By Mike London
mike.london@salisburypost.com

SALISBURY — Salisbury’s girls basketball team made it 17 straight wins on Friday night, the most in a row for the program since the 2010-11 squad dropped its first game and then reeled off 27 straight to take the 2A state championship.

A 74-48 home victory against Thomasville clinched at  least a share of the Central Carolina Conference title, a crown that has eluded the Hornets since the 2011-12 season.

Bryanna Troutman scored 23 for the Hornets, Tyzarea Alexander tossed in 19, Anayia Fulson had 12, and Maria Capito added 10.

There was the expected letdown after Salisbury’s big road win at second-place East Davidson on Wednesday. The Hornets started slowly, and the upset-minded Bulldogs (5-15, 3-5 SPC) led 12-11 after a quarter.

“We started flat and started pretty terrible,” Salisbury coach Lakai Brice said.

Alexander got the Hornets going with her 13-point second quarter. The senior made seven free throws in the period. By halftime, the Hornets had the lead, 32-23.

“She was attacking, getting offensive rebounds and drawing fouls,” Brice said. “That’s where it turned around.”

Alexander has been playing despite  a quad injury and continues to perform well. She finished the night with 846 career points. She’s now 15th on Salisbury’s all-time list … and counting. She’s currently right between the twins, Ashia and Ayanna Holmes, who were part of a lot of that 27-game winning streak six seasons ago.

“She’s just such a tough kid,” Brice said of Alexander. “She ices it, she heats it, and she keeps going.”

Troutman scored 11 points in the  third quarter as the Hornets blew the game open.

“Bryanna is playing well and she played the best game at East Davidson on Wednesday that I’ve seen her play,” Brice. “She demanded the ball in that game. We’re trying to get her to play like that all the time.”

Freshman Anayia Fulson scored eight of her points in the fourth quarter. She handled the ball down the stretch, while playing with four reserves.

Dee Long, a prolific scorer, poured in 26 for the Bulldogs.

“Anayia actually did a pretty good job on her,” Brice said. “But she’s a good player and she’s going to get her points.”

Salisbury finishes up the regular season next week with a home against West Davidson on Tuesday — that will be Senior Night for Alexander — and a game against North Rowan at Catawba.

THOMASVILLE (48) — Long 26, Billie 9, Wilson 5, Gilbert 5, Stegenga 3

SALISBURY (74) — Troutman 23, Alexander 19, Fulson 12, Capito 10, Phifer 5, J. Glenn 4, Caldwell 1, M. Glenn, Oats, Daniels.

Thomasville   11 12 10  15 — 48
Salisbury         11 21 22 20— 74