By Marny Hendrick

sports@salisburypost.com

SALISBURY — Two teams desperate for a win were locked in a one-point battle in the final quarter yesterday morning at Goodman Gym. In the end, the East Rowan Mustangs made the clutch baskets to pull away from winless South Rowan, 50-34, to claim seventh place in the Dales Sporting Goods/Moir Christmas Classic.

South (0-13) trailed, 31-30, with 6:48 to play on a Tyrese Shaver layup. But the Mustangs (2-11) responded with a Brandon Jefferson putback and a dagger 3-pointer by senior Lucas Morton, making it 38-30.

East then closed out the game on a 19-4 run to extend South’s winless streak to 37 games, dating back to last season.

South led in the early going and kept it close for most of the game until the fourth quarter swoon. Shaver and Bailey Graham provided the spark with 12 points each.  For the Mustangs, Morton led the win with 12 points, while Brandon Jefferson scored 10. Sophomore Elton Hooper dominated the glass with a career high 16 rebounds.

“We were glad to get the win,” said East coach Kurt Misenheimer. ” South played really, really hard and played like they wanted to win. But we played like we wanted to win, too. We didn’t give up and we didn’t hang our heads.”

The two county rivals will face off again next Friday night at South in a South Piedmont Conference battle.

SOUTH ROWAN (34) — Shaver 12, Graham 12, Childress 3, Kluttz 3, Harrington 2, Peacock 2, Hubbard, Corriher, Sellers, Powers, Hubbard, Jones.

EAST ROWAN (50) — Morton 12, Jefferson 10, Hooper 8, Sprinkle 7, Hinceman 6, Bennett 4, Taylor 3, Broaddus, Scruggs.

South Rowan    11    5  12   6 — 34

East Rowan        9  16   6  19 — 50