Playing in Lexington’s gymnasium won’t be one of them.

TheCavalier forward scored 19 points Monday night against the Yellow Jackets to help North to a 53-44 win, its first at Lexington in six years. Honeycutt’s points didn’t come easily. She hit just 2-of-11 shots in the first half and finished 7-for-21 from the field.

“I hate this place. I’m so glad this is the last time I ever have to play in this gym,” Honeycutt said with a laugh. “Isaid before the game we have to win here once in my four years.”

Honeycutt wasn’t the only one struggling with her shooting touch. The Cavs (10-3 overall, 3-1 CCC) went 7-for-34 (21 percent) in the first half and trailed by as many as eight points. Lexington (7-6, 1-2) only shot 8-for-25 (32 percent)but held a 23-19 halftime edge.

Things were going so bad for the Cavs at one point that head coach Gary Atwell exclaimed, “That’s the best thing we’ve done yet!” when a Lexington free throw was wiped out by a Yellow Jacket lane violation.

“We don’t play with a whole lot of intensity here, and when we don’t play with emotion and intensity and get after people, we’re not a very good basketball team,”Atwell said. “I feel like we steal a win when we win in here.”

To steal that win, Atwell convinced his team at halftime to return to North’s usual attack — ferocious defense and sprints up the court for easy baskets. That, and a little motivation, was exactly what the Cavaliers needed.

“We wanted to step up and win, play as a team,” Amber Hill said. “Coach kept telling us to run the plays and play better defense.”

Lexington’s Michelle Johnson scored in the lane to stretch the lead to 25-19. Then North went to work. Tasha Pharr, Toya Tucker and Honeycutt hit consecutive layups as theCavs grabbed rebounds, pushed the ball up the court and beat the Lexington defense.

Honeycutt’s shooting touch gradually returned with a score in the lane, then she stole a pass and converted the layup for a 32-31 lead. Courtney Hill ended the third quarter with a putback to give the Cavs a three-point lead.

Lexington sliced North’s lead to one point on three different occasions in the fourth quarter. Amber Hill started the game-clinching run with a rebound, hard drive down the court and bank shot.

Honeycutt followed with two free throws and Courtney Hill scored on a putback for a quick 6-0 run that stretched the lead to 46-39 with 3:30 remaining.

North’s last field goal of the game came a minute later, when Honeycutt drove to the hoop and passed through a triple team for a Courtney Hill layup and a 48-41 lead.

In her final half of basketball at Lexington, Honeycutt shot 5-for-10 from the floor and scored 13 points.

“She was having a hard time around the basket,” Atwell said. “She earned every one of those 19 tonight.”

And she left the gym with a big smile on her face. The next time she sees the Yellow Jackets, it’ll be in Spencer.

“I can’t really explain it,”Honeycutt said. “It’s like every time you shoot the ball bounces out to half court. You’ve got to throw it up there really soft.”

NORTH ROWAN (53) —Bowie, Pharr 2, Honeycutt 19, C. Hill 10, Tucker 4, Johnson, A. Hill 10, Hipps 8.

LEXINGTON (44) — King 1, Jenkins 2, Horton 5, Bunce 14, Pearson 12, Johnson 4, Hargrave 2, Sawyer, Taylor 4.

North Rowan 11 8 15 19 — 53