Pinecrest boys’ coach Mike Apple called his team’s second half at Red Springs on Tuesday its best 16 minutes of basketball this season.

The Patriots (6-2) traded the lead several times with the Red Devils (4-2) late in the second quarter and early in the third before breaking away for an 81-61 victory. They outscored the home team 47-28 after the intermission.

The Pats needed every one of Faronte Drakeford’s 19 first half points to take a 34-33 lead into the halftime intermission. Two threes by Marshall Smith and 10 points by Antonio Jones helped them build a 60-50 lead going into the last quarter.

Phillip Wallace scored all 11 of his points in the second half and Jones put up 14 of his 21. Drakeford had a quiet second half, but still finished with 21 points to go with 11 rebounds. Smith contributed 11 points and Traivon Williams was another second half standout, ending up with nine. Red Devil star Glenn Patterson was held to 18 points.

In Tuesday’s first game, the Pinecrest girls (6-1) defeated Red Springs 34-23. Five steals in the third quarter by Jennie Joy and a game-high 17 rebounds by Felicia Painter offset a stumbling offensive effort by the Patriots.

The Red Devils (1-5) didn’t make their first basket until the second minute of the second quarter. Threes by Keegan Lynch and Shaniqua Collins accounted for half of the Patriot points as they took a 12-9 lead into the intermission.

Most of the third quarter scoring action revolved around the steals by Joy. Janea Williams also scored seven of her nine points in the period as the Pats upped their lead to 26-14. Both teams continued to find baskets hard to come by in the final eight minutes of play.

Joy finished the game with five points, seven rebounds, seven steals and four assists. Williams grabbed a total of 10 rebounds.

The Patriot girls and boys entertain Overhills on Wednesday, beginning with the girls’ contest at 6 p.m.