Experience-short Panthers bond early during rebuild

ED roster has one senior, core of upstarts

BEULAVILLE – East Duplin’s unexpected second-round bounce from the 2A football playoffs gave boys basketball coach Blake Lanier more practice time than normal. Lanier – the former point guard on ED’s 2009 2A East Regional finalist and also a player at Methodist University – needs the time since the roster has just one returning player with experience. And that player – Jeremiah Judge – was on the floor “only a good one-third of the time,” said his coach. “Believe it or not, we’re a little more together because of football,” said Lanier, who was Duplin’s Elite Coach of the Year in his first season on the bench. We have some guys really excited to be here.” Judge will play point guard but also swing to the two-slot in the backcourt at times. “He has knowledge and experience and can be a leader,” Lanier said. “ He’s really quick and can bring it on the defensive end. He’s gotten a lot better and matured in the offseason and is making good decisions.” His backcourt mate will often be Zack Ball, a 6-foot-2 sophomore. “He was very consistent over the summer,“ Lanier said. “He had a great camp at N.C. State. But like Jeremiah, he has to remain aggressive.” Calvin Harper, a stud on ED’s football D-line, likewise has a role in the guard rotation. Post players Jordan Hall and Garrett Johnson, and swingman Jacorey Davis will be counted on heavily. Luke Hughes, Sedrick Lawson and Brandon Scarborough will vie for minutes. Shawn Davis, who broke his collarbone in football as the Panthers’ top running back, could help later in the season. Lanier expects Kinston to rule the ECC, with Southwest Onslow returning most of its 2022 roster and in the mix. “The key for us is being disciplined and executing, having everyone know and do his job, not having our guys try to do things that look good,” Lanier said. “A lot of basketball players don’t know a lot about basketball and teamwork. “I think the (extra) time we had has made our chemistry better than last year (when ED had a mid-December ending to its football season). We’re inexperienced, but we’re putting forth the kind of energy we need early on.” ED went 8-13 overall and 6-7 in ECC play last season. Its best win came by beating Wallace-Rose Hill to avenge two previous setbacks to the Bulldogs.