By Ryan Bisesi
rbisesi@salisburypost.com
SALISBURY — It took a while for both North Rowan and South Davidson’s girls teams to get going Tuesday.
But when they did, South proved harder to stop.
The Wildcats used a 9-1 third-quarter run to acquire a sustained lead in a 52-46 win in a YVC game in Spencer.
North managed just one field goal in the fourth quarter and couldn’t capitalize on holding South to just five points in the fourth. North led 26-24 at halftime and 10-8 after the first quarter.
“We did a good job of keeping the ball moving and keeping that lead,” South coach Fonda Jackson said. “Once we got that lead and started hitting shots in that third quarter, that helped.”
South’s Madi Beeson tied it at 36 with a 3 and Larsen Sigmon converted a layup off a steal to give South a 38-36 lead with 4:04 left in the third. Two possessions later, Beeson hit a basket to give South the lead for keeps as the Wildcats scored nine of the next 10. Brook Strother and Sigmon drained shots and Madison Sigmon hit a 3 to cap the run.
The more stoic Tristan Rankin worked the sidelines for North, filling in for Tony Hillian’s suspension from the last day of the Moir Christmas Classic.
“At times our defense lost our man and they got open shots,” Rankin said. “We didn’t know who we had.”
Taylor Sells scored 16 for the Cavs and hit four 3-pointers. Beeson scored a season-high 20 points for South (7-6, 4-2). Sells hit her final trey late in the third quarter to pull the Cavs (4-7, 4-2) within 47-42 after three.
Teaunna Cuthbertson grabbed a steal and hit an ensuing layup to make it 49-45 with 3:33 left. Beeson came up big again with an open layup off the inbounds pass following a timeout on the next basket.
Hunter Sigmon grabbed two crucial offensive rebounds for South off missed free throws in the final minute with a 51-45 lead.
“Hunter was so big on those rebounds on the missed free throws,” Jackson said.
The Cavs cut it to 51-46 on Cuthbertson’s free throw with 28.9 seconds left, but never got closer. North was 6 for 14 from the foul line.
“It was the small stuff,” Rankin said. “I was pleased with the effort and that we didn’t give up.”
SOUTH DAVIDSON (52) — Beeson 20, L. Sigmon 12, M. Sigmon 9, Wall 4, H. Sigmon 2, Grubb 2, Strother 2, Fee.
NORTH ROWAN (46) — Sells 16, Robinson 11, Cuthbertson 7, Brown 5, Bradley 4, Bush 1, Vann, Lingle, Rincon, Dickerson.
S. Dav. 8 16 21 5 — 52
N. Rowan 10 16 16 4 — 46