Staff report

MOUNT ULLA — Execution got West Rowan’s girls basketball team a lead, while experience provided another victory.

West beat a tough and physical Ashe County team 79-52 in a third-round game 3A playoff game that wasn’t routine.

One Ashe County fan was escorted from the gym as things got over-heated in the third quarter.

Two West Rowan senior banners were assaulted by an angry spectator. No humans were injured.

“That was a crazy one,” West coach Ashley Poole said. “Game got ugly with technicals and intentional fouls. The key to the first half was execution. The key to the second half was poise. We held our composure.”

Ashe County played a competitive first quarter. Sophomore Tiara Thompson scored 11 points in the first quarter to carry West to a 20-16 lead.

“She was great,” Poole said.

Mya Edwards produced a 10-point second quarter and Makaylah Tenor made two 3s as the Falcons moved ahead 45-29 at halftime.

West (28-1) maintained its cushion in the third quarter and held the Huskies (18-9) to seven points in the fourth quarter to win by a convincing margin.

Lauren Arnold scored 22 as the Falcons won their 26th in a row. Thompson scored 17. Edwards had 14, Tenor 11, and Emma Clarke 10.

De’Mya Phifer made a 3-pointer and scored five.

West made six 3-pointers and cashed in a ton of free throws.

Abby Sheets led the Huskies, who also were ousted from the 2023 playoffs by the Falcons, with 17 points. Paige Overcash and Lexie Dawson scored 11 each.

West held Abby Eller, one of the top players for Ashe, to a single 3-pointer.

“Multiple people guarded her,” Poole said. “We had to make sure she didn’t get hot.”

Next for the Falcons is a rematch in Friday’s fourth round with third-seeded East Lincoln, which won a tough battle on Tuesday with Stuart Cramer. East Lincoln knocked West out of the 2022 playoffs. West beat East Lincoln in the regional final in 2023 in West’s most challenging game of an undefeated season.

Ashe County    16    13    16   7    — 52

West Rowan    20    25    17  17   — 79

ASHE — Sheets 17, Overcash 11, Dawson 11, Durham 8, Eller 3, Greer 2.

WEST — Arnold 22, Thompson 17, Edwards 14, Tenor 11, Clarke 10, Phifer 5.