High school boys basketball: Cavaliers haven’t lost to West Davidson in decades
Published 12:21 pm Sunday, February 11, 2024
- North standouts Amir Alexander (1) and George Maxwell (3). Jacqui Smith Watson photo.
Staff report
TYRO — North Rowan’s boys basketball team struggled to pull away from West Davidson on Crim Court on Friday, but history told everyone the Cavaliers eventually would win.
North took a 59-46 victory, the 25th straight time the Cavaliers have beaten the Green Dragons in boys basketball. It meant a season sweep in the Central Carolina Conference for North. The Cavaliers prevailed 58-55 a month ago in Spencer.
The schools aren’t far apart, but they don’t normally schedule each other unless they’re in the same conference, so there have been quite a few seasons when they didn’t meet. The last time West Davidson beat North was 31 years ago.
West Davidson swept the Cavaliers 69-68 and 65-61 (overtime) during the 1992-93 season. West Davidson must have been stout that season because North had players such as Ed Suber and Jamel Aldrich on the floor.
North led by a single point after a quarter and by two at halftime in the latest victory against the Green Dragons. North’s lead was just 40-38 going to the fourth quarter, but then the Cavaliers (12-9, 6-3) took care of business.
George Maxwell made four of North’s six 3-pointers and scored 20 points. Amir Alexander scored 12, and six more players chipped in with points in a relatively low-scoring game.
One of the reasons it was challenging was that North shot 7-for-17 on free throws.
Colson Priddy made four 3-pointers and scored 22 for the Green Dragons.
North (12-9, 6-3) has quietly won five in a row since a home loss to Thomasville, mixing non-conference success against North Hills Christian, South Rowan and Albemarle with CCC victories against East Davidson and West Davidson (7-15, 1-9).
North is 18th in the 1A West RPI rankings and will be in the 1A state playoffs, but the Cavaliers would like to improve their seed enough to get a first-round home game.
North Rowan 14 14 12 19 — 59
West Davidson 13 13 12 8 — 46
NORTH — Maxwell 20, Alexander 12, Polk 8, Tarver 7, Charleston 5, Brown 3, Morrow 3, Wiliams 1.
WD — Priddy 22, Baker 9, Grady 8, Broom 4, Lomax 3.
