Staff report

LANDIS — West Rowan’s girls basketball team had 19 assists on Monday, and earned an A-plus grade for unselfishness.

Emma Clarke, De’Mya Phifer and Lauren Arnold all passed up easy layups because there was a teammate a few inches closer to the rim.

Arnold and Tiara Thompson had five assists each in an 81-21 romp at South Rowan, while Clarke had four.

Arnold and Clarke executed fundamental bounce passes for their assists. Thompson, who sees everyone on the floor, whipped some dazzling dimes through tiny windows. There was a Mya Edwards-to-Thompson-to Edwards fast break that had to be one of the sharpest plays of the season.

Edwards was a high-percentage finisher after a lot of nice passes and scored a career-high 21 points in the South Piedmont Conference contest. Clarke got 19 points with a mix of post-ups and offensive rebounds. Thompson’s 12 points, included making a shot at the end of the first half from South’s mid-court logo for West’s only 3-pointer. Phifer had a late flurry and scored 11.

All five starters for West (14-1, 9-0) scored in the first two minutes, and the Falcons led 26-5 after a quarter.

South’s best quarter was the second when the Raiders (3-12, 1-8) scored 11 of their 21 points, but West led 47-16 at halftime after Thompson’s spectacular shot swished as time expired.

When Clarke passed to Edwards for a layup two minutes into the third quarter, West led by 40 at 57-17, and the rest of the game was played with a running clock.

West has won four games in the last seven days. Lydia Wilson and Aubrey Martin combined for 10 points off the bench for the Falcons.

South did not make a field goal in the second half. The Raiders were limited to five free throws by West’s suffocating defense, including three by Day Pharr.

Kynlee Dextraze led the Raiders with six points.

West Rowan      26    21    15     19   — 81

South Rowan     5      11     3       2    — 21

WEST — Edwards 21, Clarke 19, Thompson 12, Phifer 11, Arnold 8, Wilson 6, Martin 4.

SOUTH — Dextraze 6, Krieg 4, Pharr 3, Alston 2, Morgan 2, Carter 2, Eagle 2.