Staff report

SALISBURY — East Rowan and Salisbury played on Thursday.

That was news. While they are neighbors, the schools hadn’t squared off in girls basketball since the Hornets won 50-41 in the third-place game of the 2019 Sam Moir Christmas Classic.

East won this one, taking a 36-26 victory on the strength of a sizzling start and deadly foul shooting. The Mustangs were 16-for-20 from the foul line.

East surged to a 16-4 lead in the early going.

“East came in here ready to play and we weren’t,” said Salisbury head coach Lakai Brice after the Hornets had a three-game winning streak stopped. “They played hard and had a great game plan for us. That’s a great team.”

East began to slow down in the third quarter after Kady Collins had to leave the game, but the Mustangs (5-2) were able to hold on.

“We were really solid for a half, but then we struggled some without Kady,” said East coach Bri Evans, who won her first matchup with the Hornets. “Then we kept it together at the end.”

Salisbury (3-3) went 4-for-20 on free throws. That made it very difficult for the Hornets to rally. Brice also counted 13 missed Salisbury layups.

“We’ve just got to get better,” Brice said. “Lots of little things we can improve on. Got to take care of the ball better. Got to make more layups and make more free throws.”

Freshman Gabriella “Gabbi” Fatovic and Kaeiara Spruill scored eight each to lead the Hornets. East held Salisbury’s usual scoring leader Torese Evans to six points.

Sadie Featherstone scored 11 for the Mustangs, while Mary Church had 10. Six more Mustangs chipped in.

East plays at South Iredell on Friday, an interesting non-conference game because Evans’ sister, Mariah Johnson, coaches South Iredell.

Salisbury will have a great opportunity to bounce back at South Davidson on Friday in Central Carolina Conference action.

EAST — Featherstone 11, Church 10, Smith 4, Collins 3, Wise 2, Kluttz 2, Miller 2, Alderman 2.

SALISBURY — Fatovic 8, Spruill 8, Evans 6, McNeely 4.