North Lenoir’s Lamar Dixon (0) attempts to get control of a loose ball while teammate Justin Cobb (2) and Wilson Prep’s Nasiar Blackston (0) look on during third-quarter action Monday evening. Rudy Coggins/NeuseNews

LA GRANGE - Be patient this season.

North Lenoir head boys' basketball coach Anthony Lofton has presented that message to his team, which lost all five starters from a year ago.

He may, undoubtedly, ask the same from the Hawk faithful.

Junior guard Jamie Jones-Gatling posted a double-double - 11 points, 11 rebounds - during North Lenoir's 87-71, non-conference loss against Wilson Prep Academy inside Wooten Gym on Monday evening.

"I commend the guys for not giving up, playing hard throughout the whole ballgame," Lofton said. "I thought we moved the ball pretty well at times. We're learning. We've got a lot of young kids...just trying to find ourselves."

Lofton added his team struggled with decision making in transition. The Hawks (0-3 overall) forced several passes into the interior against the taller and longer Tigers, who forced 20 turnovers on the night.

Wilson Prep (3-1) also excelled from the outside.

Shooting guard Adrian Land buried seven 3-pointers and led all scorers with 27 points. Teammate Omarreyon Johnson knocked down a pair of threes and finished with 11 points.

"Number one [Land], we couldn't find him," Lofton said. "I thought the shots they hit from the outside weren't easy...tough shots. That's what you want to do when you play someone athletic like that. You don't want to give up a bunch of layups inside.

"I was afraid of getting beat on the boards, but we held our own on that."

The Hawks snared 46 rebounds as a team.

Lofton compared the Tigers, of the Tar-Roanoke 1-A Conference, to squads the Hawks will see when Eastern Carolina 2-A play begins in mid-December.

"I think that's pretty much what we're going to see," Lofton said. "They had some size, quick guys...we're small. We've just got to learn how to handle length and being athletic. We've got to learn how to care of the basketball. I thought we had some forced and unforced turnovers."

Girls

Ashanti Lynch knocked down 26 points in the Hawks' 62-16 win.

Integrity McPhail and Noura Zayyad provided 11 points apiece. Jonya Jones crashed the boards for eight rebound and blocked four shots. Emmi Lynch distributed eight assists.

The Hawks (2-1) return to action Dec. 3 at SouthWest Edgecombe.