The Nansemond River High School Warriors broke open a close game with the Deep Creek Hornets Friday night, relying on a decisive fourth-quarter attack to win 61-48.

Despite what Warriors Coach Ed Young characterized as “poor play” in the first half, the Warriors still left the court up by one at halftime.

“I told them to just make half the layups we missed, get five more rebounds and five less turnovers and we would be up 10 or 15 points,” Young stated in an email.

The Hornets actually took a lead, 33-30, late in the third quarter, but the Warriors answered with a 10-3 run to go up 40-36 by the beginning of the fourth. Nansemond River continued turning up the heat in the fourth quarter as the Hornets began to wear down.

For Nansemond River, Devon Oakley had 22 points, five assists, three steals and three rebounds and held Deep Creek’s leading scorer D’andre Mullen to no field goals and only two points, 15 below his average. Senior Ed Drew had 16 points, 13 rebounds and four blocked shots. Senior Kendric Washington had 11 rebounds, along with three points and three blocked shots.

The Warriors defense caused 25 Deep Creek turnovers and only 33-percent field goal shooting and out rebounded the Hornets 45-29.

NR was at home Tuesday against Hickory.