From staff reports

LANDIS — South Rowan’s girls basketball team has learned how to come back and how to make games exciting.

Learning how to win is going to take a bit longer. South provided thrills and spills for fans on Tuesday, but lost 54-51 at home to Concord in South Piedmont Conference action.

South missed on a 3-pointer in the final seconds that would have forced overtime.

Concord (8-12, 6-7) bounced back nicely from the 106-30 thumping it took from powerhouse West Rowan on Friday and was able to hold off the Raiders (3-17, 1-12).

The Spiders beat South 64-50 in a combative game earlier this season at Rimer Gym. The rematch was more tightly called, and while it was physical, it wasn’t as rough.

Concord’s Myajah Nix was the most talented player on the floor and led the Spiders with 19 points. Kaylin Williams, who scored 30 recently against Carson, helped out with 14.

Natalie Nebrich scored only five points, but her shot-blocking frustrated the Raiders early and allowed Concord to take the lead.

South started slowly and fell behind by as many as nine points in the first quarter. The Raiders got back to a 17-11 deficit when Ari Alston passed to Meghan Eagle for a layup to close the quarter.

South experienced a dismal second quarter and fell behind 32-16 at the half. That was the low point for the Raiders.

Day Pharr and McKenzie Menius, who scored all eight of her points in the third quarter, sparked a South rally. South was shooting free throws by the middle of the third quarter and outscored the Spiders 18-9 to cut Concord’s lead to 41-34.

South was down nine points with two minutes left, but didn’t give up.

South was still down seven with a minute left, but Kynlee Dextraze and Hannah Atwell got transition baskets after the Spiders put up hasty shots.

With Concord leading by three, Williams was fouled with 8.9 seconds left. When she missed both free throws, South had a chance to tie.

Concord applied some backcourt pressure, but Dextraze was able to dribble the ball down the floor. She passed to Menius, who was in traffic in the paint. Menius kicked the ball out to Avery Fisher, who was set up on the right side and had a clear 3-point shot. Fisher is one of South’s better shooters. Her attempt had the right distance, but it sailed a little to the left. When it glanced off the rim, Concord owned a satisfying season sweep.

Concord     17     15    9    13   — 54

South         11       5      18  17    — 51

CONCORD – Nix 19, Williams 14, Taylor 8, Smith 6, Nebrich 5, Blue 2.

SOUTH — Pharr 11, Dextraze 11, Menius 8, Eagle 8, Atwell 7, Alston 4 Fisher 2.

•••

CONCORD – East Rowan’s girls basketball team doesn’t match up well with Northwest Cabarrus.

The Trojans have a lot of size compared to East and they also have enough quickness to apply defensive pressure.

East stayed with the Trojans the first eight minutes on Tuesday, but Northwest settled the outcome with a dominant 23-3 second quarter for a 31-9 halftime lead.

“We struggled to score,” East coach Bri Evans.

That was an accurate statement. The 19 points were a season low for East, which lost to Northwest 58-27 when the teams played in early January.

Mary Church, who had totaled 51 points in East’s previous two games, was held to five.

East did get Kady Collins back. She missed Friday’s game with South Rowan.

East is on the bubble of the 3A playoffs and is No. 32 in the 3A West RPI rankings. Northwest is 10th.

With the injury to Ella Hobbs, Robinson’s Ohio State recruit, Northwest(17-4, 12-2) has emerged as the most serious threat to another undefeated South Piedmont Conference season for West Rowan. The Falcons have road games left with Robinson and Northwest Cabarrus. West’s game at Northwest Cabarrus will conclude the regular season.

East Rowan     6     3    7     3    —19

NW Cabarrus  8     23  17  14   — 62

EAST — Church 5, Kluttz 4, Collins 3, S. Featherstone 3, Wise 2, Stepp 1, J. Featherstone 1.

•••

KANNAPOLIS — Sadie Faulkner scored 20 points for A.L. Brown. but the Wonders fell 52-41 on Tuesday to West Cabarrus.

Ayanni Flood added 10 for the Wonders (10-12, 1-9), who trailed 29-21 at halftime.

Kaiya Bond had 19 points and 12 rebounds for the Wolverines (12-9, 6-4) in the Greater Metro Conference game. Shariah White scored 16, while Tyler Collins had 15.

A.L. Brown     7    14    5     15    — 41

W. Cabarrus    15  14  11    12    — 52

ALB — Faulkner 20, Flood 10, Robinson 4, Bradley 3, McNeely 2, Stevens 2.

WC — Bond 19, White 16, Collins 15, Sandridge 2.