Staff report
LANDIS — It was the 66th consecutive loss in the South Piedmont Conference for South Rowan’s boys basketball team, but there were some anxious moments for West Rowan on Friday.
The Falcons put five men in double figures and held off the Raiders 78-69.
“It was a three-point game with two minutes left,” South head coach Justin Pauley said. “Really proud of the effort.”
The 69 points were an explosion for South (2-12, 0-6), tying the season high. The Raiders hadn’t achieved the 50-point plateau since they beat Trinity 69-50 before Christmas. South’s other win was a 55-28 romp in the season opener against Gray Stone.
There were lots of career highs in the game.
Dacorian Pharr scored 17 of his career-high 19 in the second half to lead the Raiders. Aaiden Sechler, a transfer from West, tied his career high with 17. Maverick Morgan scored 15. Morgan and Sechler made three 3-pointers each, while Pharr made two. Keegan Strickland scored a career-high nine.
West Rowan got career efforts from Caleb Queen (19) and Jaylen “Batman” Donaldson (12). Brant Graham scored a season-high 15. Jalen Moten made four 3s and scored 16. Josiah Young added 11 points.
West led 32-27 at the half.
The Falcons produced a season high for points. Their previous high was in a 65-56 win against North Iredell.
When the smoke cleared on Friday, West Rowan (8-7, 4-2) was tied for second in the SPC, a three-way tie with Robinson and Salisbury, with Concord, which upset Robinson, one game behind that trio. Carson has a two-game lead over the pack.
Carson is next for the Raiders. West takes on Salisbury.
West Rowan 18 14 20 26 — 78
South Rowan 15 12 16 26 — 69
WEST — Queen 19, Moten 16, Graham 15, Donaldson 12, Young 11, Holmes 3, Angle 2.
SOUTH — Pharr 19, Sechler 17, Morgan 15, K. Strickland 9, Beaver 6, Washburn 3.
