CHAPEL HILL — Offense was a struggle for the Forrest Rockets as Moore County was able to score just enough in the middle quarters and hold on for a 43-35 win on Tuesday night.
Neither team was able to gain much traction in the first quarter, as the two teams combined for just 15 points in the frame.
Moore County’s Peyton Martin broke a 5-5 score with 2:32 left in the quarter as he was fouled and connected on a basket and hit the ensuing free throw to put the Raiders on top, 8-5.
Mason Harper connected on a jumper with 25 seconds left in the frame to pull the Rockets within one.
In the second quarter, the Raiders doubled up the Rockets on a 10-5 run, with Martin providing the bulk of the damage from the paint.
He scored five, while Forrest’s only field goal in the quarter came on a three-pointer by Harper with 5:20 left in the half.
Not much changed in the third quarter as Moore County added 10 more, while the Rockets struggled to find open looks from the floor.
The game turned into a free throw contest in the fourth quarter with a plethora of fouls being committed, sending both teams to the line.
Josh Rumley scored six points in the quarter, including a 3-of-4 effort at the charity stripe to lead the Rockets in the final frame.
As a team, Forrest shot 8-of-11 free throw attempts in the fourth and went 10-for-15 in the game.
Moore County on the other hand went 7-of-13 in the fourth and finished 9-for-14 overall.
Martin led the winners with 17 points, while Harper was the lone Rocket to reach double figures with 11 points.
Forrest will open District 7-AA play on Friday night at Grundy County.

Moore Co. 8 10 10 15 — 43
Forrest 7 5 6 17 — 35

Moore Co.: Peyton Martin 17, Will Baker 8, Alex Copeland 8, Dawson White 5, Brantley Hill 3, Wes Clifton 2.
Forrest: Mason Harper 11, Ryan Meglis 7, Josh Rumley 6, Ben Villazon 4, Davin Porter 4, Bray McCown 3.
3-Point goals: Moore Co. (2): Hill, Baker; Forrest (2): Harper, Rumley.
Halftime score: Moore Co. 18, Forrest 12.