The North Rowan boys basketball team eventually beat visiting East Davidson 74-61 on Friday night, but coach Kelly Everhart thought a 6-0 run to start the third period turned the tide.

The Central Carolina Conference leaders (7-0, 14-3 overall) held only a 35-30 lead at intermission against a disciplined East Davidson (1-4, 6-10) team.

“I thought the beginning of the third quarter was the key,” said Everhart. “I told the kids at halftime the first few minutes of the third quarter was the most important of the game. The kids came out and really busted their tail in our press and managed to get some easy layups in that two-minute stretch.”

Hot-shooting center Bryan McCullough scored the first basket of the second half off an inbounds pass from point guard Dre Byrd. Two steals by forward Marcus Reddick were turned into baskets by Byrd and McCullough. It was suddenly 43-32, and coach Brian Cantrell of East Davidson called a time out. Only 1:22 of the quarter had elapsed.

After that, the Golden Eagles didn’t surrender, but they could get no closer than nine points twice. After East Davidson’s dangerous shooter, guard Brian Slate, scored to cut the margin to 43-34, the Cavaliers pulled way for a 17-point lead of 55-38.

“We never could put them away. They kept battling back and battling back,” said Everhart.

The visitors got within 66-57 on another Slate shot with 3:50 to go, then the Cavaliers went on another 6-0 run to keep it from getting any closer.

McCullough, Byrd and Reddick combined for 53 points for North — McCullough with 24, Byrd with 17 and Reddick with 12.

McCullough missed a few shots early in the game, then went on a 9-for-9 field goal streak to finish at 11-for-14 with one 3-pointer.

“Bryan is kind of on a tear right now shooting the ball, and I sure am glad,” said Everhart.

McCullough was 6-for-13 while scoring 16 points in a 77-72 overtime victory over arch-rival Salisbury on Thursday night.

“I wish that he would be a little more aggressive on the boards, because he has such a knack for getting his hands on the ball. It wouldn’t surprise me for Bryan to get 18 or 20 rebounds a game if he’s really going after it,” said the coach. McCullough had five rebounds.

Byrd (7-for-13) scored in double figures for the 15th time in 18 games, but he also set up his teammates often with 12 assist and contributed four steals.

“A lot of people look at the numbers that he puts up point-wise and think maybe he’s selfish. But he’s really a team-oriented player and he enjoys making the pass and letting his teammates score,” said Everhart.

He thought back to a third-quarter play in which Byrd could have taken an open layup but passed off to forward Marcus Lawing.

“He had the open layup and held the ball and gave it off to Marcus Lawing for a layup down here. That was just another example of team ball,” said the coach.

The Cavaliers were shooting almost 60 percent early in the fourth quarter and finished at 31-for-56 (55.4 percent) on the night for field goals.

“We began to get a few steals and right many layups. When you’re shooting layups, your percentage is going to go way up,” said Everhart. “That’s what we try to live off of.”

But he wasn’t happy with the Cavaliers’ 11-for-24 performance at the foul line.

“I think we could have put them away a little bit sooner had we made a few free throws,” he said.

Slate did his best to help the Golden Eagles pull off an upset. He scored a game-high 28 points on 10-for-15 from the floor with a 3-pointer and 7-for-7 at the foul line. He added six rebounds, two assists and a couple of steals.

“He steps out and shoots the 3 well and also penetrates well. They’re so fundamental in their offense, and they’re patient and look for him,” said Everhart.

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NOTES: Zach Hames and Matt H. Bryant scored 13 and 11 points, respectively, for East Davidson. ... Matt D. Bryant also saw action for the losers. ... North Rowan’s pressure defense led to many of East Davidson’s 27 turnovers. The Cavaliers lost the ball 16 times. ... The Golden Eagles were 20-for-43 on field goals (46.5 percent) and a near-perfect 16-for-18 at the foul line. ... Slate and Rick Lambeth each had six rebounds as the visitors edged North 28-24 on the boards. ... Guard Chris Phillips of North was the game’s leading rebounder with seven. ... North is scheduled to visit Ledford on Tuesday.

EAST DAVIDSON (61) — M. H. Bryant 11, Lambeth 4, Waterhouse 3, Hames 13, Slate 28, M.D.Bryant, Jones, Baer, Bame 2.

NORTH ROWAN (74) — Lawing 2, Reddick 12, McCullough 24, Phillips 4, Byrd 17, J. Miller 2, A.Miller, Sturdivant 7, Davis, Witherspoon 2, Hosch 4.

East Davidson 15 17 15 14 — 61