Cedar Ridge has ended its Big 8 regular season slate, and while much of the season has been disappointing, its future was on full display in Oxford on Friday night.
Freshman Mekai Collins scored 14 points while junior Dmonte Kinney added 12 as the Red Wolves ended a three-game losing streak, beating J.F. Webb 65-55.
Another freshman, B.J. Freeman, added 10 points and grabbed crucial rebounds as the Red Wolves pulled away late for its first and only conference win of the season.
Cedar Ridge will finish the regular season next Friday at Roxboro Community School. Then they will venture into the Big 8 Tournament against an opponent to be determined on February 13.
Leading 42-41, Webb (4-16, 2-8) opened the fourth quarter with a 5-0 run. Kendall Baskett three-point play with 7:13 remaining gave Webb a 47-41 lead, their largest of the game.
Battling against the Warriors’ 2-3 zone, Khalil Crawford started the comeback with a three-pointer. After Collins split a pair from the foul line to narrow the Webb lead to 47-45, B.J. Freeman found Khalil Barnett for a lay-up to tie the game.
On the subsequent possession, Collins stole the ball from Warriors center Shemar Coachman and scored on a breakaway with 4:15 remaining.
Collins rebounded an miss by Kenneth Veney and found Barnett on a no-look pass to extend the Red Wolves lead to 49-45.
After a field goal by Webb’s Serba Davis, Cedar Ridge’s B.J. Freeman scored on a lay-in. Freeman rebounded the subsequent missed free-throw, then found Tahjai Hill-Wells for another layup. Freeman then put the game on ice after Barnett found him on an inbounds pass wide open at the other end of the floor, beating the Warriors press.
Cedar Ridge completed a season-sweep of the Warriors. The Red Wolves prevailed 69-52 on January 25.
CEDAR RIDGE: Dmonte Kinney 12, Khalil Barnett 8, Terrence Crawford 5, Tahjai Hill-Wells 4, Mekai Collins 14, Khalil Hill 8, Colby Cashaw 4, B.J. Freeman 10.
J.F. WEBB: Unique Heggie 4, Shurone Harris 9, Kendell Baskett 16, Serba Davis 7, Kenneth Veney 6, Shaddarius Wilkerson 13.