Kinston wins record 4th straight title, 60-43
Kinston High School's boys basketball team made history on Saturday, becoming the first 2-A boys basketball program to win a fourth straight state championship with a 60-43 win over East Lincoln.
For a while in the first half it looked like Kinston would be in for a fight.
East Lincoln took a 14-8 lead in the first quarter, holding Brandon Ingram scoreless until the second quarter.
Kinston started its comeback in the second quarter though, but Ingram only managed five poitns in the period. Despite Ingram's offensive struggles, Kinston took a 28-26 lead into halftime, thanks in large part to points off turnovers and second chance points.
Kinston was out-rebounded in the first half by East Lincoln 16-14, but that would change in the second half.
Ingram came out of halftime on a mission. He scored 10 points in the third quarter, doubling his scoring total for the first half. Kinston outscored East Lincoln 12-9 in the third quarter, giving the Vikings a 40-35 lead going into the final eight minutes.
With 4:09 left in game, Cameron Dollar split two free throws to close Kinston's lead to 46-40, but East Lincoln never got any closer.
Kinston held East Lincoln without another point until the 1:22 mark when Chazz Surratt hit a 3-pointer. But by that point it was too late. The Vikings led 56-43.
Ingram led Kinston in scoring with 28 points and 10 rebounds, earning Most Valuable Player honors. Darnell Dunn added 12 points for the Vikings.
Ingram and Dunn became the first two players in N.C. High School Athletic Association history to win four boys basketball state championships in their high school careers.
Sage Surratt led East Lincoln in scoring with 25 points. His brother, Chazz, had 10 points and 12 rebounds.
East Lincoln entered the game with a 24-0 record. Had East Lincoln won the game, it would have become the first school in NCHSAA history to complete undefeated seasons in both football and boys basketball in the same school year.
Follow Nick Stevens on Twitter @NickStevensHSOT
