By MIKE DUPREZ

The Dispatch

LEXINGTON – It looks like North Rowan has Lexington’s number this season.

The Cavaliers came into the Hive and took control of the game in the second quarter, dealing Lexington a 69-58 loss in a key Central Carolina Conference game Friday night.

It wasn’t as close as the final score indicated. The CCC-leading Cavaliers used a 12-1 run in the second quarter to open a 15-point margin and Lexington was never able to mount a threat.

“Just playing hard,” said North Rowan coach Andrew Mitchell, whose team is now 16-2 overall and 6-0 in the CCC. “Guys playing good defense. I guess that’s it. Good defense and rebounding.”

Lexington, playing without head coach Jon Weavil and top 3-point threat Raheame White, slipped to 12-7 overall and 3-3 in the CCC despite a game-high 22 points from sophomore forward Marquise Jordan. Weavil was serving a one-game suspension.

The Jackets fell, 57-44, at North Rowan on Jan. 5.

“They’re tough,” said Lexington assistant coach Tim Holt. “They press the ball. They attack you. It’s a tough, experienced group. They’ve been to the regionals the last couple of years. Again, that’s an experienced group.”

The Cavaliers attacked Lexington from all over the place, going 7-for-14 from 3-point range and repeatedly attacking the rim. Three starters scored in double figures, with guard Jalen Sanders netting 15 points to lead the way. Josh Handy scored 14 points and Joe Scott added 10. Henderson Lentz came off the bench to score 11 points, including three jumpers from behind the arc.

It was too much for Lexington, which was 0-for-8 on 3-point attempts, to overcome.

“That’s the good thing about this team,” Mitchell said. “The guys share the ball. They can all make the outside shot. They can all penetrate. If we continue to work and get better, I think we can have something pretty special here.”

Lexington was trailing 24-20 when North Rowan took off on its big run, with a pair of 3-pointers by Lentz being the key shots. The Jackets were able to cut it to 39-29 at halftime.

The Cavaliers assumed complete control in the third quarter when they blew out to a 21-point lead. Lexington fought back with a 7-0 run capped by Jordan’s three-point play but another 3-pointer from Lentz stopped whatever momentum Lexington had picked up.

“I wished we could have gotten back a few more times on defense, picked up the intensity,” Holt said. “Like I said, that’s an experienced group.”

Daniel Reid-Bennett had 12 points for Lexington.

Both teams play again Tuesday, with Lexington traveling to Salisbury and North Rowan going to West Davidson.

NORTH ROWAN (69) Sanders 15, Handy 14, Lentz 11, Scott 10, Haley 7, Sirleaf 6, Shields 4, Harrison 2.

LEXINGTON (58) Jordan 22, Reid-Bennett 12, Craven 9, Moore 8, Charles 4, Medley 2, Lancaster 1.

NR – 19    20    18   12 – 69

L – 13    16   9   20 – 58

 

Mike Duprez can be reached at (336) 249-3981, ext. 218 or mike.duprez@the-dispatch.com. Follow Mike on Twitter@LexDispatch_md