From staff reports
Carson’s boys basketball team lost at Gastonia Ashbrook, 88-82, on Tuesday in the first round of the 3A state playoffs.
“We battled hard on the road against a really good team,” Carson coach Brian Perry said. “Ashbrook had a lot of composure, and some veteran guys stepped up for them at the end.”
Carson (13-13), seeded 25th, was down two points with 31 seconds left, but eighth-seeded Ashbrook (16-12) made clutch free throws.
Carson started strong and built an 11-point lead late in the first half. Emmanuel Rhyne hit two-pointers late in the half that enabled Ashbrook to get back within 47-42 at the break.
“Then they kept their momentum going in the third quarter,” Perry said. “We fought back in the fourth, and it went down to the last seconds.”
Rhyne and Malik Gingles scored 18 points each for the Green Wave.
Carson got double-figure scoring from five players — Jailen Williams (16), Brenden Westbrook (15), Jamarius Hairston (14), Ryan Bearden (13) and Cameron Prugh (12).
Owen White added nine points.
“Just very proud of how we competed in this game and all season long,” Perry said. “It was a tough way to end it, but our guys couldn’t have battled any harder than they did.”
Ashbrook advances to host North Forsyth, an upset winner over Concord.

CARSON (82) — Williams 16, Westbrook 15, Hairston 14, Bearden 13, Prugh 12, White 9, Whicker 3, Perry.
ASHBROOK (88) — Gingles 18, Rhyne 18, Brown 14, Jefferso 14, Glenn 12, Sanders 4, Moore 3, Belton 3, Stowe 2.

Carson 25 22 14 21 — 82
Ashbrook 22 20 21 25 — 88

SHS girls lose
Salisbury’s girls basketball team lost at East Burke, 53-38, in a first round game in the 2A state playoffs on Tuesday.
East Burke (19-9) had an 11-0 run early and was able to keep a lead the rest of the night. The Hornets (14-12) went scoreless for six minutes during that East Burke run.
Kieran Smith scored 18 points for East Burke.
Salisbury was down 28-10 at halftime.
The Hornets fought back as close as an 11-point deficit late in the game.

DC teams fall
Davie’s girls lost at West Forsyth, 60-56, in overtime in the first round off the 4A state basketball playoffs.
Davie’s boys lost to Alexander Central, 63-48.

Bulls roll
Hickory Ridge’s girls won 72-55 against Southwestern Randolph on Tuesday in a 3A first-round game.
Gabby Smith scored 19 to lead the Ragin’ Bulls. Sydney Miller scored 12.
Lauren LaPlant scored 35 for SWR.
Hickory Ridge will play at Pisgah on Thursday.

Girls team forfeits
The NCHSAA announced that Rolesville’s girls basketball team has been removed from the playoffs after self-reporting an ineligible player during the final four games of the regular season.

College softball
Catawba’s Carley Tysinger struck out 37 batters in 28 innings and went 4-0 last week to earn SAC Pitcher of the Week honors.

College basketball
Catawba’s teams travel to Wingate tonight for a SAC doubleheader.
Livingstone’s women play at 12:10 p.m. today in the CIAA tournament in Charlotte against Lincoln.

Youth soccer
The FCCA U12 soccer team, the Green Dragons (1-2-1), tied a regional opponent 3-3 this past weekend.
Scoring for the Dragons were Christopher Portillo with two goals and Wade Robins with one.
Reed Brixey, Luis Aveliz and Colin Donaldson led the defensive effort.

7th-grade hoops
North Rowan Middle’s boys won 46-40 against Mooresville.
North’s top scorers were Zay Davis with 16 points and Javon Smith with 13.
Other standouts for North were Kendrell Goodes, Jaharion Graham, Nick Colson, Terrance Chapman and James Gladden.
North’s next game on Thursday against Erwin.

Local golf
Sixty-six GARS members played in foursomes at Rolling Hills.
Low A Flight player was Linn Safley with a net of 60.15.
Low B Flight player was Reverend Jim Harris with a net of 64.01. Low C Flight player was Carrol Downey with a net of 68.79. Low D Flight player was Roger Costic with a net of 74.43.
Harris, 84, shot a 78.

College golf
Catawba’s men had a final round 324 at the Newberry Invitational which concluded Tuesday at the Ocean Course. The Catawba Indians finished in 13th with a 957 total.
Jordan Taylor had the highest finish for Catawba in 20th place. He had a three-round total of 228 after an 80 on Tuesday. Tyler Mulkey (North Rowan) had the best round for the Indians Tuesday with a 77.
•••
The Converse Spring Invite by Founders FCU Women’s Golf Tournament finished up on Tuesday and both Catawba golfers moved up over 15 spots in the final round.
Victoria Hedrick rebounded from an opening 90 with an 83 on Tuesday.
Ali Lindo had an 86 in the final round and posted a 178 total.

Rowan Little League
Rowan Little League baseball and softball Registrations are being taken at Godley’s Garden Center on Statesville Boulevard through Sat, Feb. 27.
Parents can also register online anytime at http://www.rowanlittleleague.com.
Contact Jeff Bernhardt at 704-326-5255 or Dan Wales 704-633-4071 for more information on league boundaries or other questions.

GT edges Clemson
ATLANTA — Marcus Georges-Hunt scored 25 points, including two free throws with three seconds remaining, and Georgia Tech came back from a second-half deficit of 13 points to beat Clemson 75-73 on Tuesday night.
Donte Grantham’s 3-pointer for Clemson with 11 seconds remaining tied the game. Georgia Tech coach Brian Gregory decided not to call timeout, and Georges-Hunt said that kept Clemson’s defense unsettled as he drove toward the basket.
The decisive free throws came only three days after Georges-Hunt’s last-second shot gave Georgia Tech a 63-62 win over then-No. 19 Notre Dame.
Jaron Blossomgame, who led Clemson with 22 points, missed a last-second jumper.
Georgia Tech (16-12, 6-9 Atlantic Coast Conference) has won three straight ACC regular-season games for the first time since the 2007-08 season. Adam Smith made 4 of 7 3-pointers and had 20 points.