THOMASVILLE — On the bus ride up to East Davidson on Monday night, North Rowan girls coach Gary Atwell tried to figure out a way to sneak assistant coach Tricia Hester into a green uniform. Things were getting pretty close to the edge.
Atwell’s depleted Cavs, hard hit by injury, illness and an academic casualty, have been dressing eight of late. Things got a little closer to the twilight zone Friday when Courtney Hill banged up her thumb and Moriah Jones turned her ankle. Then Ashley Hendrick got sick just about the time the Cavs arrived in Thomasville to face coach Greg Fowler’s last-place Golden Eagles (5-12, 0-7).
Atwell felt like he was watching “Ten Little Indians.” It was a rapid-fire countdown and it was getting perilously close to five.
“We were sort of running out of bodies,” said Atwell. “That’s why we were worried about East Davidson. As banged up and hurt up us as we are, we’d better worry about everyone.”
Somehow the Cavs (13-4, 4-3) muddled through, mixing and matching and winning 47-29 to keep a firm grip on fourth place in the 2A Central Carolina Conference.
“We had to run a whole bunch of different offenses,” said Atwell. “We were drawing plays up on the mirror.”
It was an adventure, because East came out shooting the ball well and because Amber Hill, one of the few Cavs who is both healthy and in one piece, got two quick personals.
East held a two-point lead after the first quarter. The Cavs were down six in the second when Atwell went to a fullcourt man-to-man. North got a run going. But Amber Hill, who had just come to life with her first four points, picked up her third foul with 3:53 left in the half and the Cavs ahead 21-18. That was the critical moment.
The Cavs’ leaders all season have been the two Hills and senior Joyce Hipps. But this time the pivotal plays were made by sophomores Crystal Craige and Jones. Craige scored on a rebound right after Amber Hill had to sit. Then after the Eagles retaliated, Jones knifed in for an old-fashioned three-point play. Craige followed with a 3-pointer for a 29-21 lead.
For the first time, the Cavs had command.
Craige finished with 12 points — her first game in double figures. It was also the first time she’s led the team in scoring.
“We knew we had to step it up some with a lot of people hurt and injured,” said Craige.
The Cavs took a 29-24 lead into the locker room, then dismantled the Eagles with defense in the second half. East shot 2-for-17 from the field after halftime, didn’t get to the foul line at all and got jack-hammered on the boards.
“We played really tough zone (2-3) defense,” said Atwell. “And we did a great job of boxing out. We were turning and sealing. I saw balls hitting the floor and East just couldn’t could get to them.”
North’s kids played with growing verve down the stretch. Craige whipped a beautiful pass to Ashley Bowie for a deuce and then took a feed from Hipps for a layup out of North’s spread offense to put the crowning touches on what could prove to be a coming-out party.
“I felt kind of comfortable out there,” said a smiling Craige. “It’s great to get some experience and Joyce and Courtney were always there to tell me what to do. They really helped me out.”
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NOTES:Amber Hill had seven rebounds in the second half. ... Courtney Hill had 11 points, despite her injury. ...Jackie Wilson led the Eagles with eight points, all in the first half. ... Jones contributed eight points, a career best, and had three steals.
NORTH ROWAN (47) — Craige 12, C. Hill 11, Hipps 9, Jones 8, A. Hill 4, Bowie 3, Peterson, Hendrick.
EASTDAVIDSON (29)— Wilson 8, Fleming 6, Honeycutt 5, Sprinkle 4, Downing 2, Sullivan 2, Cline 2, Yates.
North Rowan 12 17 9 9 — 47
E. Davidson 14 10 2 3 — 29
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