SPENCER — The West Rowan-North Rowan boys basketball rivalry is obviously something else. But so is the one between the schools’ girls programs.
In fact, West-North has officially taken over as the county’s most intense female rivalry, a status which was the property of East-West in recent years and of South-West before that. Thursday night’s frenzied 50-43 overtime win by North (5-0) cemented the matchup as the current chart-topper, in case there was any lingering doubt. There are definitely no questions in the minds of the North players as to whom they most want to beat.
“West is the game I’ve been waiting for all season,” said North sophomore Amber Hill, who seized the contest by the throat, scoring all 10 of the Cavaliers’ points in the overtime period.
“Everyone’s hyped for West,” agreed North senior Joyce Hipps. “It’s the most fun game, because the crowd is so excited. There are always people in here, but never like there are for the West game.”
Quite a few of those folks in the stands were just sitting around waiting for the much-hyped boys game, of course, but the girls did one heck of a job as an opening act for the featured performers. Everyone was screaming their lungs out long before Donte Minter and Bryan McCullough were anywhere in sight. Really, all you need to know about this one is that West (6-2) played its best game of the season — and lost.
“We haven’t been playing that well lately,” said West coach Angie Waddell, who battled laryngitis as well as the Cavs. “But tonight, we had great energy out there. We had our intensity back and played a really strong game. Unfortunately, North has a great team.”
And the Cavs were also having one heck of a good time in front of a raucous crowd that had to be seen and heard to be believed.
“Playing this game was exciting,” added North’s Courtney Hill, who presented the Falcons with a second steep Hill to climb with 16 points. “This is the best rivalry now, because West is so much like us. They’re quick and we’re quick. Both teams are scrappy and everyone’s the same size. There aren’t any big people because Shameeka is out.”
“Shameeka” is Shameeka Wansley, West’s 5-foot-11 senior center who is sidelined with a shoulder injury. Wansley has had three huge games against the Cavs in her career, and there is no question the Falcons missed her. There were a number of times — especially on missed North free throws — that West could not control a rebound against the springier Cavs. At times, North simply boarded the ball over and over until someone scored or got fouled.
“Those white uniforms kept going up and up and up,” sighed Waddell. “North is such an athletic team.”
Ultimately, the Cavs’ rebounding would tell the tale, but it was a war from start to finish.
Courtney Hill scored eight in the first quarter as North went ahead 10-8. Then the Cavs used a surprise five-point spree by Ashley Hendrick to claim a 23-20 halftime edge.
But West’s trapping defense really got rolling in the third quarter, forcing nine North turnovers. Led by senior Danielle “Red” Scearce, who scored a career-best 14, West finished the quarter on an 8-2 roll for a 30-29 lead.
Neither team would blink in the fourth quarter, as the lead bounced back and forth like a pinball.
“We were playing hard,” said North coach Gary Atwell. “But my gosh, West was playing tough defense.”
West’s Sara Pieper, plagued by foul trouble the whole game, scored to tie the game at 37-all with 1:58 remaining. Then, with one minute to go, Kristen McNeely’s free throw put the Falcons ahead 38-37. Two Pieper free throws made it 40-37 nine seconds later and the Falcons appeared to be in charge. West looked fresher, mostly because North had played East on Wednesday while the Falcons rested.
“I think our tiredness was a factor,” said Atwell. “Our hands were a little slower than usual and so were our feet. Every loose ball seemed to go to someone wearing blue. We didn’t have our legs on our 3-point shots. We were short on everything.”
Amber Hill made one free throw to pull North within 40-38 with 45 seconds left. Then Courtney Hill grabbed a missed free throw by Amber Hill, was fouled and sank two charities to tie the score at 40 with 25 seconds left.
West had two chances to win in regulation, but Hipps and Amber Hill rejected Falcon shots underneath the hoop. Hipps then missed an 18-foot pull-up with two seconds left and Scearce rebounded to send the game to overtime.
Hipps, North’s floor leader, fouled out 47 seconds into the OT, but the Cavs survived. Mostly because Amber Hill had made up her mind that North wasn’t going to lose.
“Amber decided this game was hers,” said Atwell.
Hill had also promised Hipps that North would win.
“Joyce told me I had to win it for her and I said, ‘Don’t worry. I gotcha,’ ” she explained.
Mostly, Amber Hill got the Falcons. She drove aggressively to the basket on nearly every Cav possession in the OT, converting six free throws and two field goals. She had just four points after three quarters, but finished ferociously for a career-high 18.
Meanwhile, West scored just one field goal in the overtime, a follow by Scearce with 45 seconds left.
“We responded well in our first close ballgame,” said Atwell. “We were down in the fourth quarter and came back. We made some young mistakes, but I was tickled with how we played.”
“It was the best win for us in a while,” beamed Courtney Hill. “Best one since we beat West last year.”
Hey, now that sounds like a rivalry.
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NOTES:The teams will go at each other again next Wednesday at West. They are also the likely No. 1 and No. 2 seeds for the upcoming Christmas Tournament and will be favored to meet in the championship game. ... West and North have split their last eight meetings.
WEST ROWAN (43) — Scearce 14, Hampton 7, Pieper 6, N.Jones 6, McNeely 5, Sloop 4, Dowdy 1, Moore.
NORTH ROWAN (50)— A.Hill 18, C. Hill 16, Hipps 6, Hendrick 5, Witherspoon 4, Bowie 1, Craige, Suber, M. Jones.
West Rowan 8 12 10 10 3— 43
North Rowan 10 13 6 11 10— 50
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