By Bob Sutton
Special to The Alamance News
Williams put together a strong boys’ basketball season, but that came to an end for the Bulldogs on Monday night in Rocky Mount.
They fell to top-seeded Northern Nash by 72-60 in the fourth round of the Class 6-A East Region, so fifth-seeded Williams was denied a spot in the regional final.
With a 21-6 record, the Bulldogs produced their first 20-win season since 2018-19.
Christian Barnes scored 27 points for host Northern Nash (23-3), which had advanced by whipping eighth-seeded West Johnston 67-29 two days earlier.
Williams, which led until the final minute of the first quarter, received 28 points from Bubba Sims and 12 points from Colby Elliott.
- Williams went on the road to conquer fourth-seeded Fayetteville Seventy-First 68-52 on Saturday.
Elliott racked up 30 points and 15 rebounds for the Bulldogs. Sims had 16 points and Isaiah Long supplied 12 points.
“One of, if not our best, defensive games and rebounding games,” Williams coach Jimmy Lloyd said.
Fayetteville Seventy-First nipped Harnett Central 53-51 in the second round.
- After a bye, Williams opened play in the state playoffs with a 72-54 home victory against No. 12 seed Lee County last Thursday as Elliott scored 27 points, Sims posted 16 points, and Long added 11 points.
That came a day after former University of North Carolina and NBA player David Noel, an assistant coach with the G League’s Greensboro Swarm, spoke to the Bulldogs at practice. Lloyd said Noel provided a good message.
With eight seniors, Lloyd liked the sense of urgency.
“For a lot of kids, this is their last basketball game (if you lose),” he said.
Sims picked up his second foul 1:34 into the game, so he spent time on the bench but the Bulldogs went on to build a 25-15 lead. Lee County (17-8) was within 52-42 going to the fourth quarter. Freshman D.J. Brown finished with 26 points for the Yellow Jackets.
Southern tumbles in second round
- Southern Alamance lost 69-53 in the second round at top-seeded Northern Nash in an East Region game last Thursday.
The No. 17 seed Patriots (10-15) fell into a 30-20 halftime hole. Quantay James had 18 points for Northern Nash. Jasiah Allen’s 17 points and Braxton Ware’s 13 points led Southern.
