Brian Davis has been familiar with Cedar Ridge basketball since its most prosperous period.
He was a student in 2010 when the Red Wolves went undefeated to win the Carolina 9 Conference championship and reached the 2A Eastern Regional Championship game. When the Red Wolves lost to Clinton at Minges Coliseum in Greenville, it was actually considered an upset.
After eight years as Cedar Ridge’s junior varsity head coach, Davis got his first win as the varsity head coach in convincing fashion on Thursday night.
Senior Kevin Ntim scored a career-high 17 points as the Red Wolves never trailed in a dominant 67-57 win over Northern Durham in the home opener at Red Wolves Gymnasium.
After falling to Northern Durham 52-43 in the season opener on November 14 at Knights Gymnasium, the Red Wolves scored 46 points during the first half in the rematch on Thursday. Sophomore A.J. Seymore scored 15 points while center Jack Kelsey added eleven points and nine rebounds.
Northern’s Nas Haskins lit up Cedar Ridge with 28 points in the opening meeting in Durham. In Hillsborough, Haskins was held to four points. His only field goal came off a banked-in three pointer in the second quarter.
JoJo Moore led Northern with 16 points. He was the only Knight in double-figures.
Northern Durham (2-1) suffered its first loss after beating Durham School of the Arts last Tuesday.
Davis has been an assistant under previous head coaches Clay Jones, Jaison Brooks and Mike Jones. He assumed his new role in September after Jones resigned in June.
“It means a lot to be able to bring a win and be able to coach this team,” Davis said. “To be able to walk these halls and be with these boys and see the kids grow up in the place where I grew up. I remember when this team played in Greenville. I’m trying to model it after those guys. That’s what we’re trying to build here.”
All sports at Cedar Ridge seem to be in a constant state of transition. Basketball is no different. The Red Wolves’ leading scorer from last year, point guard Jordan Jacobson, transferred to Burlington Christian Academy last spring. It left returning starter Tripp Beasley as the new point guard.
Ntim, in his second varsity season, has emerged as a viable new weapon. A raw low-post presence last year, Ntim has transformed into a sleeker, more agile presence with improved ball handling ability under Davis’ leadership.
“This offseason, he put a lot of work in to really develop his shot,” Davis said. “He wanted to do a little bit more than just be a defensive presence like we had last year. This summer, he put a lot of work in the gym during our workouts and fall.”
Seymore opened the game with consecutive 3-pointers as the Red Wolves charged out to a 12-4 run, capped by Kelsey scoring off a give-and-go from Beasley in transition. Northern’s Tanner Freeman drained a trey, tying the game at 3-3, the only time it was even all night. After Northern’s A.J. Stokes scored off a pass from Josh Ford, the Red Wolves went on a 10-0 spurt starting with two free throws from Ntim. A lay-in by Ntim off a pass from Beasley put Cedar Ridge ahead 16-6.
Ford scored five consecutive points early in the second quarter to reduce the Red Wolves’ lead to 25-16, but a jumper by Ntim off a steal by Seymoure kept the Red Wolves ahead 27-16. Karter Wilson immediately added a 3-pointer and the Red Wolves led by double-figures the rest of the game.
Cedar Ridge built its advantage to as much as 23 points in the third quarter after two Seymore free throws put them ahead 47-24 with 7:37 remaining in the third quarter.
The Red Wolves will travel to Burlington to face Walter Williams on December 1.
