Staff report

SALISBURY — As two-time defending champion for 2A girls basketball, Salisbury hasn’t lost a playoff game in a long time.

The Hornets handled their first-round game in the 2A Wet bracket on Tuesday with no issues, beating familiar opponent East Davidson 53-36.

The sixth-seeded Hornets (19-7) won much more easily than they did against No. 27 seed East Davidson (14-14) in last week’s Central Carolina Conference Tournament. In that semifinal game played at Thomasville, the Hornets had to rally from nine points down.

It was 5-5 early when MaKayla Noble hit a 3-pointer for the lead. That shot triggered a 20-0 Salisbury run that included a lot of defense and seven points by Shamya Arnold and lasted almost until halftime. The Golden Eagles finally scored to make it 25-8, but Noble made another 3-pointer as time expired for a 20-point halftime cushion.

East Davidson won the third quarter and got back as close as 37-24, but Jamyrah Cherry made a 3-pointer early in the fourth quarter that started a clinching 10-0 run by the Hornets.

Noble scored 20, while Cherry had 13. They made four 3-pointers each.

East Davidson     5      3     16    12     — 36

Salisbury              11    17    9      16     — 53

SALISBURY — Noble 20, Cherry 13, Arnold 7, Evans 6, McNeely 3, Myers 2, Spruill 2.