From staff reports

High school basketball returns in Rowan County tonight.

Students have been busy with exams all week.

Girls

West Rowan is home tonight against North Iredell in a key game in the North Piedmont Conference.

West (14-1, 2-0) has pulled out a lot of close games and owns league wins against East Rowan and South Iredell.

The only loss for the Falcons, who are ranked eighth in 3A, was to Salisbury in the Christmas tournament.

North Iredell (11-2, 1-1)  lost a league game at Carson but bounced back to rout Statesville.

Junior Abigail Wilson averages  24.3 points per game for the Falcons. Mary Sobataka averages 15.9.

Sobataka, a senior guard, has scored 975 points in her four-year career.

Taylor Poole averages six assists for West. Wilson and Whitley Arnott both average better than 12 rebounds per contest.

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Ranked second in 3A, Carson (16-0, 2-0) goes to Statesville  (11-3, 1-1) tonight in NPC action.

Carson is scoring 65 points per game, while allowing 32.

McKenzie Gadson (13.7) and Colbie Perry (12.4) lead the scoring for the Cougars.

Gadson, Carleigh Perry and Taylor Conrad are all shooting 55 percent from the field.

Lani Isley leads the Cougars with 4.3 assists and 2.9 steals per game.

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East Rowan (11-4, 0-2) is home against South Iredell (4-9, 0-2).

It’s a must-win game for the Mustangs if they’re going to be factor in the NPC.

Grace Eagle (12.6) and Adalie Harrison (10.3) lead the scoring for the Mustangs.

Harrison leads in assists, while freshman Mary Spry leads the rebounding with 8.9 per game.

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In the Central Carolina Conference, league-leading Salisbury (12-2, 8-1) is home against Thomasville.

The Bulldogs (3-8, 2-6) have played a lot of people tough in recent weeks.

Ranked eighth in 2A, Salisbury, the Hornets are led in scoring by Bryanna Troutman (14.6).

The Hornets won at Thomasville on opening night, 71-42.

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Also in the CCC, South Rowan plays at East Davidson.

The Raiders (7-7, 6-2) knocked off East Davidson early in the season, 57-56.

Janiya Downs averages 29.6 points, 12.4 rebounds and 4.0 steals for South.

South will also need good games from Madison McGuire (24 3-pointers) and freshman Bethany Rymer (9.1 points per game) if it’s going to win at East Davidson.

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North Rowan (7-8, 5-2)  has played well in the Yadkin Valley Conference but has a tough assignment tonight at Albemarle (14-1, 7-0). The Bulldogs are ranked fourth in 1A.

North lost to Albemarle in Spencer, 63-57, early in the season.

Freshman Hannah Wilkerson (16.4) and Natavia Taborn (11.4) lead the scoring for North, while Darlissa Robbins is the leading rebounder. Taborn has been the leader in assists.

Boys

Carson (7-8, 2-0) has a huge game at Statesville (6-8, 2-0) in a league that appears to be wide open.

EJ Clark leads Carson in rebounding and the Cougars are getting 16 points per game from both Clark and Cole Perry.

Javon Smith is coming off a 20-point effort in a win against East Rowan.

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East Rowan (8-7, 1-1) hosts South Iredell (8-6, 1-1) in what could be a pivotal game for the Mustangs.

Elton Hooper averages a double-double for East

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Playing at home, West Rowan (2-13, 0-2) has a good chance to notch its first NPC win against North Iredell (3-11, 0-2).

Payne Stolsworth has totaled 64 points in his last two outings for the Falcons.

Zack Brawley has averaged 17 points in his last five games.

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Salisbury smashed Thomasville early in the season, 87-50, but the Bulldogs have turned out to be one of the better teams in the CCC.

They’re playing at home, but the Hornets (9-5, 7-2) may have a tougher time against the Bulldogs (7-4, 6-2) in the rematch.

Raheim Walker has had two straight big games for the Hornets, scoring 17 against North Davidson and South Rowan.

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South Rowan (1-12, 1-6)  has a chance to end an 11-game skid  tonight at CCC opponent East Davidson (2-13, 1-9).

The Raiders’ only win this season came against the Golden Eagles.

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North Rowan will be involved in a marquee YVC matchup at Albemarle.

The Cavaliers (12-2, 7-0) have won five in a row.

Brevin Goodlett and Dayjuwon Cooke are shooting in the 70-percent range on 2-point attempts, and Goodlett also has been excellent from 3-point range, shooting better than 40 percent.

Goodlett and Cooke lead North in rebounding, as well as scoring. Derrick Page leads the team in assists, while Kendrell Goodes leads in blocked shots.

Quintous Smith Jr. is third in rebounding and second on the team in assists.

North beat Albemarle (8-7, 6-1)  in Spencer, 64-60, early in the season.

Albemarle is tied for second in the YVC with South Stanly.

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In the Central Piedmont Conference, Davie County (13-1, 2-0), ranked eighth in 4A, goes to  struggling West Forsyth (1-12, 0-2).

In the South Piedmont Conference, A.L. Brown (11-4, 0-2) will look for its first league win at home against Northwest Cabarrus (9-5, 2-0).