Kings Fork leading scorers Davante Gardener and Jay Copeland, both had just two points when the first quarter was over Tuesday versus Lakeland. But, the two made up for a slow start, evidenced by Gardener’s 21 points, as the Bulldogs knocked off their in-city rivals 76-34.

“It’s a great thing for our team to have different people step up,” Kings Fork coach Josh Worrell said. “We try to have a different leading scorer every game, that way they can’t key in on one person.”

Dion Bivens scored 14 points for the Bulldogs, followed by Ny’Kee White’s 12.

The Cavaliers were not able to key in on any of their opponents players, and couldn’t find rhythm on offense either scoring just 10 points in the first quarter to Kings Fork’s 23.

White was the player who broke the game open for the Bulldogs with eight of his 12 points coming in the first.

He would knock down consecutive three pointers to start, and at the 4:00 mark made a jump shot from the free throw line making the score 12-6 in favor of the Bulldogs.

The Bulldogs’ Fred Scott would put his team up by double digits just moments later, scoring on an offensive rebound while being fouled.

Scott would come down on the next trip to put in a 3-point field goal, putting his team up 19-6 with 1:57 to play in the first quarter.

The Cavaliers worked to keep the Bulldogs within reach with Josh Beck scoring on a layup for his team’s first score of the second quarter with 4:58 to play. Beck led the Cavaliers with 10 points.

But the Bulldogs would not let up, as White would score on another three pointer to keep Lakeland at bay.

The play of the night would come from Gardener. On what seemed to be an easy breakaway dunk, Lakeland’s Winston Sellers would foul Gardener while attempting the dunk, leading to a thunderous slam from the Kings Fork big man with 3:40 remaining in the quarter.

That play seemed to suck any hope of a Lakeland comeback out of the building, as the Cavaliers went into the locker room at the half trailing 44-18.

The second half would be more of the same from the Bulldogs, after a Bivens steal, he would be fouled while scoring, increasing the lead 56-18 halfway through the third quarter.

By quarter’s end the Bulldogs led the game 64-24, and would ultimately go on to win 76-34.

“We knew they were going to come with emotion,” said Worrell afterwards, “I asked my guys would we come with emotion and take that emotion away from them.”

Both Kings Fork and Lakeland are back in action Thursday with the Bulldogs taking on Grassfield at home, while Lakeland will welcome Nansemond River.