The Opp Bobcats put up a solid fight on Friday night in Opp as they split varsity contest with the Kinston Bulldogs.

BOYS

OPP 58,

KINSTON 55

In the final game of the evening, the Bobcats used a big second half to knock off the Bulldogs 58-55.

Both teams struggled to find a bucket in the opening minutes, but Opp’s Caleb Hinton put the Bobcats up 1-0 after hitting a free throw with 5:45 left in the first period.

Kinston then got a pair of free throws to take a 2-1 lead.

Opp followed with a big 3-pointer from Ethan Baker that put the Bobcats back on top.

The lead changed hands again when Kinston got a 3-pointer and went up 5-4.

A few minutes later, Hinton soared up for an offensive rebound and put the ball back in to leave the Bobcats down 7-6.

Opp’s Shawn Tillis then buried a 3-pointer to put Opp up 9-7.

Kinston continued to battle and a 3-pointer near the end of the period gave the Bulldogs a 10-9 lead heading into the second period.

The Bulldogs got a free throw to start the second period before Opp’s Bryan Matthews got a basket to cut the Kinston lead down to 13-11.

Following a Kinston layup, Opp’s Erik Matthews got back-to-back scores to tie the game 15-15 with 3:27 left before halftime.

Kinston grabbed the lead back for a brief moment before another bucket from E. Matthews tied the game 17-17.

E. Matthews then got a steal on the inbound pass and tossed the rock to B. Matthews who dropped it in for a layup to put the Bobcats on top 19-17 with 1:03 left before halftime.

The Bobcats continued to surge with a bucket from Reid Josey and then a 3-pointer at the buzzer from B. Matthews gave Opp a 24-19 lead going into halftime.

Opp opened up the third period with a quick bucket from Hinton and the a 3-pointer from Baker put the Bobcats on top 29-19.

Opp’s Javontea Crittenden then hit a free throw to give the Bobcats a 30-19 advantage.

Kinston responded with a score, but Opp answered right back with a layup from Crittenden.

Crittended continued to play the hot hand as he drained a 3-pointer to give the Bobcats a 35-21 lead.

After another score from Kinston, Opp’s Baker came up with a steal and turned into a layup.

Moments later, Baker got the ball back, pump faked a Kinston defender and dropped in another layup to lift the Bobcats to a 39-24 lead.

Kinston the went on a mini streak and cut the Bobcat lead back down to 10 points.

Kinston then got another 3-pointer to cut the Bobcat lead down to nine points.

With the clock running out on the period, B. Matthews fired up and hit his second buzzer-beating 3-pointer to put the Bobcats on top 44-32 heading into the final period.

Opp opened the fourth period with a free throw from B. Matthews to put Opp up 45-34.

Kinston then went on run as the cut the Bobcats’ lead down to 45-41 early in the final frame.

Opp then stretched the lead back out a bit with a layup from Crittenden and then a pair of free throws from Baker.

Lane Ballard got an offensive rebound and put it back in for a score to give the Bobcats a 51-43 lead.

The Bobcats pushed the lead back up to 10 points when E. Matthews dropped in a layup.

Kinston wasn’t going to go away with a fight as they began to dig back into the Bobcat lead late in the fourth period.

The Bulldogs managed to cut the Bobcat lead down to 54-51 with just 23 seconds left in the game.

Opp then got solid free throw shooting from B. Matthews and Baker to give the Bobcats a 58-53 victory.

Baker led the Bobcats with 14 points.

B. Matthews and E. Matthews each finished the game with 13 points for the Bobcats.

GIRLS

KINSTON 48,

OPP 22

In the opening varsity game, the Lady Bulldogs came out on fire as they cruised to a 48-22 victory over the Lady Bobcats.

Kinston opened the game almost exclusively shooting from 3-point land, and they weren’t missing many of their shots.

The Lady Bulldogs knocked down seven 3-pointers in the opening frame as they built a 23-7 lead heading into the second period.

Kinston’s Kasady Cardwell accounted from four 3-pointers in the first period.

Emilee Patterson had two 3-pointers and Addison Musgrove tacked on one 3-pointer.

After mounting a huge first period lead, the Lady Bulldogs backed off and didn’t hit another 3-pointer for the remainder of the game.

Faith Bess led the Lady Bobcats with five points.

Addie Jacobs, Nykie Bell and Taniyah Thompson each had four points for Opp.