From staff reports

Catawba’s women’s basketball team combined a strong defense in the first half with efficient offense in the second half to defeat Queens 69-50 in a non-conference game at Goodman Gym on Tuesday night.

Catawba (5-1) built a 29-15 lead and won its fifth straight game.

“We did not play up to our potential,” Catawba coach Angie Morton said. “But we did what we had to do to win.”

Catawba got points from 11 different players. It made 37.1 percent of its shots from the floor and added four 3-pointers. Brittany Higgins, Tamekia Foster and Sicilia LoSauro led with nine points apiece. Gia Colombo followed with eight.

Phylicia Turner led Queens with 12 points. Ashley Watkins, a former Salisbury standout, scored eight.

Catawba’s strong defense held the Royals (0-4) to 3-for-20 shooting in the second half.

Catawba forged ahead 48-20 with 13:10 left and coasted the rest of the way. It got its biggest lead at 61-32 with 4:40 left to play.

Catawba returns to action Saturday at home against St. Paul’s.

QUEENS (50) — Turner 12, Brown 9, Watkins 8, Hayes 6, McGuirt 5, Winstead 3, Umbarger 3, Dawson 2, Babson 1, Sanders 1.

CATAWBA (69) — LoSauro 9, Foster 9, Higgins 9, Colombo 8, Whitley 6, Childs 6, Muldrow 6, Howard 5, Baxter 5, Hampton 4, Tackett 2, Easter, Clark, Bartlett.

Queens 15 35 — 50

Catawba 29 40 — 69

* Livingstone teams fall

Livingstone’s basketball teams were swept at Bowie State on Tuesday night.

Gil Goodrich scored 22 points to lead Bowie State (3-0) to a 90-78 win over the Blue Bears (1-4) in the men’s game.

Landon Bussie led the Blue Bears with 15 points. Brent Cowles had 12 points. High-scoring Michael Duncan was held to 11 on 4-for-16 shooting.

Bowie State’s women fell to Bowie State 79-48.

Clintoria Bryant (12 points) and Lina Brown (11) led the Blue Bears (1-4). Allyson Swailes scored 20 for Bowie State (4-0).

* A.L. Brown boys win

A.L. Brown’s boys basketball team beat Mount Pleasant 86-69 on Tuesday night.

Jeremy Jones and Josh Gray scored 16 points apiece for the Wonders. It was a career-high for Jones. Jonathan Efird added 15 points.

The Wonders (2-0) led 39-33 at halftime.

“Our defense didn’t have the right mindset in the first half, and it took some time to get focused,” A.L. Brown coach Shelwyn Klutz said. “The second half was a lot better. (Guard) Jesse Gillion played very good defense.”

Brown plays at home against North Rowan tonight.

* War Eagles swept

Davie County’s boys basketball team lost to North Iredell 80-62.

Drew Absher scored 20 points and had five assists for the War Eagles (1-2). Eric Lowery (12 points, five assists), Matt Vanhoy (12 points) and Darius Hall (eight points, 11 rebounds) also had good games for Davie.

Andrew Kyles scored 19 points to lead the Raiders (2-1). Chris Tindal had 16 and Nick Stutts 15.

Davie’s girls lost to North Iredell 48-41. Sarah Evans led the War Eagles (1-2).

* College update

Former A.L. Brown star Avery Patterson scored 10 points to help St. John’s beat Long Island 64-46.

* Maggie Rich (East Rowan) scored two points in Campbell’s 56-54 loss to Longwood on Tuesday night.

* Darren Ramsey (West Rowan) scored two points in J.C. Smith’s 78-70 loss to Elizabeth City State on Tuesday.

* Grier honored

Pfeiffer’s DeMario Grier is the CVAC Player of the Week for men’s basketball.

Grier scored 31 points against Mount Olive, 31 against King and 26 against Lees-McRae in the Bobby Lutz Invitational championship game.

* Sacred Heart wins

Sacred Heart’s boys basketball team defeated Statesville Christian 54-14. James Kyger scored 18 points to lead the Dolphins (5-4).

Roy Dixon had 15 points, and Connor Miller had 10 rebounds.

Brian Bauk had five steals and five assists. Jack Young, back from appendix surgery, had five blocks and six steaks.

Sacred Heart will play in Myrtle Beach, S.C., on Friday.

* Salisbury Academy

Alee Johnson scored eight points as the Salisbury Academy girls basketball team beat North Hills 24-13. Carley Drye had 13 rebounds. Erika Nelson scored four points.

North Hills topped Salisbury Academy 23-19. Jon Hall and Alex Nianouris led the Jaguars with six points each. Tyler Petty had five.

* West Middle wins

B.J. Sherrill scored 19 points to lead West Rowan Middle to a 50-23 win over China Grove in eighth-grade basketball.

Clifford Long had eight points. John Knox added six for the Bulldogs (6-0). Domonique Noble had a strong rebounding game.

* Erwin wrestlers win

Erwin’s wrestlers beat Corriher-Lipe 66-18 on Monday. It was the 23rd consecutive county win for the Eagles (2-0).

West Rowan Middle is at Erwin on Thursday.