The Wonders celebrate a big win.

 

Staff report

GRANITE QUARRY — Non-conference games are important with the NCHSAA using RPI to determine playoff berths and seeds.

East Rowan, a 3A bubble team, took on A.L. Brown, a 4A bubble team, on Wednesday.

Both teams were counting on a victory. Both teams needed a victory. The Wonders got it, pulling out a 48-45 decision.

“It was a great game, a very aggressive game,” A.l. Brown coach Kayla Crayton said. “We got in foul trouble in the first half, and East had some hot shooters, so we were very happy to get the road win.”

East senior Hannah Waddell kept the game tight by making four 3-pointers and scoring 19 points. That was a season high for Waddell, although she has scored as many as 30 in a game in previous seasons. It was Waddell’s first double-figure game since November.

“We really needed Hannah shooting like that, without a doubt,” East coach Bri Evans said. “Lilly Kluttz played well. She was aggressive on offense and defense,”

Mary Church scored eight for East (6-7), including 4-for-4 from the foul line. Kady Collins scored six. Savannah Wise made a 3-pointer.

Eight girls scored for the Wonders (9-4). Sadie Faulkner scored 15. Makenzie Goode-Roberts had 12. Ayanni Flood got eight, while R’mani Bradley scored seven.

Thirty-two teams make the playoff brackets. East is ranked No. 31 in 3A West by RPI, while A.L. Brown is No. 27 in the 4A West RPI rankings.

A.L. BROWN — Faulkner 15, Goode-Roberts 12, Flood 8, Bradley 7, Robinson 3, Grier 2, Stevens 1.

EAST — Waddell 19, Church 8, Collins 6, Wise 5, Smith 3, Kluttz 2, Marshall 2.