LONDON — South Laurel jumped out to an early lead, but Wayne County used a strong second quarter and steady play down the stretch to pull away for a 62-55 win.
The Cardinals (1-3) built an 18-14 advantage at the end of the first quarter as Kaden Taylor scored eight points. Isiah Robinson added four points, while Garrison Brown and Brendon Murphy each knocked down a 3-pointer to give South Laurel an early spark.
Wayne County answered in the second quarter, taking control before halftime. Kendall Phillips scored 16 of his game-high 24 points in the period, hitting three 3-pointers as Wayne County went into the locker room with a 32-26 lead.
“Give Wayne County credit, they have a really nice team and played very well,” South Laurel coach Jeff Davis said. “They play hard and executed on both ends very well.”
Wayne County continued to build its lead in the second half, entering the fourth quarter ahead 46-37. South Laurel tried to mount a rally, but Wayne County held on to secure the win.
“We didn’t play well in stretches and when you turn it over and take bad shots it can lead to those stretches to being longer than you can over come,” Davis added. “I have to do a better job to help them out in those situations.”
Taylor led South Laurel with 13 points, while Kaiden McQueen and Murphy each scored nine points. Brown and Robinson chipped in eight points apiece.
