SALISBURY – The North Rowan girls added a new weapon to their arsenal Saturday morning and as a result they are now in the semi-finals of the Sam Moir Christmas Classic.

Normally a fast breaking transition team, the Cavaliers instead chose to rain in a succession of threes as they rolled past South Rowan 58-47 in the opening game of the three day event at Catawba College. North (4-3) came in as the sixth seed but for the second time this season had little trouble handling the third seeded Raiders (6-4).
Last time it was a 30 point blitz. This time it was seven three pointers, including three in succession in the second quarter when North turned a four point margin into a 30-17 halftime lead.

“Normally we try to get the ball inside,” said senior guard Demeria Robinson who led the winners with 18. “But we do have some good outside shooters too. Some games we are hot and some games we are not”

Robinson, Ashley Blaire and Fredejah Royer each hit a long jumper during a two minute span of the second period to put the game out of reach. The margin grew as high as 20 several times in the second half, the last time at 56-36. South did make a brief surge in the latter stages behind Avery Locklear (28 points), making the final a more respectable 11 points but it was never really that close. A 32 per cent field goal performance hurt South the most.

“We had a really strong second quarter,” Cav coach Brian Lytton said. “That was the difference in the game. But I think we played really good defense the whole game as well.”
Joining Robinson in double figures was Special Washington with 10 while freshman Egyot Alexander scored 9. Locklear had 10 rebounds to go with her 28 points. Senior Cassidy Chipmman battled a bad ankle and scored just one point, well below her 17.0 average. She did grab 12 boards.

North now advances to face Davie in a 3 p.m. semi-final Monday. South plays West Rowan in a Monday consolation at 9 a.m.

North Rowan (58): Robinson 18, Washington 10, Alexander 9, Royer 5, Blaire 5, White 5, Farmer 4, Russell 2, Allen, Pruitt, Mills.
South Rowan (47): Locklear 28, Bost 8, Hubbard 5, McClendon 3, Wiliams 2, Chipman 1, Martin, Waters.

NORTH ROWAN 12 18 16 12 – 58
SOUTH ROWAN 11 6 9 21 – 47