Goldsboro captures first state title since 1982 with 54–46 win over East Surry

Goldsboro captures first state title since 1982 with 54–46 win over East Surry

Winston Salem — For more than four decades, the wait lingered.

Friday night, the Goldsboro Cougars finally ended it.

Behind a composed effort on both ends of the floor, Goldsboro defeated East Surry 54–46 to capture the NCHSAA 3A girls basketball state championship, securing the program’s first state title since 1982 and capping a remarkable 28–2 season.

For head coach Khadijah Bryant, the moment was years in the making.

“We knew they were going to shoot the ball well,” Bryant said. “I told my girls we prepared for this game. We have played in this game before. Nothing new to do — just go out there and play.”

And that’s exactly what the Cougars did.

Goldsboro controlled the tempo early, opening the game with a 13–10 first quarter edge before extending the lead to 21–17 at halftime. The Cougars stretched the margin in the third quarter, using a 14–10 run to take a 35–27 lead into the final period.

When East Surry made its push in the fourth quarter, Goldsboro never lost control. The Cougars matched the Cardinals point-for-point in the final frame, closing out the eight-point victory.

The win was the culmination of a sustained run of excellence under Bryant, whose program has steadily climbed toward this moment.

Over the past three seasons, Goldsboro has posted a combined 74–8 record, going 27–2, 24–3 and 23–3 while consistently positioning itself among the state’s elite.

Bryant said the team had been building toward this championship for years.

“We’ve been talking about this for two or three years now,” Bryant said. “We had that little swing two or three years ago, and ever since then we’ve had our foot on the gas preparing for this moment right here.”

Goldsboro’s balanced effort fueled the championship performance.

Alanna Ford led the Cougars with 14 points and eight rebounds, while A. Boyer delivered a double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds. I. Buckom added 11 points and six assists, helping guide the offense throughout the night.

N. Smith finished with seven points and six rebounds, and K. Barbour added seven points to round out the scoring for Goldsboro.

The Cougars shot 44 percent from the field and controlled key moments around the basket, finishing with 36 rebounds and dominating inside with 40 points in the paint.

For the players who helped bring the championship back to Goldsboro, the moment carried the weight of history.

“It means a lot,” Boyer said. “It is really special.”

Special indeed.

A program that had been chasing the memory of 1982 for generations finally has a new banner to hang.

And for Bryant and the Cougars, the years of preparation, expectation and relentless pursuit all led to one unforgettable night — the night Goldsboro climbed back to the top of North Carolina’s 3A girls basketball mountain.