How slow can you go?

OLIN — The three guards stood out near halfcourt, taking turns pounding a few methodical dribbles before casually passing the ball to a teammate.

Fans on both sides of the North Iredell gym rose from their seats to offer a standing ovation, although their movement easily surpassed the meager amount of activity taking place in front of them.

Each of the guards soon began to smile, and one eventually decided to just tuck the ball under his right arm.

This entire jaw-dropping display lasted an amazing three minutes, 43 seconds.

And then finally, WestRowan — yes, the high-flying Falcons and not the Raiders — decided to attempt a shot.

In a night that featured enough games of cat and mouse to make Tom and Jerry’s heads spin, West Rowan got the last laugh in a 51-27 win against North Iredell.

“We’ve faced a lot of zones this season, and it’s crossed my mind to pull people out of their zone a couple of times,”West Rowan coach Mike Gurley said. “I saw the opportunity tonight. I guess you’ve got a lot of time to think about strategy when somebody’s making 20 passes a possession.”

The Falcons (16-0, 5-0 in the North Piedmont Conference) were never threatened, but what took place on Tuesday night still made for entertaining theater.

The Raiders (3-11, 1-4) took the opening tip and held possession for the first 1:38 before turning the ball over.

West Rowan led by as little nine points with half a minute left in the third quarter, but the strangeness was just setting in.

Holding a 35-25 advantage, guards Brian Avery, Horatio Everhart and T.J. Gaither played a friendly game of catch at midcourt before Gaither drove and dished to Donte Minter, who got fouled on a shot attempt with 3:53 left to play. The Falcons outscored North Iredell 15-2 the rest of the way.

“He’s a mastermind of doing things,” Minter said of his coach. “That’s one thing he called that worked tonight.”

Minter provided the only offensive outburst on Tuesday. He scored all 15 of West Rowan’s points in the first quarter to give the Falcons an eight-point edge.

Everhart had six points for the Falcons, while Hairston and Blake Scearce each added four.

The Falcons had not allowed less than 27 points in a contest since a 21-8 win against — unbelievably — North Iredell in the NPC Tournament in 1973.

“This is one of the first times a team has held the ball on us like that,”Hairston said. “I think we handled it pretty well. We just kept the mindset of what we were doing.”

At least until the fourth quarter began.

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NOTES:West attempted only 37 shots in the game and hit 18. ... North tried only 21 and connected on nine. ... Minter finished 7 of 9 from the floor and had four rebounds.

WESTROWAN (51) — Minter 28, Everhart 6, Hairston 4, Scearce 4, White 3, Avery 3, P. Williams 2, J. Williams 1, Gaither, Johnson, Ramsey, Hartsell.

NORTHIREDELL (27) — Ireland 13, Holmes 4, Scott 3, Lawrence 3, Hill 2, Harkey 2, Brown.

West Rowan 15 12 8 16 — 51

North Iredell 7 8 10 2 — 27

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Contact Bret Strelow at 704-797-4258 or bstrelow@salisburypost.com .