High school girls basketball: Falcons romp in SPC semifinal
Published 12:45 am Wednesday, February 21, 2024
- West Rowan's Lauren Arnold, photo by Wayne Hinshaw, for the Salisbury, Post
Staff report
CONCORD — Lauren Arnold had 15 points and 14 rebounds as West Rowan’s girls basketball team took a breezy 75-22 win against Central Cabarrus on Tuesday.
This was a semifinal in the South Piedmont Conference Tournament, which normally brings some drams, but there was zero suspense. Top-seeded West scored the game’s first 11 points.
After the fourth-seeded Vikings, who survived a serious first-round scrap with East Rowan on Monday, got on the scoreboard at Concord’s Rimer Gym with two free throws, the Falcons answered with a 22-0 run for 33-2.
Central’s strength is pounding the offensive glass, but the Vikings turned it over so frequently that they didn’t get many shot attempts. When Central did get a shot off, it was usually a miss, and Arnold secured the rebound and started a break.
Central didn’t make its first field goal until there was only 2:48 left in the first half. That bucket made it 40-4.
The Falcons led 50-6 at halftime, and the second half sped by swiftly with a running clock. West’s reserves played quite a bit.
West (24-1) didn’t start out smoothly. It was 2-0 after nearly three minutes of play, but when Tiara Thompson checked into the game, the energy and execution picked up. Thompson scored 14 and orchestrated a number of transition points. Emma Clarke got all of her 13 points in the first half. Makaylah Tenor had a strong shooting game with three 3-pointers and 11 points. Backup post Lydia Wilson provided most of West’s offense in the fourth quarter and scored 10.
Mya Edwards and De’Mya Phifer had quiet scoring nights, but it could be their turn to shine in Thursday’s 7 p.m. championship game against Robinson at Concord. The third-seeded Bulldogs edged second-seeded Northwest Cabarrus in a thriller.
Central (15-11) lost to West 80-28 and 84-34 during the regular season.
Central Cabarrus 2 4 6 10 — 22
West Rowan 21 29 11 14 — 75
CENTRAL — Arevallo 6, Duncan 6, Lewis 4, K.Martin 2.
WEST — Arnold 15, Thompson 14, Clarke 13, Tenor 11, Wilson 10, A. Martin 6, Phifer 4, Edwards 2.
