In a physical, emotionally charged 1A/2A Eastern JV Conference Tournament semifinal, the Union Spartans weathered a late surge and a brief fourth-quarter deficit to close strong and eliminate the North Duplin Rebels, 51-39, punching their ticket to the championship game.
From the opening tip, it was clear neither side planned to back down.
Jalell Duncan got Union on the board first, finishing inside to give the Spartans an early 2-0 edge before North Duplin answered immediately. CJ Williams found Kemori McNeil cutting along the baseline for a bucket, but the Rebels countered again when Kruz Ortiz buried a three from the perimeter. The pace stayed brisk, with both teams trading scores, including a smooth midrange jumper from Duncan.
The intensity picked up midway through the first quarter. Both squads exchanged emphatic blocks in the paint, igniting their respective benches. Duncan and Williams continued to steady Union offensively, adding timely baskets as the Spartans closed the period ahead 11-7.
Williams opened the second quarter with a tough floater off the glass, then McNeil jumped a passing lane for a steal and a layup that energized the Union crowd. North Duplin’s Jason Grandy knocked down a three to keep the Rebels within reach, but Williams responded in kind on the other end.
Jackson Lee used his size to score inside and complete an and-one opportunity, stretching the Spartan advantage to 18-13. After McNeil went 1-for-2 at the free-throw line, Union extended its lead to 22-13. Grandy later drilled an elbow three to halt a drought for North Duplin, yet McNeil answered with a tough finish at the rim. In the closing seconds of the half, Duncan drew a foul and split a pair at the stripe, sending Union into the break with a 25-18 lead.
The third quarter shifted in tone.
With only two officials on the floor, emotions rose as both sidelines voiced frustration over missed calls in the highly physical contest. North Duplin’s Chasen Acoff asserted himself defensively, protecting the rim and capitalizing on opportunities inside. The Rebels clawed back within 31-26 by the end of the period, setting up a tense final eight minutes.
Cole Grady wasted no time in the fourth, draining a corner three that trimmed Union’s lead to just two. Jackson Lee followed with another strong post move, and moments later, Ortiz connected from the corner to give North Duplin a 34-33 advantage with 5:11 remaining.
It was the first time Union had trailed since the opening minutes.
Then came the turning point.
After Braydon Brock was assessed a technical foul, Union seized the momentum. The Spartans converted at the line and regained control. McNeil was fouled on the ensuing possession and calmly sank both free throws to make it 37-34. Ortiz eventually fouled out, thinning the Rebels’ perimeter options.
Williams floated in another tough shot to push the margin to four, and with three minutes left, both teams were battling defensively as tensions climbed. Union led 39-35.
That is when McNeil took over defensively. He collected back-to-back steals and converted both into fast-break layups, stretching the Spartans’ lead to 45-38. With North Duplin in the bonus, Union stayed poised. Williams went 2-for-2 at the line to extend the cushion to 47-38.
The Spartans closed it out from there, finishing on a 12-4 run to secure the 51-39 victory.
After the game, Union JV head coach Bryant Register commended both teams for their competitiveness and reflected on how his group managed the emotional swings.
“First off, I just want to give a shout-out to our guys. They played hard,” Register said. “I’ve got to commend North Duplin too. Their guys played hard as well. In JV, you have two officials, and in varsity, you have three, so you lose a set of eyes. But at the same time, you still have to play with composure. We control our effort and what we put into the game. We don’t control what the officials call. We have to accept that and move ahead.”
Register noted how quickly things can shift in postseason play.
“We built a lead in the first half, and then in the second half it went away,” he explained. “They took a one-point lead in the fourth quarter on that corner three. Now mistakes are magnified. Little things get magnified this time of year.”
He believed the technical foul sparked his team’s closing surge.
“I thought that fired us up,” Register said. “At that time, they were up by one, and we ended up closing the game 51-39. Our guys toughened up. They manned up and showed what they were about that last four or four-and-a-half minutes of the ballgame.”
Free throws proved critical down the stretch. After some misses earlier in the contest, Union delivered in crunch time.
“They were focused,” Register said of Williams and McNeil. “That technical foul fired us up. Where we had missed some earlier, we made them late. Especially with CJ and Kemori, they took control. When we went to our spread package, CJ directed traffic and got everybody where they needed to be. He’s tough. And it helps having another ball handler like Kemori who can make foul shots.”
Inside, Duncan’s battle with North Duplin’s big men was equally pivotal. Despite giving up size at times, he held his own.
“Jalell has stepped up big time for us this year,” Register remarked. “He’s progressed wonderfully throughout the season. Number 34 gave us trouble with his moves. A lot of fundamentals are lost today because everybody wants to shoot threes, but he had real post moves.”
Register and his staff adjusted defensively to counter Acoff’s presence.
“We decided to switch things up,” he said. “We went from Malik on him to Jalell, and we also put Jeremiah Bennett on him. He’s not as tall, but he’s more physical and can hold his ground. I think switching helped. Toward the end, I thought he rushed a little bit, and that helped us.”
Union faced East Columbus on Friday for the championship. That story will be featured in our Tuesday edition. When asked about the upcoming game, Register laid it out plainly.
“At this point, it’s a 32-minute sprint,” he said. “It’s all hands on deck. We’ve got to trust ourselves and what we’ve done all year. It’s no secret what we’re going to do, and it’s no secret what they’re going to do. Whichever team can execute and make the least amount of mistakes is going to come out the winner.”
Before tipoff, the Spartans presented Register with flowers in a heartfelt show of appreciation after he recently dealt with family matters that briefly took him away from the team.
“It’s special,” Register shared. “That just sums up what this program’s about — family. I love each and every one of those young men. It was a tough time, but we got through it. Everything’s turning out great. I missed everybody, but I kept talking to them while I was out. I’m proud of how this team has responded all season.”
On Wednesday night, they responded like champions in the making — composed under pressure, gritty in the paint, and clutch when it mattered most.