LANDIS — South Rowan dug its own grave Tuesday night — and North Davidson gladly shoveled on the dirt.
The Raiders made only 15 baskets and committed 35 turnovers in an unsightly 62-42 CPC girls basketball loss.
“We took a couple steps backwards,” junior Katie Willett said after South (2-2, 10-7 overall) dropped its second straight conference match. “Not that we’ve lost it. We’re still here. But we know the only people that can beat us in the conference is ourselves.”
They did so convincingly, beginning with an 8-0 second-quarter slide that helped the Black Knights (3-1, 6-10 overall) transform a 17-14 deficit into a 25-19 halftime lead.
“I think we just flatly got outplayed,” South coach James Greene said after sequestering his team in the locker room for a 20-minute, post-game talking-to. “No excuses.”
South was beaten like a Salvation Army drum. It missed open shots, converted only eight of 22 free throws and played raggedy defense.
“We did beat ourselves,” said senior guard Mandy Yost. “Too many turnovers and we’re not finishing like we need to finish. We weren’t overconfident or anything like that. We came in pretty level-headed, but we just didn’t execute.”
It was still a five-point game in the third quarter after Yost’s 3-point shot from the top of the key and later when Willett gathered a loose ball, drove the length of the court and made a layup with 2:56 on the clock.
North shifted to a higher gear in the fourth period, driving hard for layups and drawing fouls. “And they made their foul shots,” Greene lamented.
The Knights sank 16 of 18 free throws in the final stanza, including their last nine.
It was a loss that may leave a bitter aftertaste. “We’re a little down,” said Willett. “And we need to regain some confidence. A level of that has gone.”
Perhaps, but Yost has a solution. “It’s our mindset that has to change,” she said. “Right now it’s all about heart. This team needs a gut check.”
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NOTES: The Raiders played without sophomore forward Paris Rucker, who missed school with an illness. ... Melendez topped all scorers with 19 points. Yost (13) and Jordan (11) paced South.
NORTHDAVIDSON(62) — Melendez 19, Hunt 10, Bryant 8, Tulloch 8, Berrier 6, Snyder 4, Dagenhardt 4, Kohlmeier 3.
SOUTHROWAN (42)— Yost 13, Jordan 11, Willett 5, Blackwood 4, Mack 4, Parker 3, Russell 2, Brown, Littlejohn, Durant.
North Davidson 10 15 15 22 — 62
South Rowan 10 9 13 10 — 42
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