Staff report

SALISBURY — Salisbury’s boys basketball team didn’t shoot the ball great on Friday evening — six 3-pointers and just 10-for-23 on free throws — but they still scored 80 points.

The Hornets are defense-first despite the prodigious scoring numbers they put up, and it was defense that settled a highly anticipated showdown with rival North Rowan in a Dale’s Sporting Goods Sam Moir Christmas Classic semifinal.

Salisbury has won nine in a row against North Rowan.

Salisbury’s lead at the break was only 39-35, but the second-seeded Hornets settled the game shortly after halftime with a 16-0 run that keyed a dominant 24-6 third quarter for a 63-41 lead.

“Our halftime talk was all about defense,” Salisbury coach Albert Perkins said. “We talked about playing good team defense. If we play good team defense, it usually will turn into quick offense for us. We got a lot of fast breaks during that third-quarter run and we also got some open looks in transition.”

Myles Smith, a 6-foot-4 wing, scored a season-high 30 for the Hornets, including nine in the decisive third quarter.

“Myles showed some of his versatility tonight,” Perkins said. “He does get a lot of dunks and layups off our defense, but against a higher-level opponent he can also shoot the ball from outside. He made two 3-pointers.”

Macari House also made two 3-pointers for the Hornets. Both were in the third quarter. Hank Webb and Braylon Taylor, who scored 16 points, also made 3s for the Hornets.

Perkins praised Taylor, a natural scoring guard who has been playing a lot of point for the Hornets, as Bryce Dalton mends from a football injury.

“Braylon has made some sacrifices for the benefit of the team, and he’s doing a great job handling the ball more and being a facilitator for our offense,” Perkins said.

The third-seeded Cavaliers were 12-for-23 from the foul and made four 3-pointers.

Emari Russell had another strong game for the Cavaliers with 23 points. He has scored 20-plus in six of North’s seven games. He had 15 points at halftime.

Russell and Dyzarious Carpenter made two 3s each. Carpenter scored 17.

Carter Williams scored 10, all in the fourth quarter.

While Salisbury won this round, Perkins isn’t taking anything for granted against the Cavaliers.

“They’re very good and they’re in our league, so we’ll see them at least two more times, and it may well be three times.” he said.

Salisbury (8-3) has won seven in a row and will play top-seeded Carson, also 8-3, in Saturday night’s championship game at about 8 p.m.

North (4-3) will play fourth-seeded Central Davidson (6-5) for third place on Saturday at 4:30 p.m. North will have a chance to avenge a home loss to the Spartans earlier this season.

North Rowan     17   18   6   23    — 64

Salisbury            23    16  24  17    — 80

NORTH — Russell 23, Carpenter 17, Williams 10, Polk 7, Mosley 4, Feamster 2, Tarver 1.

SALISBURY — M. Smith 30, Taylor 16, House 9, B. Smith 8, Webb 6, Hairston 6, Davis 4, Cherry 1.