By Mike London
mlondon@salisburypost.com
LEXINGTON ó Salisbury senior De’Rya Wylie missed consecutive point-blank shots, but she grabbed both rebounds and stuck in a three-point play.
Wylie’s third try was more successful than Providence Grove’s.
The Patriots, battered by 46 and 48 points by Salisbury in regular-season games, tried to slow it down in a CCC tournament semifinal Thursday.
The sixth-seeded Patriots limited the Hornets to four points during the first six minutes, but Salisbury eventually romped 67-28 behind Wylie’s career-high 23 points.
Second-seeded Salisbury (23-2) advanced to tonight’s 6 p.m. tournament championship game at Central Davidson against unbeaten No. 1 seed East Davidson. Salisbury is 0-2 against the Eagles and isn’t 100-percent healthy.
Standout guard Shi-Heria Shipp sat out the semifinal nursing an ankle she twisted at practice. Senior Nene Phifer missed time after rolling an ankle, but she was able to return for the second half.
“I feel like they’ll both be able to recover and play, and we’re more excited and more confident than before our two earlier games with East Davidson,” SHS coach Andrew Mitchell said. “It should be a great game. I can feel the energy.”
Wylie energized Salisbury to its latest win. Shipp and fellow guard Bubbles Phifer are amazing talents, but the relentless Wylie, who plays like she’s bouncing on a trampoline, is often the quiet engine that powers the Hornets.
“I just go get the ball,” Wylie said. “Coach said, ‘Are you ready?’ I told him I’m always ready.”
Salisbury’s defense shut out the Patriots (11-16) in the first quarter and held them without a field goal for 12 minutes.
The Hornets were in firm control with a 30-12 lead at halftime, and Wylie had back-to-back three-point plays early in the fourth quarter.
“On and off the court, Rya is a go-to-girl,” Mitchell said. “First to practice and last to leave. She’s opened her heart to all her teammates. She is the glue.”
Wylie is all-business, but she was giggling on the bench after Jessica Heilig, who had five scary blocks in the fourth quarter, set sail on a coast-to-coast drive reminiscent of James Worthy but failed to execute a one-handed finish.
Said Wylie: “Jess makes that one, we have to use a timeout because I was going on the floor to give her a high-five.”
PROVIDENCE GROVE (28) ó Mixon 9, Langley 9, Matthews 4, Hardin 2, Co. Haithcox 2, Ca. Haithox 2, Frazier, Staley, Paris, Lowe.
SALISBURY (67) ó Wylie 23, B. Phifer 13, Ay. Holmes 7, Heilig 7, As. Holmes 6, Rice 5, Miller 2, N. Phifer 2, Clinding 2, Young.
Providence Grove 0 12 12 4 ó 28
Salisbury 12 18 21 16 ó 67