By Mike London
mlondon@salisburypost.com
LANDIS — East Rowan’s 51-37 NPC win against South Rowan on Wednesday can be summed up in two words — too tall.
South’s most vertically elevated regular is 5-foot-9 Lynsey Corriher, and she has to look way up at East’s 6-2 Kelli Fisher and 6-3 Karleigh Wike.
Fisher, who had a career-best 22 points and 18 rebounds, tag-teamed with Wike, who had 12 points, 15 boards and seven blocks, to handle the Raiders.
“It’s nice to have two big ones,” East’s Sydney Poole said. “It’s a big advantage, and things are going very well for us now.”
East, 1-11 not long ago and declared dead by the county coroner, is now 4-11 and in the chase for one of the NPC’s four playoff berths. The Mustangs are 2-3 in the league.
“Give them credit,” disappointed South coach Jarrod Smith said. “They’ve figured out what works for them and tonight they did the things that they’re good at.”
Fisher and Wike had a field day inside, but before they can score, East has to get the ball down the court. Kendall Brown and Steffi Sides did most of the ballhandling. The Mustangs committed 21 turnovers, but that’s a number they can live with.
“Our post girls have been productive all year, and Kelli and Karleigh really push each other hard in practice,” East coach Danielle Porter said. “But the difference in us lately is our guard play has improved 100 percent. They’ve really worked at it.”
South (5-11, 1-4) got 13 points from Avery Locklear but endured a 22-percent shooting night that included a 1-for-12 second quarter. Part of that was struggling to shoot inside over East’s towering tandem.
Poole nailed two 3s as East took a 24-14 halftime lead, and Brown dished to Fisher for a pointblank shot to put East ahead 36-25 after three quarters.
South got nine points and 10 rebounds from Kayla Corriher and tried to make a fourth-quarter run, but it was all over after Carmen Lowe drilled a bank shot for a 49-36 lead with 1:11 remaining.
“We’re getting good shots, but we’re just not making them,” Smith said. “But if one of East’s big girls misses, the other one puts it in.”
EAST ROWAN (51) — Fisher 22, Wike 12, Poole 6, Gullett 3, Fry 3, Lowe 3, Sides 2, Brown.
SOUTH ROWAN (37) — Locklear 13, K. Corriher 9, Miller 5, L. Corriher 4, Allison 4, Stamey 2, Register, Coley, McConneaughey.
E. Rowan 11 13 12 15 — 51
S. Rowan 9 5 11 12 — 37