The undefeated Pinecrest boys basketball team capped an entertaining Tuesday evening at James Moore Gym with a 95-78 victory over Red Springs.

The Patriots, 4-0 going into tonight's game at Southern Lee, travel to Western Harnett Friday to meet the Eagles at 7:30 p.m. in the final game of a girls-boys, jayvee-varsity quadruple header that gets under way at 4 p.m.

Coach Mike Apple's squad never trailed against Red Springs after taking a 3-2 lead on a basket by Faronte Drakeford. The junior forward and senior Daquan Towns shared scoring honors for the Patriots with 15 points each. The Red Devils (2-3) were led by Glenn Patterson Jr. with 28 points.

Patterson went on a late-game scoring binge in last year's game at Red Springs, sending a game eventually won by Pinecrest into overtime. This year, Phillip Wallace was given the main defensive responsibility to contain the 5-foot-9 junior.

"I heard he was averaging over 24 points a game," Wallace said at the end of the game. "I played with him this summer in AAU so I knew he could shoot."

The Patriots built a 36-29 halftime lead with Wallace and others holding Patterson to 11 points. The Red Devil guard erupted for nine points in the third period, but a couple of Patriots more than made up for it.

With Pinecrest leading 36-33, Towns turned two steals into baskets and moments later fed Julian Brewer for a dunk and a 46-35 advantage. Antonio Jones then came off the bench to score eight points late in a quarter that ended with the Pats on top 64-51.

"We always knew Antonio could score," Wallace said, "but we didn't know he could have a burst like that."

"Antonio is as gifted an offensive player as I've got," Apple said of the 5-10 junior. "He's got a lot of work to do ballhandling-wise. The thing I really appreciate about him is I told him he'd really have to play defense this year to play a lot, and he's doing that."

By midway through the fourth period, the Patriot lead was 21 points at 80-59. Jones and Marshall Smith each finished with 12 points as the Patriot bench produced a total of 42 points. Eight belonged to James Baldwin, who is back with the team now that the football season is over.

Wallace finished with 10 points. He and Harron Carson shared the lead in assists with five apiece.

"The best thing you can say about Phillip is his intelligence," Apple said. "He's a very smart kid and he wants to be a good basketball player. He's soaking up everything we're telling him."

Also on Tuesday, the Patriot jayvee team (1-1) excelled on a defense in a 45-21 victory at Red Springs. Gabriel Tolson was the leading scorer with 10 points. Brian Scales and Greg Barnes added eight and seven, respectively.

Red Springs 12 17 22 27 -- 78

Pinecrest 19 17 29 31 -- 95

Red Springs S. Ferguson 3 6-10 12, Traynor 1 2-2 4, Klinginschmidt 2 0-0 4, Patterson 10 8-10 28, McDowell 1 0-0 2, Bethea 2 0-0 4, Brown 6 3-4 16, Lowery 1 0-0 2, N. Ferguson 1 0-0 2, Jones 2 0-0 4. Totals 29 19-26 78. Pinecrest McLaughlin 1 2-2 4, Wallace 3 3-4 10, Towns 7 1-3 15, Brewer 3 3-4 9, Drakeford 7 1-2 15, Carson 1 3-10 5, Smith 5 1-2 12, Jones 4 4-5 12, Baldwin 3 2-5 8, Russ 2 0-0 4, Collins 0 1-2 1, McPhaul 0 0-0 0, Pride 0 0-0 0, Peterkin 0 0-0 0. Totals 36 21-39 95. Three-point goals: (R ) 1 (Brown); (P) 2 (Wallace, Smith).