SPENCER — Eric Davis not only earned a rare start, but the North Rowan senior guard played a big part in a school record-breaking basketball victory.

Coach Kelly Everhart’s unbeaten Cavaliers held off a battling Ledford team 58-51 for North’s 18th straight victory, breaking the record previously held jointly by the 1985-86 team and the current Cavs.

The 5-foot-9 Davis started for only the second time this season, because starting point guard Chris Phillips was late for the game. Ironically, Davis’ other start came at Ledford when Phillips missed the bus.

Davis not only scored 10 points — just missing his career high of 11 — but he got six of them in the final four minutes of a close 2A Central Carolina Conference contest. He made two big free throws on a one-and-one opportunity while protecting a three-point lead with only 29 seconds to play. He added two more at the foul line in the closing seconds to go 4-for-4 at the line.

“We work a lot on free throws in practice. Like, if we shoot 25, I hit 20 out of 25. Me and Coach have been working on it a lot,” said Davis of his foul shooting. He also added 3-for-6 on field goals.

“It feels pretty good, because my aunt told me to just start looking at my shot, because I always have the team playing off of me — so just go ahead and do what I can, so I did it tonight,” said Davis.

Davis’ 10 points helped take up the slack for Phillips going scoreless while playing just in the second half and starting post player Marcus Lawing getting just two points.

“Eric has really stepped up his play,” said Everhart. “He made some big free throws right there at the end of the ballgame. He made good decisions and gave us some really quality minutes there in the first half. He’s doing a good job for us.”

Forward Marcus Reddick continued his outstanding shooting, scoring 19 points, and center Bryan McCullough, who’s been sick lately, came off the bench for 14 points.

“Bryan didn’t practice yesterday (Tuesday). He went home from school sick yesterday. I think he went to the doctor and got some medication.He was back in school today and was feeling pretty good. They (McCullough and Reddick) have been steady most of the season,” said Everhart.

Reddick was North’s offensive leader in the first half with 11 points. McCullough had a big second half with 10 points.

“He (Reddick) sure did carry us the first half,” said the North coach. “He is beginning to do the things that I want him to do and that is penetrate off the dribble. He shoots the ball so well. If he continues to do that (penetrate), then it’s going to open up the 3-point shot for him, which he likes to shoot anyway.”

The Cavs improved their CC-leading record to 8-0, just one game up on second-place High Point Central (7-1).

Fourth-place Ledford (10-8, 4-4) stayed in the contest by slowing down the pace and making North play a halfcourt game most of the way. Chase Adams led the Panthers with 20 points, while Sam Cecil and Jared Hall added 12 and 11, respectively.

Ledford never led after going up 2-0, but the Panthers trailed by two three times in the fourth quarter and weren’t really out of it until Davis’ two free throws at the 29-second mark put them down by five.

“We kind of felt like this was going to happen,” said Davis, “because a lot of players are getting sick this week and a lot of things have been going wrong during practice and everything.”

Coach Everhart said, “Like we told the kids, whenever you’re supposed to be one of the best, you’re going to get everybody’s best shot. And I thought Ledford had a very good game plan.I thought they stuck to it.

“I’m not sure that we were 100 percent mentally in to it like we should have been. I’ll take the blame for that. We had kids that got here late, and not just one. We had some that were rushing to get dressed in order to get out on the court. The girls game was a little quicker tonight. I think that they were through by 10 after 7. We need to make sure that we get here in time that we get mentally ready to step on the floor.”

As for Phillips arriving after the game started, Everhart said, “He said it was his fault he was late and couldn’t find a ride.” Phillips got to the game at the start of the second quarter.

Coach Gil Maxwell of Ledford, which had lost 71-51 to North at Ledford earlier in the season, was proud of his team’s effort while trying to pull off a big upset.

“I was very pleased with what we did tonight. They(North) came out and wanted to make it a 90-foot ballgame; we wanted to make it a 45-foot ballgame. I thought we did very good with that for the most part,” said Maxwell.

“We started the game a little too quick and played to their pace. That’s why they jumped out on us,” said Maxwell, referring to North’s surge to a 19-8 lead in the opening seconds of the second quarter.

Maxwell was irked at one play that happened with 1:20 to play. Ledford’s Hall grabbed an offensive rebound, made a move to the basket between two Cavs and hit a basket. His shot, which would have made it a two-point game, was nullified by an offensive foul call.

“I know I’m partial: There’s no way that was a charge,” said Maxwell. “That’s how you split them. That’s a clinic onMike Krzyzewski right there: You get double-teamed, you split. If they fall down, then the official has a decision to make. Both boys (North defenders) stood their ground, so there had to be a seam there. That was a very pivotal call. You’re talking about a possible three-point play getting it down to one.”

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NOTES: The Cavs were 23-for-51 (45.1 percent) on field goals and 11-for-16 at the foul line, while the Panthers went 20-for-45 (44.4 percent) from the floor and 9-for-12 on free throws. ... North, led by McCullough with eight rebounds, had a 28-25 edge on the boards. Hall had 11 rebounds for Ledford. ... North made only nine turnovers to 14 for the visitors. .... The Cavaliers travel to North Stanly on Friday.

LEDFORD (51) — Hall 11, Adams 20, Sensing 2, Smith 4, Cecil 12, Bivins 2, Coleman.

NORTH ROWAN (58) — Reddick 19, Witherspoon 1, Lawing 2, Davis 10, Hosch 6, McCullough 14, Farmer 4, Phillips, Bates, Peoples, House 2.

Ledford 8 14 15 12 — 51

North Rowan 17 13 11 17 — 58