The North Stanly men’s basketball season kicked off Tuesday night with a 74-30 home YVC win over the Gray Stone Knights.

North senior Bryson Childress led three in double figures, with 27 points including seven makes behind the 3-point arc. Nalik Veasley added 14 points in his first game with the Comets (1-0, 1-0 YVC) while senior Carson Lowder added 11.

Brennan Bailey was top scorer for the Knights (1-3, 0-1) with 13 points.

North shot above the 50 percent mark in the first half, hitting 21-of-40 shots. For the game, the Comets were 28-of-56 overall and 11-of-21 (52.4 percent) from the 3-point arc; North was 7-of-13 at the free-throw line.

Gray Stone was 9-of-41 overall (22 percent), hitting 4-of-15 from long distance and 8-of-18 at the foul line.

Lowder and Childress hit back-to-back threes to open the game as North jumped out to a 12-1 lead over the first few minutes. The Comets finished with an 11-0 run to lead by 21 after the first period.

Gray Stone scored seven over the first 1:21 of the second period but went the next five minutes without scoring. North hit 10-of-16 from the field in the second and led 52-16 at halftime.

Lowder’s 3-pointer with 6:49 left in the third put the Comets up 40 and started the running clock for the remainder of the game.

North head coach Paul Childress talked about getting the football players joining the basketball team late because of the Comets’ playoff run.

“When we got them back, we knew we were going to be behind everyone else in terms of different schemes and set…the thing we can do is talk defense,” Childress said.

He said pressuring the ball and defense was a focus going into the game. The coach also talked about Veasley’s presence on the team and his role in the offense.

“Because of his size, he can help us on the boards and defensively. We have to get better in giving Nalik touches,” Childress said.

North Stanly goes out of conference play Thursday, traveling to Red Cross to take on West Stanly (3-0).

Gray Stone will be at Mount Pleasant on Wednesday night and home Friday for a YVC matchup with North Moore.

GS   8   8   5   9   30
NS  29 23 17  5   74

GS – Brennan Bailey 13, Viscomi 9, Overcash 2, McDow 2, Tuzenew 1.
NS – Bryson Childress 27, Nalik Veasley 14, Carson Lowder 11, Hogan 7, Clark 6, Baker 2, Bell 2, Poole 2, Watkins 2, Hunt 1.