By Nick Bowton

Salisbury Post

TYRO — North Rowan coach Mike White politely asked a referee during the third quarter Friday night if the Cavaliers could get a foul called against West Davidson in the post. It wasn’t like the Cavs, White noted, were “blowing ’em out by 30.”

They were by the end of the quarter.

North held West Davidson without a field goal in the third quarter and won 58-41 despite a lackluster finish.

“It was a fun game once we started playing in the third quarter,” White said. “Moving our feet on defense, the little things. Boxing out on free throws. When you rebound, go back up strong.

“Just move the ball around and move.”

The Cavs did plenty of that in the third quarter, when they turned a 34-21 halftime lead into a 53-22 advantage going into the fourth.

Led by senior Shemieka Brown, North (11-4, 4-2 CCC) outscored West Davidson

(3-11, 0-5) 19-1 in the quarter. Brown scored seven of her game-high 15 points in the quarter, and the Green Dragons scored their only point on an early free throw.

While White said “the little things” helped North pull away, West Davidson coach David Klinkoski said the same thing about his team’s problems.

“They forced us into making some bad decisions,” he said. “We did a much better job in the second quarter doing little things right — using the ball fake. And we executed a lot better when we did the little things right.”

Example? The fourth quarter.

After building its lead to 31 points, North let it dwindle to 17 as White subbed often in the final quarter. The Cavs couldn’t make a shot (two field goals in the quarter), couldn’t make a free throw (1-for-8) and couldn’t keep from committing fouls.

The Green Dragons went 8-of-15 from the foul line in the final quarter.

“Just trying to get people some looks so they can play their way into playing time or play their way out of playing time,” White said. “I really wasn’t pleased with the way we played. When I put that last five in there, I told ’em we’re up 29, I don’t want it to get under 20.

“The fourth quarter was terrible.”

But the third was so good it didn’t matter.

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NOTES: North senior Sierra Ingram had a fantastic first quarter, with seven points, five rebounds, two blocks and two steals. She finished with 11 points and 12 rebounds.

north rowan (58) — Brown 15, Ingram 11, Wilks 10, Casey 7, Turner 5, Parker 4, Rice 2, Cuthbertson 2, Bethea 2, Parsons, Propst.

west davidson (41) — Hill 9, Boone 9, Koontz 8, Whitaker 6, Moore 4, Redd 2, Scouten 2, Owens 1, Elmose.

N. Rowan 21 13 19 5 — 58

W. Davidson 7 14 1 19 — 41

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Contact Nick Bowton at 704-797-4256 or nbowton@salisburypost.com.