Date: September 10, 2009 at 09:05

Alonzo Holmes hit 20 points and Tashawn Griffin recorded 11 assists as the Knights survived a sea-saw game against Rockingham Elite 78-75. Rockingham Elite, winner of Big Shots - Myrtle Beach II with a 5-0 record in that event, came in having won 13 games in a row but saw their winning streak snapped by a Knights team that welcomed back point guard Tashawn Griffin, out since June with a knee injury. With Griffin sidelined, the Knights suffered both offensively and defensively as their points per game totals were down over 13ppg and they had yielded 8ppg more, a 21ppg swing to the negative.
Griffin was the difference maker as his slashing moves to the basket and ability to find the open man wore down Rockingham and helped key the Knights defensive pressure because of more efficient play in the half court. Wanting to press, the Knights were victems early of poor shooting while Rockingham sat in a zone and kept the game at a subdued pace using their bigger posts to put many of their points on the board early and keep the Knights from running.
With Griffin getting more involved during the second half, the Knights picked up the tempo of the game and wore down their in state foes from Harrisonburg, VA. Perhaps the biggest contribution from Griffin came on the defensive end of the floor as he shut down Rockingham point guard and Group AA All State selection Marlon Organ (shown below) who shredded the Knights defensive pressure early keeping Rockingham in the game. Organ had little success offensively or defensively matched against Griffin. On the offensive end Griffin's dribble penetration allowed the Knights to enjoy balanced second half scoring in a game that endured several lead changes with the largest lead for either team a mere six points. In addition to Holmes' 20 point effort which came on 7 of 11 shooting from the floor (5 of 7 in the second half), the Knights got 11 points from Juandrico Walker, 9 points and 11 assists from Tashawn Griffin, 9 points from Marquis Roberts and 9 more from Dejuan Wright to hang on for the win.
Scoring: Holmes 20, Walker 11, Wright 9, Griffin 9, Roberts 9, Browne 8, Thomas 7, Jones 3, Coles 2...