KNIGHTDALE - The Knights more than tripled Smithfield-Selma’s fourth quarter score to win Tuesday’s Greater Neuse River Conference game 65-52.

The Spartans led 30-29 at the half, and led 45-43 after three quarters, but Knightdale exploded for a 22-7 fourth quarter for the win.

Knightdale coach Battle Watkins said the late rally was the result of defense and success at the free throw line.

“They had four or five 3s in the first half and only two or three in the second half, and we got back on defense in transition,” Watkins said. “We had 10 free throw attempts in the fourth quarter and hit 80 percent, and playing defensive and hitting free throws in the fourth quarter is usually how you finish the game.”

Watkins noted the significance of the win over the Spartans, who were 6-1, 1-0 in the Greater Neuse River 4A Conference heading into the game. Knightdale was 3-5, 1-0 before the win.

“That program has really taken strides over the last year. They got off to a fast start this season and I think they play hard and are faster than they’ve ever been,” Watkins said. “They are small and fast, and that’s a matchup we’re not used to. We’re not usually bigger than the other team.”

That factor gave Smithfield-Selma the slight upper hand through the third period. The Spartans used quick transition to score easy baskets and scored from the perimeter on several occasions even when the Knights were back in time to defend their end of the court.

“Our defensive pressure changed. We got some turnovers and layups, and they got less opportunities,” Watkins said of the fourth quarter. “When we realized we were down 2 points and they weren’t going away we had to change gears.”

The Spartans were led by Quantez Leach with 14 points, followed by Seth Turner with 11, David Lucas, Montrelle Shephard and Adam Dalton with 6 points each, Kandez Allen with 5, and Donald Jones and Robert Franklin with 2 points each.

The Knights were led by Brian Okoye with 12 points, followed by Quez Crowell, Curry Lassiter and Maquavious Johnson with 11 points each, Jeremy Lee with 6, Marcel Johnson and Keenan Wright with 4 points each, and Tabari Boykin and Kaelon Weldon with 3 points each.