Warrior senior drops in 45 points

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on February 28, 2008 2:22 PM

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Brittani Billups scored a career high 45 points and grabbed 14 rebounds as Eastern Wayne advanced to the N.C. High School Athletic Association Class 3-A sectional No. 1 finals with a 68-53 victory over Havelock.

Billups poured in 14 third-quarter points.

"We knew we had to pick it up," said Billups. "Since it wasn't happening on the defensive end, I knew we would need the offense."

Eastern Wayne bolted to a 13-point, first-quarter lead, but the Rams trimmed it to 43-41 midway through the second half.

"When we are playing well, I think we are as good as anyone in the east," said Warriors coach Brent Holland. "We just have to be mature and focus for 32 minutes."

The Warriors (22-4 overall) regained their collective focus in the final period, led by Billups underneath and some good ball control offense. They extended their lead to 15 points and played their best perimeter defense of the evening in the game's final minutes.

Aside from Billups' 45 points, Eastern Wayne also got nine points from Jasmine Middleton. Kahla Godette and Alyssa Luebs scored 19 and 11 points, respectively, for Havelock.

"We are starting to see the prize," Holland said. "Any team that can make it through the second round certainly has a chance."

State-ranked and unbeaten South Central (27-0) awaits Eastern Wayne on Friday. The Falcons picked up two regular-season victories over the Warriors.

"I'll watch the film tonight, and we'll break it down tomorrow, and at this point everyone has a chance," Holland said. "You don't have to be the best team in the state, just the best team on that night.

"We know it will be a monumental challenge for us."