Late in the third quarter of Tuesday's game at James Moore gym, the Pinecrest boys pressed the cruise control button.

Visiting Hoke County took advantage. The Bucks twice cut what had once been a 17-point Patriot advantage to five points in the last four minutes of the game before the home team secured a 65-54 victory.

Jarrin Wooten led the Patriots with 15 points and 14 rebounds. Cedrick Threadgill contributed 11 points and Daquan Towns (10 points) came off the bench to make all four Patriot field goals in the final period.

Pinecrest took a 13-1 overall and 4-0 mark in the Mid-Southeastern Conference into Thursday's game at Jack Britt (9-5, 3-1). For results of that game, visit www.thepilot.com.

With a tough opponent on deck, the manner in which his team finished the game was not to Patriot coach Mike Apple's liking.

"We are a really talented ball club," he said afterward. "I really believe we can play very good offensively and very good defensively. Our biggest problem is that for whatever reason we get complacent at times.

"We go through droughts where we're turning the ball over too much and we're not contesting very hard on defense. That gets us in trouble."

Josh Scales and Tony Allbrooks had three assists each, and Wooten scored nine points, as the Patriots operated efficiently on the way to a 25-14 lead at the end of a quarter.

Early in the third period, Wooten turned a pass from Jahrelle Person in transition into a three-point play and a 45-28 Patriot lead. But, seven points in a row by the Bucks' Cory Freeman made it a 55-50 ball game with four minutes left in the game.

A jumper from the side by Towns, after penetration by Scales, ended the Patriot slide. Another basket by the junior, and a pair at the foul line by Scales, put the home team back in control at 61-52 with 1:29 remaining.

Towns scored 36 points in one game as member of the jayvee team last year. Averaging 7.4 points per game in a reserve role for the varsity, his season high is 21 scored against North Moore in November.

"I really haven't been scoring much in the past games," he said. "This game was kind of good for me, coming off the bench."

Contact Charlie Bergmann by e-mail at cbergmann@nc.rr.com

Hoke 14 14 13 13 54

Pinecrest 25 14 14 12 65

Hoke Reed 1 0-0 2, Morales 0 0-0 0, Wolff 1 0-0 2, Boston 3 0-0 6, Melvin 0 0-0 0, McKoy 5 2-2 12, Peguese 1 0-0 2, Freeman 6 6-8 18, McLean 6 0-0 12. Totals 23 8-20 54. Pinecrest Threadgill 2 6-6 11, Scales 2 4-8 8, Cole 1 0-0 2, Person 1 0-0 3, Wooten 6 3-5 15, Allbrooks 1 1-2 3, McCullough 2 1-2 5, Towns 5 0-0- 10, Brewer 3 0-0 6, Smith 1 0-0 2, Baldwin 0 0-0 0. Totals 24 15-23 65. Three-point goals: Hoke none; Pinecrest 2 (person, Threadgill).