By Mike London
mike.london@salisburypost.com

SALISBURY — When play starts in the Dale’s Sporting Goods Sam Moir Christmas Classic on Thursday, it’s not going to take fans long to figure out this isn’t business as usual.

Those misses running around on the court at Catawba’s Goodman Gym probably will be missing more than normal, especially in those sleep-deprived 9 a.m. contests.

The prestigious holiday tournament usually includes at least one Rowan County girls team with legitimate state championships aspirations. Rowan girls teams have won five state titles in the last four seasons, with three different schools getting the job done, plus there’s normally two or three additional teams at the Moir capable of winning a conference title and making a playoff run. But there are no state contenders in the field this time.

This year’s field will arrive at Catawba with a combined record of 24-37. Most of the teams have just been trying to survive. The fifth-seeded team has lost five in a row. The sixth and seventh seeds have won one game each.

Top-seeded East Rowan (6-2) is the favorite, although the Mustangs won’t scare anyone when they walk on the court. East averages a modest 48 points per game.

The Mustangs make a lot of free throws and they have been tougher mentally than their opponents at the end of a lot games. That’s been their edge. They won by three at 2-8 South Iredell on Friday. They won by 10 in a low-scoring grinder at Salisbury, but the Hornets helped out by missing 13 layups and 16 free throws, so it’s not like the Hornets can’t reverse that result if they see East in the tournament. East won by five at 2-7 West Davidson and was fortunate to escape Tyro after allowing 64 points to a team that Salisbury crushed by 28.

East’s losses have been to Northwest Cabarrus in overtime — no shame in that, the Trojans are pretty good — and to Central Cabarrus by 22. Central isn’t bad, but that one is harder to explain.

What the Central game says is that East can have a bad game and if the Mustangs play a bad game in the Moir tournament they can lose to several teams. But if East plays good games, the Mustangs should win. While they may not be a typical freight train No. 1 seed, they are the team to beat.

East has Mary Church, a feisty guard who averages 15 points, and is one of the county’s best players. East also has fast guard Sadie Featherstone, who is averaging 8.8 points, but has averaged 13 per game during East’s current four-game winning streak. Featherstone scored 20 on Friday. Kady Collins (9.0) is tall and provides paint scoring and can step out and make 3s. Lily Kluttz provides ball-handling and Savannah Wise is an athletic defender. Isis Smith rebounds well. Coach Bri Evans uses a lot of role players off the bench and they normally give her positive minutes.

What’s happened to Rowan girls basketball this season?

Well, two-time 3A state champ West Rowan lost a ton of talent and not all of it to graduation. Salisbury was very good last season but lost its three best players. North Rowan was really good last season but lost three strong seniors, including a 1,000-point scorer, 2,000-point scorer and the best defender.

The reduction in the county talent pool doesn’t mean there won’t be plenty of excitement in the Christmas tournament because a 31-29 game can be just as exciting as 51-49.

East’s first-round opponent, eighth-seeded West Rowan has yet to win a game, but has come close twice and isn’t a helpless team. West has topped 50 points twice and scored 46 last Friday, and when you can score you have a chance. West plays really fast. The Falcons’ problem is inexperience, but the two youngsters who lead the team in scoring — Jamelia Allen (12.9 points per game) and Sydney Smith (9.0) — have talent and are learning.

Second-seeded Mount Pleasant (5-3) beat seventh-seeded Carson 34-27 in November. They’ll meet again in Thursday’s first round. It’s winnable for Carson (1-7) if the Cougars have a healthy team. The Cougars weren’t healthy last Friday and played without three players who normally get quite a few minutes.

Despite its unexciting record, Carson has improved considerably from last season because Allie Martin (12.8 points per game) has returned from knee surgery. She’s a key ball-handler, passer and rebounder as well as the leading scorer. Julia Burleson (7.5) can shoot. Rylee Hedrick (9.3) gives Carson a long and versatile third scorer if she’s healthy. Mount Pleasant scores in the 30s frequently, and two of the Tigers’ wins came against 2-8 Concord, so there are  reasons to think this will be a tight game despite the disparity in seeds.

Third-seeded Salisbury (4-3) has some pieces and is capable of winning the tournament. Salisbury guard Torese Evans (15 points per game) has blossomed into a serious scorer and has a 27-point game to her credit. Keiara Spuill (8.4) provides rebounds, blocks and paint scoring. Freshman Gabbi Fatovic scored 23 points on Friday. She can shoot and is emerging as a scoring threat.

North Rowan (1-4) dropped to the No. 6 seed with two lopsided weekend losses (East Davidson broke a 10-game losing streak by beating the Cavaliers) and will oppose rival Salisbury in the early game on Thursday. Allanah McArthur had a 20-point game in North’s lone win against South Davidson, but that’s the only game so far in which North has scored more than 36.

Fifth-seeded South Rowan (3-6) has one of the county’s most experienced teams, but has lost five straight, and three were blowouts. South lost close games in that stretch to Concord and Mount Pleasant that it had every chance to win. Injuries to Haley Atwell and Day Pharr have hurt the Raiders, leaving solid post player Kynlee Dextraze (12.6 points per game) as the only consistent source of points. South scored under 40 points in all five games of its pre-Christmas losing skid.

South will take on fourth-seeded Central Davidson (4-5). Central Davidson had a 43-33 win at North Rowan, but hasn’t played anyone else in the Moir field. The Spartans have three solid scorers in Aubrey Garrison (9.3), Logan Jordan (9.1) and Reagan McCarn (8.4) and have a chance to make some noise. They could win it.

Two of Central Davidson’s losses were to very strong Ben Smith (9-1) and two were to 4A Davie (5-3).

East’s girls won the first girls Christmas tourney in 1975. They also won in 1979, 1980, 1982, 1989, 1998, 2001 and 2014.

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Tickets can be purchased online through each school’s TicketSpicket site or at the gate.

$10/day, $25/tournament pass

Passes accepted: NCHSAA, NCCA Coaches Cards, Rowan County Gold Card, NC Officials

Thursday, Dec. 26 — Girls first round

Game 1 — 9 a.m. (3) Salisbury (4-3) vs. (6) North Rowan (1-4)

Game 3 — noon (2) Mount Pleasant (5-3) vs. (7) Carson (1-7)

Game 5 — 3 p.m. (1) East Rowan (6-2) vs. (8) West Rowan (0-7)

Game 7 — 6 p.m. (4) Central Davidson (4-5) vs. (5) South Rowan (3-6)