West Rowan-North Rowan II on Wednesday night was not just as good as advertised — it was better.

West’s version of Superman, Scooter Sherrill, added to his growing legend with 32 points, including the game-tying and game-winning free throws with three seconds left.

West coach Mike Gurley added a few more lines to his impressive resume as well, leading his foul-plagued team back from an 11-point deficit in the final two minutes to steal a stunning 82-81 victory that left North fans sobbing and West fans shouting and storming the floor.

“This was fun,” said Sherrill, who poured in 15 points in the Falcons’ furious fourth-quarter surge. “This is a great rivalry. This was the best game since the state championship game my freshman year.”

That was no overstatement.

“There were times when I looked up and the North people were going crazy and the West people were going crazy all at the same time, said Gurley. It doesn’t get any better than this. This is what you play basketball games for. Two teams fighting as hard as they can in a hot gym with a wild crowd. This is why I coach,” said Gurley. “It sure ain’t the supplement.”

Gurley’s joke about his paycheck showed he was in a much better mood than on Tuesday night when his team didn’t play well at East Rowan.

“We were a different team tonight and had to be,” said Gurley. “North has one quality basketball team. Who wants to play that bunch of juniors they have next year? Heck, who wants to play them now?”

Gurley, who frantically exhorted his troops for 32 minutes, was pleased with the expected heroics of Sherrill. He was more pleased with the greater-than-expected contributions of folks named Horatio Everhart, Vicco Barringer and Brandon White.

North (2-2), which lost to the Falcons 67-61 in Mt. Ulla, jumped West (6-0) from the outset. West’s only lead was 1-0. Falcon point guard Scooter Dalton, playing with a virus, felt even worse after being hit with his third foul in the first quarter. North pressed with fierce abandon in Dalton’s absence, forcing 15 first-half turnovers. And with power forward Marcus Lawing (22 points, 13 rebounds) playing like a demon inside against taller Falcons, the Cavs lead grew steadily.

“Marcus kept finding ways to get to the basket,” said North coachKelly Everhart. “The kid worked his tail off.” Lawing would earn 21 free throws.

North led 19-14 at the end of the first quarter and 34-25 when Sherrill was whistled for his third foul at 2:33 and joined his fellow Scooter on the bench. But North failed to land the knockout blow. White came up with two big buckets and West trailed just 38-31 at halftime.

The second half was a war of attrition as personal fouls mounted in the physical contest. North starters Andre Byrd, Chris Phillips and Mario Sturdivant stayed in foul trouble, while both Falcon Scooters, defensive terror Terris Sifford and big man Donte Minter were hurt by foul woes.

North clung to the lead with Byrd running the show and igniting the defense. The Cavs would spurt out by 12, then would hang tough when West would claw to within four.

“We knew Scooter Sherrill would eventually make a run,” said Everhart, “because he did it to us three times last year. But his 3-point shot wasn’t falling. We kept putting a hand in his face and hoping this would be our night.”

North’s hopes grew as Minter, who scored 21 points on 8-for-9 shooting, fouled out on a charge with 5:09 remaining.

With 2:14, Marcus Reddick (19 points) made a flying block on Sifford to trigger a fast-break bucket by Phillips. Now, North led 79-68 at 2:09 and the game appeared to be over.

It wasn’t.

“West Rowan won’t ever quit,” said Sherrill. “We came from 31 down against Northwest (Cabarrus) last year. We never doubted we would win.”

“Scooter Sherrill wasn’t going to lose this game,” said Gurley. “What’s he won here — 250,000 games?”

Make it 250,001.

Sherrill made two free throws. He stole the ball for a layup. He drove for a bucket and the lead was down to 79-74. Timeout North at 1:04.

But eight seconds later, Barringer stole the ball and White finished to make it 79-76 with 56 seconds left.

Sifford fouled out with 52 seconds left and Reddick made one free throw for an 80-76 lead.

But three seconds later, Byrd fouled out when he tried to stop Sherrill.

“The last thing I told Dre in our last timeout was that he could not foul out,” said Everhart. “We had to have him on the floor. Then, he’s gone. And Scooter was the one guy you can’t put on the line.”

Sherrill made two more free ones and it was 80-78. Then with 40 seconds left, the Byrd-less Cavs turned the ball over against West’s press. Then Phillips, the Cavs’ other ballhandler fouled out when he banged Sherrill. Two more automatics and it was 80-80 with 36 seconds left.

Lawing made a free throw with 27 seconds remaining for the Cavs’ last lead at 81-80.

When West couldn’t find Sherrill on its next possession, Frankie Williams lost the handle. The Cavs’ Eric Davis came out of a pack with the ball going the other way. There were only seven seconds left when Davis took a shot in the lane. It missed. Dalton rebounded and got the ball to Sherrill. With three seconds left, with Sherrill still in the backcourt, Davis fouled him.

“We made bad decisions at the end,” said Everhart. “Our foul trouble led to us playing some people who don’t have experience in those situations.”

Sherrill made a free throw to tie it, then after a deluge of plastic green balls from fans forced a lengthy delay, he stepped up and put the Falcons ahead 81-80 — their first lead since 1-0.

“The crowd tried to freeze me,” said Sherrill. “ButIkept my focus.”

Reddick’s desperation shot from beyond halfcourt sailed left and the Falcons had survived.

“This was the kind of game that makes you pull your hair out,” said Everhart.

WESTROWAN (82)—Sherrill 32, Minter 21, Sifford 9, Williams, Everhart 10, Mauldin, White 6, Mattox, Barringer 2, Diggs, Dalton 2.

NORTHROWAN (81)— Reddick 19, Davis, Lawing 22, McCullough 10, Byrd 14, A.Miller, J.Miller 2, Sturdivant 7, Phillips 5, Witherspoon 2, Hosch.

West Rowan 14 17 21 30 — 82