From staff reports

Catawba placed four players in double figures and notched its third straight win with an 81-75 victory over host Tusculum in SAC men’s basketball action on Monday night at Pioneer Arena. The Indians improved to 5-3 overall and 3-2 in the SAC, while the Pioneers fell to 1-8 and 1-4.

Freshman Jerrin Morrison (Charlotte, N.C./E. Mecklenburg HS) led the scoring with 22 points on 10-of18 shooting. KJ Arrington (Newport News, Va./Denbigh HS/Henry CC) nearly posted a double-double with 16 points and nine rebounds plus hitting the key shot with 28 seconds remaining and the Indians holding a three-point lead. Also reaching double figures for Catawba were Rakeen Brown (Hampton, Va./Bethel HS/Delaware St.), who had 15 points, and Troy Warren (Mooresville, N.C./Lake Norman HS) with a dozen points.

Catawba led the entire second half, but saw the Pioneers cut a one-time nine-point deficit to just a single point with 5:36 to go. That came after a three-point play by Zach Davis making the count 64-63. The rally came during a stretch where Catawba went five and half minutes without hitting a field goal.

Morrison finally ended the spell on a jumper with 5:08 remaining. Leading 70-68, Ben Sealey (Hampton, Va./Menchville HS/Virginia Intermont) canned a big three-pointer and Warren followed with a fast break layup as Catawba spurted to a 75-68 lead with 2:56 left.

The Pioneers got one free throw from Davis with 45 seconds to play to make it 78-75 then Arrington sank a jumper from the free throw line for an 80-75 edge. Tusculum missed four shots in the final 15 seconds before Warren finally grabbed a rebound and sank a free throw for the final margin with three seconds remaining.

Catawba trailed 9-2 at the start before finally tying the game at 19-all with 9:32 to go before the break. Jameel Taylor (Anderson, S.C./Hannah HS) put Catawba on top stay at 21-19 at the 9:02 mark. A dunk by Morrison gave Catawba the largest lead of the game at 43-32 before the Pioneers cut the margin to 43-37 at the half.

Chase Mounce was one of two Tusculum players to post double-doubles with 19 points and a dozen rebounds. Davis collected 16 points and 12 boards. Cory Fagan added 11 points.

Tusculum held a 40-38 edge on the boards, but Catawba grabbed 16 on the offensive glass and nearly doubled up the Pioneers on second chance points at 15-8. The Indians also used a +8 margin to outscore Tusculum 19-5 off of miscues.

Catawba travels to Fairfax, Va., on Wednesday to face George Mason of the Atlantic 10 Conference in an exhibition game at 7 p.m. The Indians will close their pre-Christmas schedule at J.C. Smith on Saturdayafternoon.

CATAWBA (81) — Morrison 22, Arrington 17, Brown 15, Warren 12,  Sealey 6, Marijosius 4, Taylor 3, Perkins 3, Henderson.

TUSCULUM (75) — Mounce 19, Davis 16, Fagan 11, Price 7, Hatfield 6, Beamer 6, Shown 5, Fox 5.

Catawba 43-38 — 81

Tusculum 37-38 ‚— 75

 

Catawba women

Bri Johnson (Statesville, N.C./N. Iredell HS/Belmont Abbey) tallied a career-high 23 points and visiting Catawba pulled away over the final seven minutes to post an 84-74 win over Tusculum in South Atlantic Conference women’s basketball action on Monday night at Pioneer Arena. The Catawba Indians snap a three-game conference skid and improve to 5-4 overall and 2-3 in the SAC. The Pioneers fall to 2-6 and 2-3.

Johnson’s 23 points eclipsed her previous high of 17 points which she accomplished in Catawba’s previous game, a loss against Carson-Newman. The sophomore canned 8-of-13 shots on Monday and added 7-of-8 at the line to post her new high. Johnson also added three rebounds and three steals.

Also reaching double figures for Catawba were Chloe Bully (Hannut, Belgium/KOL Landen) with 17 points, Emma Ucinski (Atlanta, Ga./St. Pius X), with a dozen, and Zhaquondalee Greer (Greensboro, N.C./Academy at Smith/Charleston So.), with 10. Greer just missed a double-double as she pulled down nine rebounds. Bully added five assists and Ucinski grabbed seven rebounds with four assists.

CATAWBA (84) — Johnson 23, Bully 17, Ucinski 12, Greer 10, Dixon 9, Richardson 6, S. Brown 5, K. Brown 2.

TUSCULUM (74) — Mitchell 15, Story 13, Whitener 10, Cutshaw 10, Burleson 9, McMillion 7,  Malone 6, Atwell 4 .

Catawba 46-38 — 84

Tusculum 46-28— 74

 

Prep basketball

Sam Moir Christmas  Classic games will be played on Saturday, Dec. 27, Monday, Dec. 29 and Tuesday, Dec. 30. Tickets are $8 per day for adults and $5 for students.

Tournament passes will be available for $20.

 

 Jayvee basketball

East Rowan’s boys  lost 52-47 to Cox Mill on Monday.

Franklin Downing scored 14, Lucas Morton had 12, Ellis Taylor  scored 10, and Paiton File added seven.

• Courtney Wagner scored 16 points for East Rowan’s jayvee girls on Monday in a 30-26 loss to Cox Mill.

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8th-grade basketball

Janiya Downs scored 19 points to lead Corriher-Lipe to a 39-16 win against Southeast.

Ashlyn Plott scored eight for the Yellow Jackets, and Rhiannon Kimmer had seven.

Kaitlyn Honeycutt scored 12 for the Patriots.

• North Rowan Middle’s boys won 52-40 against Mooresville.

Brevin Goodlett  led the Mavericks (9-0)  with 21 points and nine rebounds and some clutch free throw shooting at the end. Dajawon Cook had 10 points, 10 rebounds, three steals and three blocked shots. Cameron Gill tallied 12 points. Quintous Smith had six points and five rebounds. Jaden Perry had another good defensive effort with five steals and four rebounds.

Mooresville was led by Jordan Kelly with 12 points. Greyson Cahill and Jay Davis had 10 apiece. North Rowan Middle will face Erwin at home on Thursday.  Mooresville travels to China Grove.

Livingstone basketball

Livingstone’s men play on Tuesday at 7 p.m. in Atlanta against Morehouse.

Livingstone’s unbeaten women play on Tuesday at 7 p.m. at Queens.