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GREENSBORO — It's been a rough three weeks for Greensboro Day. Since fumbling the Pizza Hut Invitational title for the first time in five years, the Bengals hadn't shot better than 35 percent in a game (or a half), an icy patch that, not surprisingly, coincided with a pair of losses by six points or less.

On the same floor where the slump began, the Bengals blowtorched away some of that frost with a blistering 30-9 third quarter to oust Northwest Guilford 84-52 Monday in the MLK Day N.C. Scholastic Classic at the Greensboro Coliseum Special Events Complex.

"I think you just run into slumps," Greensboro Day head coach Freddy Johnson said. "We've got shooters. That's not the problem. We just needed to make some shots, and tonight we made some."

Robert Kleinman had 13 points to lead four Bengals in double figures, and Kyle Vebber hit four 3-pointers and had 17 points to lead Northwest, which lived by the three in the first half and died by it in the second. Northwest was within one before the Bengals' John Terry beat the halftime buzzer with a 3-pointer to put Day up 36-32. Greensboro Day opened the third on a 10-3 run, capped by consecutive Brandon Dorsett baskets, to go up double figures for good.

As slumps often go, the elixir for the Bengals' offense was defense. Johnson challenged them to turn up the defensive thermostat in the second half, a successful plea that yielded easier shots and control of the tempo. Northwest never got 6-foot-7 Adam Coble into gear and put only Reed Lucas (13 points) into double figures alongside Vebber.

"We had to try something," Johnson said, "because nothing else was working."

Meanwhile, Greensboro Day kept finding new cylinders to run on. The Bengals' first eight points came off offensive rebounds, a category they dominated all game. Christian Pulliam, who was injured on the game's opening play, delivered a beautiful no-look pass and moments later added a layup to make it 73-43.

Johnson said his players were let down by their stumble at the Pizza Hut Invitational, especially considering how close their furious second-half rally came to unseating Northern Guilford in the semifinals. But it could end up being a wake-up call for a team that's deep enough to contend as usual come late February.

"They were disappointed (against Northern) because they came back from so many down and had a chance to win," Johnson said. "But they've worked very hard since then."

Contact Tom Keller at 373-7034 or tom.keller@news-record.com

Northwest 15 17 9 11 — 52
Greensboro Day 15 21 30 18 — 84

Northwest Guilford — Kyle Vebber 17, Reed Lucas 13, Hunter Clary 8, Adam Coble 7, Zach Ellwood 4, Tyler Hartman 3.

Greensboro Day — Robert Kleinman 13, Brandon Dorsett 12, Jordan Robertson 12, John Terry 11, Quayshad Williams 8, Jaleel Roberts 7, Lucas Weavil 7, AJ Hayes 4, Christian Pulliam 4, Luke Thomas 3, Jimbo Brumley 3.