And while it may not have been the prettiest game West Rowan’s boys basketball team has ever played, the Falcons will still get their annual glamour shot in Hickory.

West overcame a frustrating first half against a small-but-quick South Point team and won the 3A Sectional 1 championship Friday night in Bullock Gymnasium 74-65.

Falcon coach Mike Gurley was ecstatic that his team advanced and even more so over the fact that Scooter Sherrill had plenty of help in the big-play department.

Horatio Everhart, Donte Minter, Terris Sifford and Scooter Dalton, to name just a few. All made important baskets, steals or defensive plays.

“When the game was on the line, we reminded people that we’re not just Scooter Sherrill,” Gurley said.

Sherrill did have 23 points to lead all scorers, nine in the decisive third quarter. But Gurley marvels over the lack of praise thrown the way of Minter, his 6-8 sophomore.

“I’ve got a pretty good guy inside in Donte Minter, He’s 6-8, 220 and people don’t see him all the time,” said Gurley in amazement. “I think he’s one of the best players in the Piedmont.”

When South Point had crawled to within six in the fourth quarter, West didn’t go to Sherrill, but instead to the big fella. The 15-year old scored seven of the team’s last 10 points to secure West’s 27th victory in 28 tries. He finished with 20.

“We just decided we had to pick up our play,” shrugged the unassuming big man. “We knew early they weren’t going to give us anything easy.”

That was a fact. The Falcons seemed a bit stunned by South Point’s quickness, which made up for its lack of height. The 17-12 Red Raiders, the third seed from the Southwestern Conference, had no one in the lineup over 6-2.

“You saw tonight that we’re very undermanned and very undersized,” Raider coach G.C. Harrill said. “The only thing we’ve got is our quickness and we used it as well as we could.”

Led by Devon Lowery, who scored 20, the Raiders danced step for step with the Falcons throughout the first half. West simply couldn’t shake them.

Timmy Mauldin hit a 3 to lead a 7-0 run and give West a 32-27 lead midway through the second quarter and it appeared the Falcons were pulling away. But a technical foul on Gurley resulted in a 10-5 spurt and a 37-37 tie at halftime.

“We had watched their last game and we knew they were quick,” said Sherrill. “But there’s a big difference watching them off the court and then seeing them on it. You don’t realize how quick they are until you play them.”

When South Point scored the first five points of the third quarter, it was 42-37 — which meant Scooter Time.

Down 44-42, Sherrill scored nine points before the quarter ended. He led a 20-4 run that put the Falcons up 57-46 going into the last eight minutes.

“When it’s crunch time, I always want the ball in my hands,” Sherrill said. “I always feel like that.”

The rest of the game saw West hold off some mini-runs by South Point. That’s where Everhart, a sophomore, and Sifford, a junior, made their mark. Both hit long 3-pointers to preserve the lead.

“Terris shot and I said, ‘No! ... Good.’ Everhart shot and I said, ‘Ooh! ... Good.’ They had confidence, offered Gurley.”

Everhart scored 10 points and made several swooping moves to the hoop.

Everhart reminds Gurley of Tommy Lee, who played last year.

“Horatio had a lot of turnovers tonight but why does he play? The Tommy Lee factor,” Gurley said. “As long as he gives 110 percent, I’m playing him.

“He missed a layup that could have put us up 11 that resulted in a timeout. I wanted to choke him. But I thought, ‘He’s playing as hard as he can.’ So I ran out and hugged him and said, ‘Hey baby, you’re doing fine. Maybe that relaxed him. Maybe he realized he’s a good basketball player.”

Sifford’s contribution was mainly on the defensive end. Lowery had 16 first half points but Sifford’s glue-like defense held him to four after halftime — and no points in the fourth.

“We didn’t have any legs left,” Harrill signed. “When you run five in and five out (like West) and we’re playing seven it tells on you later. We were worn out.”

The key to the game, according to Gurley, was switching the defense from a press to a zone. It forced South Point to shoot outside, which it didn’t do well, leading to Scooter’s third-quarter surge.

“We were hoping to put pressure on them to create our offense,” Gurley said of the early tactics. “But for some reason, it wasn’t effective. Give credit to South Point. They forced the issue.”

The only issue that remains is who the Western Regional opponent will be for the Falcons, a glamour team that continues it’s drive toward another glamourous finish.

SOUTH POINT (65) — Lowery 20, Jarion Jackson 18, Jeremy Jackson 14, Alexander 6, Ensley 3, Deaton 2, Powell 2.

WEST ROWAN (74) — Sherrill 23, Minter 20, Everhart 10, F. Williams 7, Sifford 7, Mauldin 3, P. Williams 2, Dalton 1, White 1.

South Point 16 21 9 19 — 65