From staff reports
A three-man defensive rotation of Romar Morris, Dominique Phillips and John Knox contained Davie County standout Drew Absher as Salisbury’s boys basketball team took a 75-64 victory over the War Eagles in the championship game of the Davie Shootout on Tuesday.
“Drew’s a good player, but we held him to one field goal in the first half,” Salisbury coach Jason Causby said.
Brandon Abel scored 21 points to lead the Hornets, and he had eight in the fourth quarter. Darien Rankin, who came in averaging 25 points a game, was held to 14 but also collected 10 rebounds.
Morris contributed a career-best 14 points for the Hornets.
“Romar was getting down the floor like he was shot out of a cannon,” Causby said. “And he’s so strong, he’s going to score or get fouled.”
Causby said Thaddeus Williams turned in his finest floor game of the past three years.
“He did a great job of managing things and getting us out on the break,” Causby said.
Salisbury (2-1) led by nine points after a quarter and was ahead 37-23 at halftime.
Knox hit a big 3-pointer in the third quarter for the Hornets, but back-to-back 3s by Absher led a Davie charge in the fourth.
Davie got within nine and had the ball with four minutes left, but the Hornets got a stop and finished off the game.
Absher had 11 points in the fourth quarter and finished with 20 to go along with seven boards, five steals and four assists.
Landon Harris had 17 points and seven rebounds for the War Eagles (1-2).
“We only had 11 turnovers, so I was pleased with how we handled their pressure,” Davie coach Mike Absher said. “But the difference was on the boards. Salisbury got way too many second-chance points.”
SALISBURY (75) ó Abel 21, Rankin 14, Morris 14, Weant 8, Williams 6, Knox 5, Phillips 4, Hailey 3.DAVIE COUNTY (64) ó Absher 20, Harris 17, Taylor 9, Jamal Mayfield 7, James Mayfield 6, Dulin 4, Neely 1.Salisbury 17 20 18 20 ó 75
Davie 8 15 13 28 ó 64
n Salisbury girls
Salisbury’s girls didn’t break any records Tuesday, but they handled Asheboro 56-38 to win the Davie Shootout.
The Hornets won 100-9 in a first-round game with South Mecklenburg on Monday.
Bubbles Phifer led the Hornets (3-0) with 18 points in the championship game.
De’Rya Wylie added 13 points, and nine more Hornets got into the scoring column.
Jessica Staley scored 17 points for the Comets (2-2). They fought within 10 points in the fourth quarter.ASHEBORO (38) ó Staley 17, Gallimore 9, Emerson 4, Isley 4, Ritch 3, Foscue 1.
SALISBURY (56) ó B.Phifer 18, Wylie 13, Shipp 7, Ay.Holmes 4, Heilig 4, N.Phifer 2, Clinding 2, As.Holmes 2, Rice 2, Young 2, Miller 1.
Asheboro 6 10 9 13 ó 38
Salisbury 15 15 12 14 ó 56