Dunn and Styles each score 15 in Kinston's come from behind win over Downey Christian

By: Zack Adams

12/28/17

(Photo Courtesy of The John Wall)

Kinston (7-1) started off slow, only scoring 15 points in the first half but the Vikings exploded for 41 second half to down Downey Christian School (7-8), 56-43 Thursday morning. 

Junior Damian Dunn and freshman Donquez Styles both finished with 15 points and also did their work on the glass. Dunn grabbed nine rebounds while Styles added five. The two combined to shoot 11/24 from the field on the game. Both got hot in the third when Styles hit two triples in the eight minute span while Dunn opened the quarter with 12 himself. That is a combined 18 points of the 24 the Vikings scored. 

After fouling out with seven and change to go in the fourth last night against Greenfield School, senior Reginald Clark bounced back in a big way as he finished with 12 points and seven rebounds. Like Dunn, Clark only had two points at the half so the big man exploded for ten in the closing 16 minutes; a chunk of those coming in the fourth quarter. 

"We came out of halftime and brought some different pressure and I thought we were able to create some separation there." is what Kinston coach Perry Tyndall had to say about his Vikings outscoring the Patriots of Downey Christian 24-11 in the third.

As for the Patriots of Downey Christian out of Orlando, they really did get the start they wanted as they were up 22-15 at the break. Well, Kinston outscored the Florida school 41-28 in the second half giving the Vikings the 56-43 victory.

"Shooting 16/62 is kinda ridiculous." said Patriots coach Jamie Newman. For those who want a percentage, that is just 25.8% from the field. 

His son, Julian Newman shot 4/15 (26%) from three; 4/22 (18%) from the field. Newman finished with 14, nine of those coming in the opening half as the Vikings keyed in on "The YouTube Sensation". Theodore Wolfe did lead Downey Christian as he finished with another drouble-double, 15 points and 10 rebounds. For the tournament, Wolfe is averaging 13 points and 10.5 rebounds per game. 

His father did speak highly of his son though. Newman was really driving to the basket early on and that caused Kinston to get in early foul trouble as Clark and Taji Moore both picked up two fouls a piece in the first half. "Once he (Julian) gets it going, it makes it tough because other guys start getting open shots, open looks, gets it to the inside guys or he's passing and dishing. If he does that, it really gets the game open."

Downey Christian will play once again tomorrow morning at 10:30am against the loser of Greene Central and Trinity Christian, which in on-going for seventh place. Kinston will face the winner of that one tomorrow at 12:00.