter, but a tightly contested fourth quarter left the Colts with a 55-54 lead with 1:51 remaining. It seemed as if Cape Fear would pull away, but Scotland’s defense held strong and didn’t allow another score.

Zaymon Gibson and Kam Prince went 4 for 4 from the free-throw line down the stretch, and Cape Fear’s final heave for the tie fell short and Scotland walked away victorious.

“In our first meeting they [Cape Fear] gave it to us; we played one of the worst games of the season, but we bounced back and pulled out the victory,” Cobb said.

Scotland will be on the road in a rematch versus Gray’s Creek on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.