Propelled by a 21-point performance from junior co-captain Alishia Mosley, the Vikings girls' basketball team claimed a 44-37 Cape Fear Valley (CFV) conference basketball victory, over the Triton Hawks, Friday in Erwin.

The Hawks (2-3, 6-6) employed an extended 1-3-1 zone defense, causing Union Pines to sputter out of the gates in the game. The Vikes scored only four first-quarter points and trailed 7-4 after the opening period.

In the second quarter, Mosley found her stride connecting for four three-pointers to lift Union Pines to a 22-15 halftime lead. Turning in a dominating on-court display in all facets of the game, Mosley finished the night with 21 points, five rebounds, four assists and three steals.

After the game, Union Pines' head coach John Lewkowicz was proud of his team's "gritty" performance.

"This was truly a lunch-pail, in-the-trenches type of battle," said Lewkowicz. "Triton is a very physical team and I knew it was going to be a war."

Hawk Jasmin Hicks, a 5-foot-11 center, was a force down low, scoring 19 points, grabbing 11 rebounds and blocking five shots.

Triton forward Shakia Kirksey was also tough in the paint, as she gathered 13 rebounds in the game.

In the third quarter, Hicks scored eight points as the Hawks cut the Vike lead to 29-25 with 1:20 remaining. However that was as close as Triton would come, as Union Pines salted away the game with help from Lindsey Wilborn who had five points in the final quarter to go along with two blocks and two steals.

Wilborn a Vike senior co-captain scored seven points, grabbed nine rebounds, and had 4 steals and 4 blocks on the night.

"Lindsey (Wilborn) was just outstanding in the second half," said Lewkowicz. "I also thought Morgan Carlyle gave us a great lift off the bench -- she had a beautiful ballgame and I was really happy with the way she played. She does all the little things and played tremendous tonight. Morgan did a great job of boxing out and keeping Hicks off the boards so that somebody else could get the ball."

Carlyle, a senior, had five rebounds for Union Pines to go along with two points.

Freshman Crystal Hicks also played a large role for the Vikings in the post, picking up seven rebounds to go along with three steals and three assists. Sophomore Tyesha McLean pitched in with five points and five assists for Union Pines.

With the victory the Vikes are now 12-3 on the year and 5-0 in the CFV conference standings, where they remain tied atop the league with the Western Harnett Eagles (5-0 15-0) who defeated Southern Lee 61-20 Friday.

Union Pines will take on Western Harnett Friday in Lillington. Game time is 6 p.m.

Contact F.W. Manning at

639-5481 or by email at fwm2@nc.rr.com

U 4 18 9 13 -- 44

T 7 8 10 12 -- 37

U: M. Carlyle 0 (2-2) 2; T. McLean 1 (3-7) 5; T. Whitney 1 (0-0) 2; R. Torrence 2 (0-0) 4; C. Hicks 0 (1-3) 1; L. Wilborn 3 (1-3) 7; A. Mosley 1 (4-4) 21; C. Daley 1 (0-0) 2. Totals 9 (11-19) 44.

T: D. McNeill 1 (1-2) 3; J. Hicks 6 (4-7) 19; A. Morris 2 (0-0) 7; S. Kirksey 0 (2-2) 2; S. McKoy 1 (0-0) 2; S. Jackson 2 (0-2). Totals 12 (7-13) 37.

Three-point goals: Union Pines 5 (Mosley 5) ; Triton 2 (Hicks, Morris)