LANDIS— For a pair of one-win teams in the toughest 4Aleague in the state, Friday’s season-ending game meant little in the standings.
But for South Rowan, Friday’s tilt against Davie County offered a shot at redemption. On Senior Night, no less.
Guard Doug Daugherty, playing his final game in the Raider gym, gave the fans plenty to remember. He scored a career-high 38 points, two shy of the school record, as South dismantled Davie 100-73.
“They left me open and my teammates found me,”Daugherty said. “Forty is what Iwas shooting for, but I didn’t get it. It’s still a win, though, and that’s the most important thing.”
That’s what South was missing from its trip to Davie County. The Raiders (11-12, 2-6) lost a game they felt they should have won, which head coach John Davis used to fire up his players.
“It was our last home game and all the seniors wanted to play good,” Daugherty said. “Davis gave us an emotional speech before the game, motivated us. We were really excited to play.”
Daugherty scored seven points in the first quarter, including a 3 at the buzzer to put South up 14-6. The second quarter’s frenetic pace favored shooters on both squads. Davie (14-9, 1-7) scored 20 in the period but trailed 37-29 in the closing seconds when bad went to worse.
The War Eagles didn’t hold for the half’s final shot, and Daugherty raced down court after a long rebound for a layup with 10 seconds to play. Then, Toré Girty got a steal at halfcourt, raced in for a layup at the horn and got fouled by NeilRice. He hit the free throw and South led 42-26.
Daugherty had 17 points at the break, while Davie’s Sean Stevens, the team’s leading scorer and 3-point bomber, had just seven points thanks to Nate Kennedy’s relentless defense. “Nate Kennedy made him work for every point he earned,”Davis said.
Raider center Maurice Torrence heated up in the third quarter, scoring on three straight moves underneath to stretch the lead as high as 23.
Daugherty, sitting on 21 points, opened the fourth quarter with three straight jump shots — two 3-pointers and a third with his toe on the line. His next 3 made it 80-59 with five minutes to go and two more jumpers gave him 36.
With the lead at 22, Davis subbed in, then changed his mind and sent Daugherty back out.
“We were getting ready to sub him out and I asked how many he had,”Davis said. “I had to give him a chance for 40. Doug’s a great kid, an A-1 kid. He never gets in any trouble here and he deserved it. He didn’t get it tonight — maybe Monday.”
Daugherty settled for a steal and layup for his final points and then South really sent the fans home happy when Jarrell Mack’s layup at the buzzer put the Raiders at the century mark.
Davie head coach Jim Young took the loss in stride.
“This game didn’t mean anything other than which one of us is wearing black shirts or white shirts Monday night,”Young said, referring to Monday’s CPCTournament game pitting the No. 4 and 5 seeds. “A couple of things he (Davis) did should fire the kids up. I won’t have to give many speeches. Up 30 points with your best shooter in so he can score again, little things like that … .”
DAVIECOUNTY (73) — Propst 8, Tenor 2, Zajmovic 10, Hogue 6, Stevens 21, Sullivan 11, Crump 7, Britton 2, Wooldridge, Stein 4, Rice, Jankovic 2.
SOUTHROWAN (100) — Propst, Diggs, Childers, Rucker 14, Daugherty 38, Beck 10, Kennedy, Torrence 21, Girty 10, Hornbeak, Willett 2, Patterson 3, Biles, Mack 2.
Davie County 6 20 20 27 — 73
South Rowan 14 28 25 33 — 100
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