Staff report

MOUNT ULLA — A challenge to the West Rowan boys’ domination of the North Piedmont Conference materialized out of nowhere on Tuesday.

Fifth-place South Iredell pushed the Falcons into the final minutes before West responded with a 75-66 victory.

Jalen Moss took over when he had to and produced a season-high 28 points and 10 rebounds. He scored 13 in the fourth quarter.

Braden Graham scored 20 and had nine rebounds, while AJ Mauldin had 14 points.

Macari Allison blocked seven shots.

Ranked No. 1 in 3A by MaxPreps, West (9-0, 7-0) trailed by four points after a sluggish first quarter.

The Falcons recovered to lead 34-29 at the half. They carried an eight-point lead to the fourth quarter, but South Iredell had it down to 65-62 with 2:31 remaining. South Iredell misfired on some free-throw opportunities in the fourth quarter or it might really have gotten tense for the Falcons.

South Iredell was 9-for-19 on free throws for the game.

The Vikings got 20 points from Braydon Watson-Jones and 19 from Gavin Morrison.

South Iredell (1-7, 1-6) logged its only win of the season against Carson and entered the game ranked 451st in the state and 78th out of 109 3A teams.

West had won pretty routinely at South Iredell 74-54, with Moss getting 21 points and five Falcons reaching double figures.

West stayed on track for its first undefeated conference season since 2002-03.

 

S. IREDELL (66) — Watson-Jones 20, Morrison 19, McLeod 9, Chambers 9, Labelle 7, Vuk 2

WEST (75) — Moss 28, Graham 20, Mauldin 14, Allison 8, Biggers 4, Harris 1, Wood, Noble.

S. Iredell     16   13   17   20   — 66

W. Rowan   12  22  20  21   —  75