By Mike London
mike.london@salisburypost.com

SALISBURY— Salisbury’s girls basketball team did  a good job of not looking ahead.

The third-seeded Hornets took care of business in a game they were supposed to win on Tuesday. They won 53-37 against 14th-seeded Patton, which made the drive down from Morganton.

“The biggest thing was just to not let Patton get going,” Salisbury coach Lakai Brice said. “We wanted to get out early, so we pressed fullcourt and we got a quick start.”

Kyla Bryant got seven of her 17 points right away in the 2A first-round playoff game, as the Hornets grabbed a 21-7 lead.

“Defense sparked our offense,” Brice said.

Salisbury’s defense held Patton without a field goal in the second quarter. Salisbury led 29-12 at halftime.

Rachel McCullough, who scored 12 points, had a strong third quarter as Salisbury continued to boost its lead.

Seven Hornets scored, including Haley Dalton, an East Rowan transfer who played in her first game for the Hornets. She suffered a late-summer injury in AAU ball and has been in a cast and then a boot. She had three points and four rebounds.

Salisbury’s leading rebounder with six was Jamecia Huntley, Bryant had five rebounds.

Reece Fisher scored 14 to lead Patton (8-6).

“It was a good game,” Brice said. “Everyone played and played well.”

Next for the Hornets (14-1) at home on Thursday is undefeated and sixth-seeded Shelby (15-0). Shelby wiped out East Lincoln 56-24 on Tuesday.

Shelby is averaging 75 points per game, so the Hornets will need their best defensive effort.

Shelby sophomores Maraja Pass and Ally Hollifield are both averaging more than 20 points per game. Junior Kate Hollifield averages 13.1.

 

PATTON (37) — Fisher 14, Lail 9, Teeters 6, Duckworth 4, Caraway 2, King 2.

SALISBURY (53) — Bryant 17, McCullough 13, Taborn 6, Huntley 6, Nwafor 4, Morgan 4, Dalton 3, Noble, Bolder, Gibson, Lynch.

Patton               7      5   11   14   — 37

Salisbury          21   8    15   9   — 53