The Union Pines Vikings gave up a combined 54 points in the first and fourth quarters Friday in an 82-62 league loss to Gray’s Creek in Hope Mills.

With the loss Union Pines is now 0-8 in 3-A Cape Fear Valley Conference play on the season and 4-16 overall.

The homestanding Bears rushed out to take an emphatic 27-15 lead through one period of action. In the second quarter Union Pines trailed 32-20 through the five-minute mark but hung tough.

Responding with a scrappy 14-5 run, featuring two long balls from senior captain Matthew Maness, the Vikings cut the score to 37-34 on a pair of made free throws from senior Mike Quick with 37.6 ticks remaining until halftime. However, the home team scored twice in the final 28 seconds to lead 41-34 at the half.

Union Pines trailed 51-37 with 2:12 to play in the third period, before closing the frame with four critical made baskets to trail by only nine points. Armani McCoy connected for two of those shots, including a deep trey.

Through three periods of play the scoreboard read 55-46 in favor of the Bears, but that margin soon expanded rapidly. Gray’s Creek started the fourth quarter by feeding 6-foot-5 sophomore swingman Jeff Gibson with a steady diet of entry passes down low. The result was a quick surge that gave the Bears a commanding 64-51 lead with 5:01 left to play in the contest.

Maness made two of his five three-point field goals in the final two minutes of game, but the damage had been done as the Vikings remained winless in CFVC play with just four league game left on the schedule.

On the night Maness led Union Pines with 17 points. Joining him in double-figure scoring was Quick with 11 points and senior Dionte Williams with 13.

Gray’s Creek (9-10, 4-4 CFVC) had six players register double-digit scoring performances Friday. Gibson finished with a game-high 17 for the Bears, followed by Michael Morning (16), Dionte McMillan (15), Ken McDowell (12) and D. J. Gathers with 11.

Monday marks Union Pines return to the hardwood as the Vikings host Douglas Byrd (6-12, 3-4) in a league clash at 7:30 p.m. at Bob Ward Gym in Cameron.

Union Pines 27 14 14 27 — 82

Gray’s Creek 15 19 12 16 — 62

Union Pines: Maness 6 0-1 17, Williams 5 3-4 13, Quick 4 3-6 11, A. McCoy 2 1-2 6, D. Carlyle 2 1-6 5, J. Thompson 2 0-0 4, L. Davis 2 0-0 4, T. Packer 1 0-0 2. Totals 24 8-19 62.

Gray’s Creek: Gibson 6 5-7 17, Morning 6 4-7 16, McMillan 5 5-7 15, McDowell 6 0-0 12, Gathers 4 2-3 11, D. Freeman 2 1-1 5, X. Washington 2 0-0 4, G. Wright 1 0-0 2. Totals 32 17-25 82.

Three-point goals: Union Pines 6 (Maness 5, McCoy); Gray’s Creek 1 (Gathers).