Prep Basketball: North Rowan boys 81, West Montgomery 75

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By David Shaw

dshaw@salisburypost.com

SPENCER — North Rowan continues to enjoy life in its new, upscale neighborhood.

But the YVC-leading Cavs are quickly learning the difference between being the hunted and the hunter."Well, we like it," coach Kelly Everhart exhaled Saturday after North held on for an 81-75 conference win over visiting West Montgomery, it's third win in three days. "But I told the guys we've got a great big bullseye on our chests now and everybody's gunning for us. This team really came at us."

North (16-4, 12-1) was forced to hang on for dear life after mounting a 23-point lead early in the third quarter. The Cavs sank only nine of 28 free throw attempts and were still back-pedaling before making a couple of game-saving plays in the waning seconds.

"We were turning the ball over, trying to rush everything," North junior Javon Hargrave said after contributing 17 points and 18 rebounds. "It was a little frustrating, but we don't give up for anybody."

Not even West (9-9, 9-4 YVC). The fourth-place Warriors were here, there and everywhere in the second half, when their swarming, full-court press forced a slew of turnovers and nearly rattled the Cavs into throwing the game away. What had been a 56-33 North lead dwindled to 75-71 with 1:14 remaining and 79-75 with 16 seconds left.

"No matter what we go through," North senior Greg Sims said, "we've just got to keep playing as a team, playing together. It's really not hard if you give your all for 32 minutes."

WM coach Chris Burgess has a similar group of battlers. "It's been our mode of operation to fall behind and then play catchup," he said. "We've been doing this all season. I don't like it, but I guess we're getting used to it. These kids don't stop fighting for nothing."

The best of his kids — 6-foot-3 junior Michael Robinson — buried eight 3-pointers and topped all scorers with 28 points. "He was lighting us up," said Everhart.

Robinson's last 3-ball came with 5:44 to play and capped a 10-3 run that pulled the guests within 67-55.

"They tried a box-and-one on him," Burgess said. "But he's just so smooth, so under control. When he starts knocking 'em down he's got more confidence than anybody."

The game's most important plays likely came on the defensive end. First, the 6-2, 240-pound Hargrave took a charge with North clinging to a four-point lead with 1:04 to go.

"I just set myself up and tried to make a big play," Hargrave shrugged after Xavier Parker was whistled for an offensive foul. "We needed something good right there."

Everhart agreed. "Javon likes to go up and challenge people," he said. "He likes to block shots and be an intimidating guy. But he did the heads-up thing, the smart move. That was a big momentum shift."

Seconds later another one surfaced. Less than a minute remained when Robinson perched up for another three-point try, but this time delivered an air ball that Hargrave quickly confiscated.

"That was a sign of relief," said Sims.

So were the two free throws and fastbreak layup that teammate Reggie Smyre provided in the closing seconds. It left Burgess counting North as a contender for the conference crown.

"They do everything," he concluded. "I think they deserve to be right where they are."

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NOTES: North will carry a five-game winning streak into Tuesday at Chatham Central. ... Patrick Snider, the North pitcher who is battling cancer, attended the game.

west montgomery (75) — Robinson 28, Pratt 19, Moore 10, Baldwin 10, Parker 6, Pegues 2.

north rowan (81) — Hargrave 17, Givens 12, Smyre 11, Sims 11, Chambers 10, Ford 8, Starks 5, West 3, Bates 2, Bush 2, Barker, Witherspoon.

W. Montgomery 13 18 14 30 — 75

N. Rowan 28 22 12 19 — 81