Staff report

MOUNT ULLA —  Robinson handed West Rowan a 71-63 home loss in South Piedmont Conference boys basketball action on Thursday.

“We’re struggling right now,” West coach Dadrian Cuthbertson said. “I  believe that last-second loss to Concord (before Christmas) took something out of us. We haven’t been quite the same since then. We’ve got to keep working to get it back.”

Thursday’s loss was the fifth straight setback for the Falcons (6-7, 3-4), who have dropped into the bottom half of the SPC. West’s only victory since that Concord heartbreaker came against Carson in a morning game in the first round of the Christmas tournament. The Falcons have been at their best in two victories against rival Carson, but not much has gone right otherwise.

Part of the problem is the Falcons have faced a tough schedule. They haven’t played a team with a losing record in a very long time and two of the losses in their current skid came against Central Cabarrus and Salisbury. Central and Salisbury are difficult for anyone to handle.

West got off to a good start against Robinson, but the game swung late in the first half when Robinson (8-5, 5-2) made a flurry of 3-pointers.

“Robinson’s guards are quick as lightning and we couldn’t stop ’em,” Cuthbertson said. “And they just killed us on the glass.”

Will Givens made four 3-pointers and scored 24 to lead the Falcons. Brant Graham also made four 3s and scored 14. Elijah Holmes added 10 points.

Brian Rowe had 17 for the third-place Bulldogs, and Da’montree Harlee had 16. D’nas White, all 6-foot-6 and 280 pounds of him, scored 13. Isaac Lee provided a lift off the bench for the Bulldogs with some 3-balls.

West has a chance to bounce back Friday at Lake Norman Charter. That’s not an automatic win, by any means, but the Falcons will be favored to stop their slide.

WEST — Givens 24, Graham 14, Holmes 10, Kennedy 7, Young 4, Hairston 3, Norman 2.