By David Shaw

sports@salisburypost.com

LEXINGTON — Salisbury’s second conference victory put Bryan Withers on his backside.

The first-year coach took a well-deserved seat on a cement step outside the Hornets’ dressing room following Friday’s tension-filled, 74-70 Central Carolina Conference win at Lexington.

“Any time you can come to Lexington and get one, it’s a good win,” Withers said after Salisbury (13-2, 2-0 CCC) held on. “This is the best environment we’ve been in yet. The best. It was rocking in here tonight.”

Never mind that the party didn’t start until the second half. Lexington (9-5, 0-2) had the Hornets backpedaling for most of the first two quarters, when the hosts shot 59 percent from the field (16-for-27) and jogged into their locker room with a 38-30 lead.

“We went in, had a little adversity in the locker room,” Withers later revealed. “We know we’re gonna make mistakes. But we can’t put our heads down when we make mistakes.”

Whatever happened, an alarm sounded and Salisbury was a different team in the third period. There was Tre Oats extending for an offensive rebound and putback. And D.J. Alexander surging past Lexington’s thoroughbreds for a runaway layup. And Wes Fazia, emerging from the bench to contribute two baskets and a free throw in a 27-second span.

“The first half, they had more energy than us,” said Salisbury sophomore Isaac Baker. “In the second, we turned it on. And when we turn it on, nobody can stop us.”

It was Baker who scored on a fast-break layup with 2:50 remaining in the quarter to give Salisbury a 45-43 lead it never relinquished. When Elijah Moss drove the right baseline for a last-minute layup and completed a three-point play, the Hornets sat atop a 53-46 cushion.

“We just hustled,” teammate Oshaun Robinson said after contributing eight fourth-quarter points off the bench. “We crashed the boards and we stopped them from getting second and third chances.”

Withers agreed it was defense that spelled the difference. “When we win, it always starts in the defensive end. We started getting some stops. Our bigs played like they’re capable of playing. And it made it tough on people.”

Lexington was dealt a tough blow when Daniel Reid-Bennett — one of four Jackets to score in double figures — fouled out with 3:31 remaining in the third quarter. It responded behind Marquise Jordan, who topped all scorers with 25 points and hit an open layup to draw the Yellow Jackets to within 55-54 with 5:29 remaining.

“But we held on,” said Withers. “We fought through all the problems. We’re still a family, a good family. Everybody don’t listen to their Mama and Daddy all the time. Brothers and sisters don’t get along all the time. But guess what? You’re still a family. When your heads clear, everything comes back together. That’s what’s important. We came back together tonight.”

Salisbury used an over-under driving layup by Robinson to grab a four-point lead with 3:26 to go.

Lexington got as close as 67-65 when 6-2 junior Raheame White threaded a 3-pointer from the right side with less than a minute on the clock. But a free throw by Alexander and two by Baker (22 points) stretched the lead to five before Robinson sealed the deal with a floater from the baseline with 16 seconds remaining.

“They looked at me and I was open,” Robinson said. “I had the shot and I took it. Just my way of contributing.”

SALISBURY (74) — Baker 22, Oats 11, Robinson 8, Fazia 8, Alexander 8, Moss 6, Harris 4, Troutman 4, Leckonby 2, A.Yang 1, J.Yang, Rivens.

LEXINGTON (70) — Jordan 25, White 14, Charles 13, Reid-Bennett 11, Medley 5, Craven 2.

Salisbury    17   13   23   21  — 74

Lexington   19   19    8    24  — 70