That’s because East’s scoring and rebounding leader, 6-4 center Cedric Gill, walked out on his team late in the first half.

Without Gill, East still played a respectable second half and lost by only 61-47 to the powerful Vikings, who improved to 13-3 overall and 8-1 in the 3A South Piedmont Conference.

Coach Mark Flynn’s Mustangs, who dropped to 2-7 in the SPC and 3-13 overall, fought Central to a 14-all deadlock after one quarter. It was still a seven-point game late in the first half.

Then Flynn called a time out with about three minutes left in the half. He was talking to Gill near the East bench when the junior pulled off his jersey, threw it on the floor and walked out of the gymnasium.

Gill, the seventh-leading scorer in Rowan County with a 12.0 average coming into the game, had three points and six rebounds before leaving.

“I don’t feel like tonight’s a good time to make a comment on it right after it happened,” said Flynn.

The East coach was pleased with his underdog team’s effort in defeat.

“When you look at Central Cabarrus, if anybody can find any weaknesses, I would like to know what they are,” he said. “We came and really competed hard tonight. I’m proud of the guys. ... We did what I always ask of the guys. I don’t really talk in terms of wins or losses, I talk in terms of playing as hard as you can and competing. We did that, and that’s all I can ask of them.”

Junior forward Taylor Weber scored all of his career-high 16 points in the first half, and the Mustangs trailed only 33-23 at intermission. Weber was 5-for-8 in the half with three 3-pointers.

“Coach Flynn had us believing they were one of the top teams in the state, and we could just hang with them. We did that. We shot pretty good the first half,” said Weber.

Coach Scott Brewer’s Vikings shut down Weber in the second half with Nathan Cranford guarding him most of the way. Weber got off only two shots.

“He’s a pretty tough defender, pretty strong,” said Weber.

Doug Naumann, Central’s 6-8 center, led the winners’ balanced scoring with 12 points, while Cranford, a sophomore guard, tallied 11.

For East, guard Adam Cornelius scored 12 points, 10 coming in the second half.

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NOTES: The Vikings went 20-for-48 (41.7 percent) on field goals and 16-for-27 at the foul line, while East was 14-for-49 (28.6 percent) from the floor and 12-for-21 on free throws. ... The Mustangs made seven 3-pointers — three by Weber, two by Cornelius and one each by forward Mark Misenheimer and guard Julian Sides. ... Central, led by forward Clayton Russell with eight rebounds and Naumann with seven, beat East on the boards 42-27. With Gill in the game, Central had only a 19-16 first-half edge. Gill and Misenheimer finished with six rebounds apiece. ... Misenheimer led the Mustangs with four assists. ... The most spectacular assist of the night was by Central guard Mickey Mickens on a behind-the-back pass. ... East will be seeking its second win over Piedmont at home on Tuesday.

CENTRAL CABARRUS (61) — Mickens 9, Naumann 12, Russell 6, Cranford 11, Hardy 7, Buck 8, Stafford, Knorr 4, Wright, Roberts, Duley, Shear 4.

EAST ROWAN (47) — Weber 16, Misenheimer 5, Gill 3, Cornelius 12, Miller 3, Shepherd 3, Rusher, Ledbetter 2, Sides 3, Martinez, Hollifield.