By Ronnie Gallagher
rgallagher@salisburypost.comSPENCER ó North Rowan had lost nearly all of an eight-point lead in the fourth quarter but stood only six seconds away from staying undefeated in the CCC.
One defensive stop was all the Cavaliers needed. They didn’t get it, then destructed in overtime, losing 60-53 to East Davidson on Tuesday.
It was game in which North (5-7, 2-1) just didn’t come through in the clutch, while the last-place Golden Eagles looked like a team trying to stay in first.
“My guys just wanted it,” East Davidson coach Matt Jacobs said. “They’ve wanted them all but haven’t been able to finish. Tonight they did.”
Especially at the end of regulation.
North squandered a 44-38 advantage with 2:40 left by not handling the East Davidson press. Ahead 47-45, Javon Hargrave missed two free throws and Jacobs got a timeout with six seconds left. He called a play with Christian Clark and Blake Dodd as the primary options. Clark got the ball, drove into a wide-open lane and scored easily at the buzzer to force OT.
The play deflated the Cavs, who struggled in overtime.
“We didn’t handle the press very well,” North coach Kelly Everhart said. “They either hit their shots or we fouled them. They’re a very good free-throw shooting team. It didn’t seem like they missed any down the stretch when it mattered.”
East (3-8, 1-2) stayed in its press in overtime, and Jacobs gave credit to his players.
“My intention was to come out of it,” he admitted. “But my captains both looked at me and said, ‘They’re rattled. Let’s stay in it.’ ”
North rushed shots in overtime, threw the ball away several times and hit only 3 of 6 free throws. East Davidson went to its spread offense and gradually pulled away.
The Cavs could have used guard D.J. Hipps, who missed the game with an upper thigh bruise.
“We missed him on the floor late with that calm, senior leadership,” Everhart said.
Everhart also missed scoring from Hargrave, who didn’t make a field goal even though he had plenty of chances underneath with his offensive rebounding.
The big sophomore finished with 15 rebounds, and his four points came from the free-throw line.
“Hargrave is a fantastic player,” Everhart said, “but tonight he struggled putting the ball in the hole.”
C.J. Fortson led the Cavs with 13 points. Tristan Gill and Greg Sims each had 10. Clark led East Davidson with 16.
North jumps right back into action. It has rescheduled a doubleheader at Central Davidson for tonight.
“I told them, ‘We don’t have time to lick our wounds,’ ” Everhart said.
Jacobs handed this win to his players.
“Sometimes,” Jacobs said with a smile, “a coach looks good because his players are smarter than he is.”
east davidson (60) ó Clark 16, Michael 14, Dodd 13, Branson 12, Palmer 2, Mouzon 2, Hawks 1.north rowan (53) ó Fortson 13, Sims 10, Gill 10, Bell 8, Hargrave 4, Blakeney 4, Smyre 2, Rudisell 1, Feezor 1, Overstreet, Rhames, Vogel.
East Davidson 10 13 9 15 13 ó 60
North Rowan 6 11 15 15 6 ó 53