Davie County made its free throws count, and West Rowan did not. That’s why Davie’s girls are in the championship basketball game of the Sam Moir Christmas Classic today.
Coach Carol Cozart’s third-seeded War Eagles downed second-seeded West 53-48 in the semifinals at Catawba College’s Goodman Gym on Thursday.
Davie (7-4), which has won six of its last games, will take on defending champion and top-seeded North Rowan (8-0) at 5:45 p.m. in the finals. North edged East Rowan 45-43 in the other semifinal game last night.
West (7-4) will meet East (5-5) in the consolation game at 2:15.
Led by sophomore point guard Brittany Walker’s 8-for-8 in the fourth quarter, Davie went 22-for-28 at the foul line, including a superb 15-for-16 in the final period.
West, in sharp contrast, was only 13-for-28. Twelve of the misses came in the second half.
Walker, who went 13-for-14 at the foul line, led Davie with 16 points. Senior forward Shelby Michael added 13 points for the winners.
West, down 10 twice early in the third quarter, rallied behind freshman guard Hillary Hampton and cut the deficit to one at 34-33 on Shameeka Wansley’s two free throws early in the fourth period.
That’s when Davie center Emily Morton scored two straight baskets off assists by Walker to change the momentum. Davie didn’t have it wrapped up, but the War Eagles protected the lead down the stretch by making their free throws.
“We lost some ground in the third quarter. We didn’t have as much margin to play with in the fourth quarter as we wanted,” said Cozart. “There was a little bit of luck helping us there at the end too, because they missed some foul shots and we made a lot of foul shots.”
Coach Angie Waddell of West said, “I think we put ourselves in bad position (trailing 23-15 at halftime). It’s like we were a totally different team coming out the second half. We picked up our intensity. If we can put two complete halves together, we’ll be OK. But, until we learn that, it’s going to be this way.”
West outscored Davie 33-30 and outrebounded the War Eagles 22-11 in the second half.
“They didn’t quit,” said Cozart of the Falcons. “I didn’t know a lot about them except what I had read in the papers. I hadn’t had a chance to scout them. But, in talking to the other coaches, the first thing they’d all tell you is they are 32 minutes of flat-out hustle. They don’t stop; they don’t give up.”
Hampton was West’s second-half catalyst, scoring 17 of her game-high 18 points in the last two quarters.
“She did exactly what I asked of her, especially in the second half,” said Waddell. “She comes to play: You’ve just got to get her fired up to get her mad.”
Today’s Davie-North contest will be a rematch of last year’s semifinals.
“They are probably the most aggressive Rowan County team,” said Cozart. “We just need to be ready to protect the ball and to meet the ball, and to be calm and patient on defense as well as on offense — and not let them get transition. Our goal is to make them play halfcourt offense.”
NOTES: Forward Sara Pieper and center Danielle Scearce had nine and eight rebounds, respectively, leading West to a 33-25 edge on the boards. ... Walker had seven assists, six steals and six rebounds to go with her 16 points. ... Wansley returned to action for the Falcons after missing four straight games with a separated shoulder.
WESTROWAN (48) — Pieper 5, Sloop 6, Scearce 9, McNeely 6, Hampton 18, Moore, Wansley 4, Dowdy, Jones.
DAVIE COUNTY (53) — Michael 13, A. Williams 5, Morton 6, Cornatzer, Walker 16, Singleton 6, S.Williams 5, Merlau 2, H. McDaniel, R. McDaniel.
West Rowan 6 9 16 17 — 48 Davie County 6 17 11 19 — 53
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