The healing process began Tuesday night for the North Rowan girls basketball team.
Amber Hill scored a career-high 23 points as the Lady Cavs earned a prescription-strength 58-50 win over visiting Lexington.
“It’s the best effort we’ve had all year,” coach Gary Atwell said after North (14-6, 5-5 CCC) shook off a winter cold spell and clinched at least a tie for fourth place — and a 2A state playoff berth. “I hope this gets us focused for getting into the conference tournament and the sectionals. This puts us in good shape.”
Hill was clearly the the most influential player on the court. The sophomore guard was a bulldog in green-and-white, splitting defenses, penetrating the lane with authority and drawing a bowlful of fouls.
“She loves to drive,” said teammate and senior forward Courtney Hill. “Everyone can tell that.”
Hill made only three baskets but converted 16 of 22 free throws as North avenged a 76-49 loss suffered Jan. 10 to the Lady Jackets (16-4, 7-2 CCC). The Cavs hold a two-game lead over fifth-place North Stanly (3-7) with two to play.
“We wanted to slow the game down and we did,” said Atwell. “We wanted a game in the forties or low-fifties. If it got up in the sixties, we were in trouble.”
As it turned out, North jumped to a 5-0 lead and never trailed. The Cavs did not shoot well from the floor (4-for-26 in the second half), but may have caught Lexington on an off-night.
“I think North Rowan came out with the idea that it had nothing in the world to lose,” said losing coach Samanth Gleiser. “They just flat outplayed us. We were expecting another easy win. But we got frustrated early on and stayed in that mode the rest of the way.”
Perhaps North’s retreating defense had something to do with that. By releasing two players down the wings following each Lexington shot, the Cavs were able to ward off any odd-man rushes and nullified the Jackets’ fastbreak.
“We were crazy when we played them up there,” said Atwell. “We were so out-of-sync, so out-of-control, that we couldn’t do anything. Tonight we stayed in control and executed what we said we were gonna do.”
They followed pacesetter Joyce Hipps and built a 15-4 lead in the first seven minutes. The senior quarterback quickly established an even, unhurried pace, created openings with on-the-money bounce passes and then hit three consecutive 3-pointers — all in the first period.
“We came in knowing we’d have to work for everything,” Hipps said after nailing four treys and scoring 12 of her 13 points in the first half. “With those shots, if they were going to give them to me, I was going to take them. When they finally started paying attention to me, that opened up the inside for Amber to drive.”
And Amber drove like Richard Petty. When Lexington inched within 32-31 on Danyell Horton’s three-point play early in the third quarter, Hill responded with back-to-back trips down the lane that produced thee free throws.
Late in the period she elevated across the lane and banked in an off-balance, 10-foot shot for a 43-37 North advantage.
And though Hill failed to convert a basket in the fourth quarter, she scored the Cavs’ last four points from the foul line.
“I have been begging her to penetrate all year long,” said Atwell. “She knows when she does she’ll get fouled. She’s an intelligent kid with great court sense who knows how to run the show.”
Hill seems to be a carpe diem kind of girl. She’s quick to recognize an opportunity and seize it.
“I know I haven’t been driving much lately,” she said. “But this game was a big one. I was just trying to draw fouls and get some of their big girls out of the game.”
Atwell called it a “smart strategy” and added: “It was an exciting game. I was very pleased with our execution. Everyone used their heads.”
NOTES: North conclues it conference season with games at league-leading High Point Central Friday and at Salisbury Feb. 9. Atwell expects sidelined forward Danielle Suber (thumb injury) to return for the finale. ...North Stanly suffered an 89-34 loss to High Point Central last night. ...North seniors Ashley Bowie, Hipps and Courtney Hill received roses before the game.
LEXINGTON (50) — Horton 22, Pearson 9, Bunce 9, Johnson 3, Hargrave 3, McNeair 2, Jenkins 2.
NORTH ROWAN (58)— A.Hill 23, Hipps 13, C.Hill 9, Jones 9, Craig 4, Hedrick, Bowie.
Lexington 7 15 15 13 — 50
North Rowan 15 15 14 14 — 58
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