By Bret Strelow

Salisbury Post

WALLBURG — Righting the Shipp wasn’t an issue for Salisbury.

The Hornets’ point guard was the only player making shots with regularity.

Shi-Heria Shipp tied her career high by scoring 19 points in a 42-22 road win at Ledford on Friday night.

Shipp shot 9-for-14 from the field, and Salisbury (21-2, 10-1) maintained a half-game lead over East Davidson in the CCC even though the rest of the team went a combined 10-for-33.

“In the second half, the coaches told me I needed to score more, be more aggressive offensively,” Shipp said. “I really don’t shoot that much. I look to drive and penetrate.”

Shipp cruised as everyone else struggled.

Ledford (14-9, 7-4) led 7-6 after one quarter and trailed 16-11 at halftime. The Panthers made the first two baskets of the third quarter, but Salisbury scored 11 straight points over the final 5:15 of the period.

Three layups in the last 1:04 provided the Hornets with a 27-15 cushion, and a 3-pointer from Kwameshia Hicks capped a 7-2 run to begin the fourth quarter.

Salisbury, which claimed the first meeting 41-36, secured another tough win.

“After the way the first quarter went, you have to be really satisfied,” Salisbury coach Jennifer Shoaf said. “I was thinking, ‘Oh my gosh, we’re in trouble.’ We couldn’t buy a basket. We weren’t able to execute defensively either, and it seemed like we were falling to pieces.

“We’ve really struggled as of late with our shooting percentages.”

Shipp scored nine first-half points and converted two layups during the critical third-quarter stretch.

The Hornets led 21-15 as Shanae Knox (12 boards) collected a steal following a block by De’Rya Wylie. Shipp made a layup at the other end.

Shipp turned a steal into another layup 18 seconds later, and Hicks picked the pocket of a Panther guard at midcourt in the closing seconds of the quarter. She hit a layup with six seconds left.

“We just started playing defense better,” Shipp said. “It gave us a great lead and gave us confidence.”

Salisbury hit seven of its first nine shots in the fourth quarter, and Shipp made all three of her attempts.

Ledford went 3-for-11 in the period and shot 22 percent for the game.

The Panthers’ point total was their lowest against Salisbury since the Hornets rejoined the CCC before the 1997-98 season.

“Defensively, we were as good as we’ve been all year,” Ledford coach John Ralls said. “To hold them to 16 in one half and make them work to get 40, that’s not bad. But we’ve got to put some pressure on them at the other end.”

SALISBURY (42) — Shipp 19, Hicks 8, Wylie 7, Williams 6, Knox 2, Rice, Gallagher, S.Phifer.

LEDFORD (22) — Hanner 8, Young 7, Smith 4, Morgan 2, Hughes 1, Pope, Horne, Sarvis, Ballard, Saintsing, Parks, Callicut, Surles.

Salisbury 6 10 11 15 — 42

Ledford 7 4 4 7 — 22

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