COKER ROUNDUP: Mount Olive hoops sweeps Coker

MOUNT OLIVE, N.C. — Craig Hayes led four players in double figures with 22 points and helped spark a 19-2 run to give Mount Olive the lead for good as the regionally fifth-ranked Trojans defeated Coker 82-65 on Monday at Kornegay Arena.

Mike Holloman added 21 points and Kendrick Easley scored 12 of his 18 points in the second half to lead the Trojans to their 12th win in their last 13 games.

Mount Olive (17-5 overall, 14-1 Conference Carolinas) trailed by seven points late in the first half, but Easley’s steal and layup with four seconds left capped an 8-0 run to end the half and give the Trojans a 31-30 halftime lead.

After Coker (9-11, 6-8) scored on the opening possession of the second half, Holloman and Hayes hit three-pointers and Lamonte’ Theus’ three-point play finished a run of 11 unanswered points to give Mount Olive a 42-32 lead with 16:08 left in the contest.

Baskets by Mason Ambler began and ended a 7-0 run for Coker as the Cobras pulled within three. Holloman then scored the game’s next seven points to give Mount Olive a 10-point lead. Coker got as close as five points, but Easley connected on back-to-back three-pointers to give Mount Olive a 59-48 lead with 9:41 left.

Ambler led Coker with a game-high 24 points and matched Hayes with eight rebounds. Thompson added 13 points off the bench.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Trojans stay hot, defeat Cobras
MOUNT OLIVE, N.C. - Helen Moore shared game-high honors with 19 points, Laporsha Davis scored 18 points and Meaghan Vanderhorst added 15 points and five steals off the bench as Mount Olive defeated Coker 77-53.
Mount Olive (12-9 overall, 11-5 Conference Carolinas) led by 13 at the half and Davis’ basket with 12:53 left in the game pushed the margin past the 20-point mark at 53-32. Coker (3-18, 2-14) got as close as 16, but Moore’s basket with 6:49 remaining gave the Trojans a 63-42 lead and Mount Olive led by at least 20 points the rest of the way. The Trojans built the lead to as many as 27 points.

Jasmine Alston finished with 19 points for Coker, while Kiesha Beavers added 12 points. Koponen recorded a double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds.

GOLF
Cobras 10th at Invitational
REUNION, Fla. — Three Coker golfers shot 73 in Monday’s second round of the Golfweek Division II Invitational at the Independence Golf Course in Reunion, Fla.
The Cobras shot a team score of 293 (+5), the second lowest score of the day, giving them a two day total of 599 (+23).

Coker is 10 strokes back of leader, Nova Southeastern, with one round left still left to play Tuesday.

Jake Murphy leads the way for Coke and shot 73 for a a two-round total of 2-over 146, which ties him for eighth place.

Ben Conroy is just three shots back of Murphy after shooting 73 in the second round. Jay Goldenberg was the third Cobra to shoot 73, improving his two round total to 8-over 152.
Seniors Chris Marsh (156)) and Jimmy Gillam (157) round out the scoring.

Coker will tee off for the final round today at 7:20 a.m. Live scoring for the event can be found at www.golfstat.com.

MEN’S TENNIS
North Greenville blanks Coker
TIGERVILLE — The Cobra men’s tennis team failed to win a single match as Coker lost to North Greenville 9-0 in a non-conference men’s tennis match.
The loss drops the Cobra men to 0-2 on the year.

WOMEN’S TENNIS
Blanchard shines in Coker loss
TIGERVILLE — Coker’s Alyssa Blanchardwas 2-0 on the day winning both her singles and doubles matches, but it was not enough to lead the Cobras to victory, as they lost to North Greenville in a non-conference tennis match 6-3.
Blanchard and Stephanie Medley won their doubles match 8-0, while Blanchard also won her singles match 6-0, 7-6 (7-5).
Hartsville’s Stephanie Harrelson earned her first collegiate victory with a 6-2, 4-6, 10-7 win.