High school basketball: West boys walloped in opener; girls also lose at CSOD
Published 1:06 am Wednesday, November 27, 2024
Staff report
DAVIDSON — West Rowan’s football players had one day of practice/tryouts, and then had to play their first game on Tuesday.
It was not a shock that the Falcons did not have their basketball legs yet, and Community School of Davidson blew out the Falcons 90-47.
The Spartans (1-1) achieved the 40-point lead needed for a running clock with six minutes left. The mercy of the running clock is all that prevented the home team from breaking 100.
Community School of Davidson has two really good players but lost its opener to Southlake Christian. That gives you an idea of how far behind West Rowan is right now, but that doesn’t mean the Falcons, who lost three starters to graduation, can’t catch up.
Austin Moran, a hard-driving 6-foot-2 guard, scored 33 for the Spartans. Dermot Lowry, unorthodox but a 6-foot-4 scoring machine, had 24.
West traded buckets during a first quarter that ended with the Falcons trailing 24-20. Almost all of West’s points came from Ja’mih Tucker driving and finding Josiah Young.
Young got 12 of his career-best 18 in the first quarter, including a dunk, but as soon as he quieted down, the Spartans pulled away for a secure lead.
The Falcons trailed by three — 28-25 — after a Brant Graham 3-pointer, but a few minutes later, it was 49-33 at the half.
West continued to fade in the third quarter and was down by 35 by the end of that quarter.
Tucker looked like a potential standout as a pass-first point guard and scored 11 points.
West didn’t have a problem getting open 3-point looks. It just couldn’t make them. Coming off football, Graham and Evan Kennedy probably had the worst shooting nights they’ll experience all season. Those two veterans are going to have to score a bunch for West to be good.
West Rowan 20 13 10 4 — 47
CSOD 24 25 29 12 — 90
WEST scoring — Young 18, Graham 11, Tucker 11, Ford 4, Kennedy 2, Donaldson 1.
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West Rowan’s girls lost 56-34 to Community School of Davidson on Tuesday.
The Spartans (2-1) were playing their third game. That was an advantage, and while Ashley Poole is still coaching the Falcons, who won 3A championships in 2023 and 2024, this is almost an entirely new team, with minimal varsity game experience.
Community School of Davidson led 7-0 before Jayden Carter made a free throw for West near the 4:30 mark. It was 17-3 after a quarter.
The Spartans enjoyed a 13-0 run during the second quarter and led the Falcons 37-7 at halftime.
Community School of Daidson led 49-10 in the third quarter, but didn’t get the 40-point separation needed for a running clock. West had a little run and got back to 51-19 after three quarters. West continued to reduce CSOD’s lead in the fourth quarter.
Jamelia Allen and Sydney Smith led the Falcons with 12 points each.
West Rowan 3 4 12 15 — 34
CSOD 17 20 14 5 — 56
WEST scoring — Allen 12, Smith 12, Carter 7, Hurd 3.