Three uncontested North Rowan Cavaliers were underneath the basket — all leaping and rebounding and shooting.

And then the trio stared in stunned disbelief at the futility of their efforts. Stared as the ball trickled off the rim and bounced to the floor and the horn sounded. Stared as a 1999-2000 season that began with soaring hopes ended at exactly the same point — and in exactly the same gym — as last season’s sectional final loss to West Stanly.

North (20-5) lost 76-67 in the 2A Sectional No. 2 finals to a 22-6 Statesville team that was simply better — at least on the one day it mattered.

It wasn’t supposed to end like this. Last year, the Cavs, a team dominated by sophomores, were Cinderella. This year, with five junior starters, the Cavs talked openly about getting to Chapel Hill. They fell three games short.

“We certainly did expect to go further this year,” admitted always candid North coach Kelly Everhart. “We certainly did.”

The Cavs’ core — guards Dre Byrd and Chris Phillips, swingman Marcus Reddick and post players Marcus Lawing and Bryan McCullough — will return.

McCullough played fiercely, battling for 16 points, 12 rebounds and several blocks. Byrd scored 16 and had six steals, but didn’t dominate on the defensive end. Reddick scored 14 points. Phillips added eight points and four steals.

But it wasn’t enough to offset 22 points apiece by Greyhound bomber Paul Renegar and smooth 6-foot-5 freshman center Dion Dacons, son of Statesville coach Pierre Dacons.

Disappointing as the finale was, the Cavs had a fine year. It included a 12-game winning streak, the school’s first unbeaten conference record in 37 years and the first 20-win season since 1995. And, of course, North remains the only team to beat West Rowan this season.

Some say the Cavs peaked way too early — perhaps sometime in December during its three duels with West. But Everhart disagrees.

“I really don’t think peaking early was a factor,” he said. “We played a great game Wednesday in the playoffs. We just didn’t play well today or in our conference tournament game last week.”

The Cavs were handicapped by playing in a league that was not a powerhouse this season. Certainly, North didn’t face any Central Carolina Conference opponents as strong as Statesville.

The Greyhounds, No. 2 seed out of Southern District 7, didn’t shoot much better than the Cavs percentage-wise, but they swished eight 3-pointers to the Cavs’ two. And they made 14 of 17 foul shots compared to a woeful 5-for-13 showing from the stripe by North. The Hounds were also smart enough that the Cavs couldn’t force enough turnovers to make up that huge differential in 3s and free throws.

“Statesville was a team that simply matched up with us very well,” said Everhart. “They were as quick as us and outplayed us.”

North gave up open 3-point looks early and paid dearly. Greyhound point guard David Adams and wing Renegar hit two quick 3s apiece as flat North was buried 13-2 right from the get-go. It was 20-12 after a quarter.

North got as close as five in the second with McCullough hitting the boards hard, but a missed dunk by a wide-open Mario Sturdivant defused the momentum and they trailed 38-28 at halftime.

“The key was handling their pressure,” said coach Dacons. “We worked hard to prepare for North’s press. North never could take us out of our offense in the first half.”

Or in the third quarter. Adams and Wesley Holt got the ball up the floor against waves of Cavs and Renegar and Dacons scored out of the Hounds’ halfcourt sets against North’s man-to-man.

“We learned that the one thing we have to work on for next year is solid man-to-man defense,” said Everhart. “We were not good defensively today. Give Statesville credit for making so many 3s, but it’s easy to hit 3s when no one’s getting a hand in your face.”

The Cavs slipped behind 59-45 with six minutes left in the game. But then they pulled themselves together for one last charge.

McCullough, Sturdivant and Reddick scored quick hoops and the Hounds’ lead was 59-51. Then Lawing scooped a missed free throw off the floor and powered the ball in left-handed while being hammered to the deck. Now, it was 59-53 with 4:16 remaining. But a huge cut had been opened over Lawing’s eye. He needed trainer Gary Atwell’s attention and play was stopped as authorities mopped blood from the floor.

The game was delayed for several minutes — minutes which gave Statesville a chance to catch its breath and regain its composure.

North got back to within five twice more — but Sturdivant missed another of his trademark high-rising jams that might have shaken the Hounds and Statesville’s foul shooting down the stretch was cool and precise. Renegar hit four straight freebies, while Holt went 5-for-6.

“Our intensity in that fourth-quarter rally was great,” said Everhart. “We would not quit and I kept thinking we would get it done until there were 20 seconds left. I just wish we’d had that same intensity in the first quarter when we dug a hole we couldn’t get out of.”

“Maybe we were just lucky today,” said coach Dacons. “We feel very fortunate to advance, because we know what kind of team North has.”

And will have again next season. The Cavs’ battle cry of “1-2-3, Chapel Hill” will certainly be heard again in Spencer come November. Maybe as seniors, the Cavs will be ready to complete the mission.

STATESVILLE(76) — Holt 14, Renegar 22, Adams 11, Torrence 2, Dacons 22, Chambers, Myers 5, Mayberry.

NORTH (67) — Lawing 3, J.Miller 2, Sturdivant 2, Reddick 14, Byrd 16, Witherspoon 2, McCullough 16, A.Miller, Hosch 4, Davis.

Statesville 20 18 14 24 — 76