From staff report

Friday games …

SALISBURY — Salisbury didn’t get the start it wanted against East Davidson, but a 26-1 advantage in the second quarter settled the Central Carolina Conference game.

The Hornets romped 75-31 against the overmatched Golden Eagles.

“We definitely came out sluggish, but we picked it up,” Salisbury coach Albert Perkins said.

The Hornets needed a buzzer-beater to lead the Golden Eagles (2-12, 0-3) by five at the end of the first quarter, but then the Hornets found their stride and it was 46-16 at halftime.

Salisbury (10-3, 4-0) got 23 points from Myles Smith, right on his average.

Also in double figures were Braylon Taylor (13), Tre Davis (11) and Hank Webb (10), who started the scoring with a 3-pointer.

East Davidson 15    1        6      9    — 31

Salisbury          20    26     16    13   — 75

SHS scoring — M. Smith 23, Taylor 13, Davis 11, Webb 10, B. Smith 6, House 6, Brown 3, Hairston 3.

•••

CONCORD — West Rowan’s boys basketball team was overwhelmed by Northwest Cabarrus in a South Piedmont Conference game.

Northwest won 67-33, but it was even more lopsided than it sounds. The Trojans (8-4, 5-0) led 46-6 at halftime — yes, 46-6 — so the second half was played with a running clock.

West (2-8, 1-5) made up some ground against Northwest reserves mostly because Brant Graham buried four 3-pointers in the third quarter for his 12 points.

But West couldn’t get out of the gate, couldn’t buy a bucket at the outset, allowing the Trojans to settle the outcome in the first five minutes.  The Trojans forced turnovers with pressure, got wide-open shots with crisp ball movement and basically made everything they put up. Justin Gonder hit three 3-pointers in the first quarter.

Northwest led 17-0 when Evan Kennedy, who scored 10 points, finally got the Falcons on the scoreboard with an inside bucket, as he was fouled, with 3:42 left in the first quarter.

Northwest led 28-4 after a quarter and just kept rolling. West’s only offense in the second quarter was two free throws by Kennedy.

West trailed 51-6 early in the third quarter before Graham had his hot streak.

Gonder scored 16 for the Trojans. So did Connor Walker, a post man who came off the bench and scored at will. Landon Rowe made a couple of 3-pointers and scored 15.

West Rowan    4    2    16     11   — 33

NW Cabarrus  28  18   15     6    — 67

WEST — Graham 12, Kennedy 10, Ford 4, Neely 2, Young 2, Moten 2, Stevenson 1.

NWC — Gonder 16, Walker 16, Rowe 15, Rochevot 6, E. Brown 4, Bost 3, Gichiba 2, Lucas-Walker 2, S. Brown 2, Barringer 1.

•••

CHINA GROVE — Carson beat North Rowan 62-45 in a non-conference game.

It was a season-low point total for the Cavaliers (5-4). North played without Dyzarious Carpenter, who averages 17 per game.

Emari Russell led the Cavaliers with 15 points, but that was eight below his average. Jo Jo Tarver matched his season high with eight points.

Carson (9-4) pounded North 22-7 in the first quarter, and the Cavaliers weren’t able to overcome that slow start.

“We had a really solid start to the game,” Carson coach Brian Perry said. “CP (Perry) got us going offensively, and Jonah Drye made a lot of plays. Jonah got a lot of open looks for his teammates.”

Perry had four buckets in the first quarter, while Jacob Mills made two 3-pointers and Maverick Walters made one.

Drye hit two 3s in the second quarter, as Carson took a 34-16 halftime lead.

Perry scored 22 for the Cougars, his third straight game with 20-plus. Drew Neve scored 12, Mills had 11, and Drye added nine.

“North had a little run in the third quarter, but then we got some separation again in the fourth,” Coach Perry said. “It’s a good win against a good team,”

North Rowan    7    9   18   11   — 45

Carson               22  12  14   14   — 62

NORTH — Russell 15, Tarver 8, Polk 6, Sullivan 6, Feamster 5, Williams 4, Brown 2.

CARSON — Perry 22, Neve 12, Mills 11, Drye 9, Walters 4, Phillips 2, Martin 2.