Staff report
SALISBURY — East Rowan’s girls basketball team lost Tuesday’s hard-fought third-place game in the Dale’s Sporting Goods Sam Moir Christmas Classic.
Central Davidson got 20 points from Raegan McCarn and beat the Mustangs 48-42.
Spurred by 57 points by McCarn, the fourth-seeded Spartans (7-3) won two out of three in the tournament.
East (4-8) went 1-2 in the event, although the Mustangs no doubt played their best game of the tournament on Tuesday.
Seven points by McCarn propelled Central Davidson to a 16-9 lead after a quarter, but East outplayed the Spartans in the second quarter and got back to a 23-20 halftime deficit.
East tied the game early in the second half on a steal and bucket by Lily Kluttz, but McCarn broke the tie with a 3-pointer.
The sixth-seeded Mustangs got even again at 37-all in the fourth quarter on a three-point play by Ava Alderman.
Again, McCarn scored to break the tie.
East didn’t get even again, although the Mustangs trailed only 41-40 after Mariah Lawing made a 3-pointer with 2:24 left on the clock at Goodman Gym.
Ella Hulsizer and Bethany Myers made big free throws as the Spartans put the game away.
East will return to action against Carson on Jan. 6.
East Rowan 9 11 8 14 — 42
C. Davidson 16 7 8 17 — 48
EAST — Smith 9, Kluttz 7, Earnhardt 6, Miller 5, Lawing 5, Stepp 4, Alderman 3, Pfister 3.
CD — McCarn 20, Myers 9, Hulsizer 7, Elliott 6, Garrison 6.
