FOUR OAKS - All of North Johnston boys basketball games this year have been decided by six points or more, so it's about time they had a nail-biter. That time came when a late surge and last-second opportunity by the North fell just short, as they lost to Wallace-Rose Hill 50-46 in the championship game of the North-South Christmas Classic.

Things were looking grim for the Panthers after Wallace-Rose Hill outscored North 14-5 in the third quarter, taking a 39-32 lead into the final stanza. However, senior forward Justin Price and sophomore guard LaQuan Cox combined for all of North's 14 points in the last eight minutes to force a tight finish.

Price opened the fourth with eight straight points, including a thunderous dunk to turn the tide and get the Panthers within three points. With less than two minutes, an inbounds play under the basket led to an easy Price layup, giving North its first lead since halftime at 44-43. But missed free throws and turnovers plagued the Panthers in the final minute. Bulldogs' senior guard Devonte Herring didn't help North's cause either, going 5-for-6 from the foul line in the final 33 seconds.

"I thought the effort was outstanding, I thought we played hard. We took pretty good care of the ball considering we got pressed a lot," said North coach Derrick Johnson. "We had a lot of shots around the basket that we didn't make, and that costs you in a close game."

Price, who was named to the all-tournament team, led the Panthers with 18 points, 10 of those in the crucial fourth quarter.

"He [Price] was aggressive going toward the basket, and they were pressing us, so we had some fast-break opportunities after beating the press," Johnson said. "So, going to the basket hard and his athletic ability really helps."

In the first half, both teams were evenly matched and aggressive. The intensity led to an intentional foul by Wallace-Rose Hill on a Panther fast break, which helped North build a 24-17 lead in the first quarter. Two quick three-pointers byWallace-Rose Hill's Torrey Hall quickly deflated the short run, but North still lead 27-26 at half.

Even with a second-place finish, Johnson still saw the two-day tournament as a valuable learning experience for his team.

"It's helped us because we've started to play better. We've got two more games before we go to conference. So, that's what we were trying to do - we're trying to work out some kinks and take better care of the ball and get shots, and we did a better job in this tournament," said Johnson. "It definitely helps playing good teams like Wallace-Rose Hill."

The Panthers defeated Durham School of the Arts in the first game of the classic, 60-45. Price led North with 21 points in the win.