High school basketball: West girls knock off North
Published 10:22 pm Wednesday, January 19, 2022
De’Mya Phifer (5) had 14 for the Falcons in Tuesday's victory. File photo submitted by Jacqui Smith Watson
West’s Lauren Arnold goes up for a shot. Photo submitted by Jacqui Smith Watson
West Rowan’s Lauren Arnold averaged 16.7 points per game last season. File photo submitted by Jacqui Smith Watson
Photo submitted by Jacqui Smith Watson
Lauren Arnold (24) grabs a rebound for West Rowan. Photo submitted by Jacqui Smith Watson
Staff report
MOUNT ULLA — North Rowan and West Rowan, fast-paced, sophomore-heavy girls basketball teams that hadn’t seen each other for a while, finally were able to play on Wednesday.
The programs hadn’t squared off since very early in the 2019-20 season when most of the current players were middle schoolers.
A good non-conference game was expected, and a good game happened. West used a big fourth quarter to beat the Cavaliers 62-56.
“It was a very good game,” West head coach Ashley Poole said. “We were slow off the bat and got beat down the court a few times, but I was very pleased with how we responded and played in the fourth quarter. North is a good team. It’s a game that will help us both.”
North led early. It was 28-all at halftime. West took a one-point lead to the fourth quarter and prevailed by scoring 22 over the final eight minutes.
West’s Emma Clarke, a 6-footer, had a size advantage and used it. She matched her career high with 16 points.
“Something we talked about,” Poole said. “She was going to have a chance to do a lot of damage on the boards.”
Point guard De’Mya Phifer got her usual 19 for the Falcons (8-4).
“Both teams kind of sat in zone to stay out of foul trouble and to try to stop drives, so she didn’t exactly match up with (North sophomore) Bailee Goodlett, but that’s two really quick people going at it out there,” Poole said.
Lauren Arnold had a death in the family last week and missed some practice time, but she came through with a huge fourth quarter for the Falcons. She got 12 of her 14 in the decisive fourth quarter.
Makaylah Tenor scored eight for West.
Senior Hannah Wilkerson scored 19 to lead the Cavaliers (11-5).
Wilkerson moved into fourth place all-time at North with 1,360 career points.
Goodlett had 17. Chloee Stoner had a season-high nine.
“We did a really good job of containing Brittany Ellis (seven points), especially in the fourth quarter,” Poole said. “She can get hot from outside and score a bunch of points in a hurry.”
Bloom Goodlett and Ellis pulled down eight rebounds each for North. Bailee Goodlett had six steals and four assists.
West faces a challenging week. The Falcons host Carson Friday and will play at Salisbury early on Saturday.
North 17 11 11 17 — 56
West 14 14 12 22 — 62
NORTH — Wilkerson 19, Bailee Goodlett 17, Stoner 9, Ellis 7, Bloom Goodlett 2, Elder 2.
WEST — Phifer 19, Clarke 16, Arnold 14, Tenor 8, Edwards 5.
