A county rivalry rarely belongs to just one storyline, and Monday night’s “Battle of the Cats” at Lakewood proved exactly that. Across three games, Hobbton’s JV and varsity boys won their matchups, while the Lady Leopards controlled their contest from start to finish.
The clash between Hobbton and Lakewood revealed different stages of development, different paths to growth, and one shared truth: in Sampson County, nothing comes easy when familiar faces line up across the floor. With conference play just beginning, all teams are trying to position themselves at the top.
The Wildcat boys showed poise under pressure, surviving late surges and closing the game at the free-throw line. Lakewood’s varsity girls, meanwhile, turned defensive intensity and depth into a dominant, wire-to-wire performance. And between the wins and losses, each coach left the floor with something deeper than a score — perspective.
JV Hobbton 59 Lakewood 54
Hobbton’s junior varsity jumped out early, executing with pace and purpose, but the game didn’t settle quietly — and Lakewood made sure of that.
The Wildcats controlled much of the first half behind ball pressure and transition scoring, building what once grew to nearly a 20-point advantage. Yet as the fourth quarter unfolded, the game transformed from a lesson in execution into one of response.
Lakewood JV coach Marcus Graham explained after the game that his message wasn’t about the final margin; it was about when intensity arrives.
“That’s one thing I emphasized at the end of this game,” Graham explained. “If we had started with the intensity we picked up in the third or fourth quarter in the first half, it would have been a whole different ball game. We’ve got to start games out from the jump with high intensity and high aggressiveness.”
That surge was sparked by players like Jon Graham and Malik Rhodes, whose energy ignited the Leopards late.
“That’s big for both of those guys,” Graham added. “From my understanding, this is Jon’s first year on JV, and Malik played last year. Having that leadership helps other guys. When they see those guys picking up their intensity, that feeds off to the teammates and gets everybody pumped up.”
The late push nearly flipped the script, cutting the deficit to five with under two minutes to play. But Hobbton’s composure at the free-throw line ultimately held.
For Wildcats JV coach Dasmine Joyner, the closing moments were about learning how to finish and not celebrate early.
“We went up almost 20, and it just seemed like we hit cruise control,” Joyner remarked. “As they were coming back, I was just screaming to the bench that as a team, we’ve got to cheer on who’s on the court. Every time we break, we say ‘finish’. Every time we break, it’s finish; because at the end of the day, that’s what matters when that clock hits zero.”
Joyner also emphasized the balance in his lineup, a point that stood out over four quarters.
“We have multiple guys that can put points on the board,” he noted. “When our guards hit a wall, we’ve got to rely on the bigs. I was very proud of how we implemented that — everybody touched the ball tonight.”
Even in victory, Joyner kept his team grounded.
“We missed a lot of layups. Those are points left on the board,” he acknowledged. “So that starts at practice. That’s something we’re going to continue to emphasize every day.”
Girls Lakewood 65 Hobbton 9
From the opening possession, Lakewood’s varsity girls played with clarity: pressure first, pace second, and composure always.
The Lady Leopards forced turnover after turnover, converting defense into fast-break points and quickly removing doubt from the equation. A deep rotation allowed Lakewood to maintain intensity while giving valuable minutes to reserves, something coach Lofton Kerr views as an investment, not a luxury.
“It doesn’t always feel good when you can see your reserves come in,” Kerr admitted. “Because that means your bench is getting better. A couple of girls tonight that don’t play a whole lot of minutes got in and showed a little bit of what they could do. Maybe they deserve a little bit more minutes — if they can do it consistently.”
Managing a lopsided game, however, comes with its own challenges.
“It’s a hard game to coach,” Kerr explained. “You don’t want to be disrespectful, but you still want to run your stuff. You don’t want to play down, but you also don’t want to lose what you’re trying to build.”
That balance mattered because, as Kerr pointed out, bigger tests are always waiting.
“Now we’ve got tougher games coming,” he continued. “That’s where you really find out who you are.”
On the opposite sideline, Hobbton coach Janette Williams-Cross measured progress in effort and attitude — not the scoreboard.
“We are a very young team,” Williams-Cross said. “Some of them have never played before. But they hustle, they give their heart, and those are victories that don’t show up in the score.”
Her focus this season remains foundational.
“We’re trying to work on becoming a team and learning basic skills,” she explained. “As time goes by, we’re going to build those skills, come together, and surprise everybody.”
Even on a difficult night, Williams-Cross pointed to long-term growth.
“Wins and losses don’t define their success right now,” she added. “We talk about supporting each other, staying together, and not letting frustration break us apart.”
Varsity boys Hobbton 60 Lakewood 54
The nightcap delivered the most evenly matched contest of the evening — a physical, emotional battle where neither side ever fully escaped the other.
Momentum swung possession by possession, and the final minutes tested discipline more than talent.
Lakewood coach Brandon Powell wasn’t surprised.
“I’ve told my team since the beginning of the season that everybody in this conference has similar talent,” Powell noted. “Every single game going forward is going to be a dog fight.”
Powell praised the competitiveness,
even in defeat.
“I love having competitive games,” he said. “Sometimes things just don’t go your way. Hobbton hit free throws, did what they had to do at the end.”
For Powell, the lesson remains consistency.
“We’re getting closer to putting four quarters together,” he added. “But we’ve got to keep emphasizing that no one person can do it. Offensively and defensively, we’ve got to do it together.”
Across the floor, Hobbton coach Aydan Tart saw the win as validation of mindset.
“We focused on energy, attitude, and effort tonight,” Tart said. “That’s what helped us come back from behind and then stay on top.”
Rather than slowing the game down late, Tart encouraged controlled aggression.
“That’s the art of basketball,” he explained. “Staying fast, but under control. The back and forth, that’s fun. That’s what you want.”
As the Wildcats closed the game at the line, Tart credited resilience.
“All props to Lakewood,” he concluded. “They’re physical, they’re tough. But we just kept fighting.”
Rivalry nights rarely deliver simple answers. Instead, they reveal who’s growing, who’s learning to finish, and who’s building toward something bigger. Monday night’s Battle of the Cats wasn’t just about wins and losses — it was about identity, composure, and the lessons that linger long after the final horn.
The two programs will face off again on Jan. 23, with a myriad of games in-between now.