By Mike London
mlondon@salisburypost.com
STATESVILLE ó Salisbury girls coach Andrew Mitchell knew Statesville would make a run, and the Greyhounds did.
Salisbury had a 15-point lead sliced to three in the fourth quarter, but the fresher, deeper Hornets answered emphatically. They finished the game on an 18-0 run to win 53-32 in an early matchup of perennial conference champions.
“We didn’t make it exciting in the fourth quarteró Keyrra Gillespie made it exciting,” Mitchell said. “Any four people and Gillespie can play you tough.”With the Hornets leading 35-20 after three quarters, Gillespie, a Clemson-bound point guard, decided it was time.
She made a steal, scored and got fouled to start the final quarter. She missed the free throw, but swiped the ball after Salisbury got the rebound and scored again.
Soph reserve Cameron Bradley hit a 3-pointer, and it was suddenly 35-27. After Gillespie dished to Janitsha Williams for a layup, it was 35-29 with six minutes left, and Mitchell had physical De’Rya Wylie, who had been sitting with four fouls, running to the scorer’s table.”We were a little worried,” Salisbury’s Ashia Holmes said. “The shooter (Bradley) hit a 3, and then they all were scoring. It was like it was contagious.”
Bradley was fouled twice, made three free throws, and it was 35-32. The Hornets (4-0) lost the ball again, and Gillespie found Bradley again. Bradley’s 3-pointer from the left corner to tie went in and out.
Wylie out-fought Bradley for the rebound and converted two free throws at the 4:45 mark to end a long drought.
That was the turning point.”I glad to get back in the game, and we all stepped up the defensive pressure,” Wylie said.
Salisbury senior Shi-Heria Shipp had a dazzling run as the Hornets pulled away. She made a stickback, hit a runner, passed to Wylie for a layup and scored on a long pass from Bubbles Phifer.
Those eight quick points pushed the Hornets’ lead back to 13, and Statesville (1-2) was done.
“They had momentum and they had Gillespie, but we knew they had played East (Rowan) Tuesday, and it’s tough to go back-to-back,” Mitchell said. “We knew we’d have fresher legs to run at the end.”
Statesville coach Todd Jones agreed. “We were dead-legged, but our kids gave me all they had,” he said. “My regret is not calling timeout when they got back up by six.”
SALISBURY (53) ó Shipp 12, Wylie 10, N. Phifer 8, Miller 6, B. Phifer 6, As. Holmes 6, Ay. Holmes 3, Rice 2, Clinding.
STATESVILLE (32) ó Gillespie 9, C. Bradley 9, Williams 8, Bailey 4, Jones 2, Brown, Sherrill.
Salisbury 10 12 13 18 ó 53
Statesville 5 6 9 12 ó 32