Staff report
MOUNT ULLA – Tiara Thompson delivered a career-high 39 points — 19 in the fourth quarter — as West Rowan’s girls basketball team won 76-72 against Northwest Cabarrus on Tuesday.
It was the first South Piedmont Conference loss for the Trojans (11-4, 4-1). Northwest senior MacKenzie Ortscheid, a 5-foot-11 forward, is the only player in the South Piedmont Conference comparable to Thompson. She scored 33 despite foul trouble. Ortscheid poured in 20 of her points in a wild fourth quarter. She was automatic at the foul line.
“We knew to always be aware of where 25 (Ortscheid) was, but she’s a good player,” West head coach Ashley Poole said. “Sydney Smith worked very hard on defense against her, and Tiara guarded her some in the fourth quarter.”
West (14-0, 5-0) had enjoyed three routine wins since the battle with Central Davidson in the semifinals of the Christmas Tournament, but was in a scrap from start to finish with the Trojans. Even with Thompson scoring 18 in the first half, the Falcons were only up two at the break.
“Northwest is good, they’ve got several girls who can shoot,” Poole said. “Plus, we got in foul trouble. Pretty terrible foul trouble and very early. We got to halftime up two and I challenged the girls. I told them if they wanted this one, they were going to have to go out there and take it. They were going to have to fight for it. We talk a lot about playing West Rowan basketball, and I thought our girls showed who they are tonight. We showed a lot of grit and a lot of fight to pull this one out.”
Aubrey Martin has emerged as a senior as one of the county’s best players and has become a dependable second scorer for the Falcons. She made four 3-pointers and scored 16. Thompson had a quiet third quarter, but Martin made two of her 3s in that period to keep the Falcons going.
Jamiela Allen scored six of her seven points in the first quarter to help West get started. Smith had to expend most of her energy on the defensive end, but was able to contribute six points.
Ava Ibanez made three 3-pointers and scored 14 for the Trojans.
Thompson made two 3s in the fourth quarter and got to the foul line often, as she and Ortscheid went back and forth.
“We had a lot of girls play well, and when we got down to the end, we were fortunate to have a senior leader,” Poole said. “We jumped on Tiara’s back and she took us the rest of the way.”
NW Cabarrus 16 20 11 25 — 72
West Rowan 20 18 12 26 — 76
NWC — Ortscheid 33, Ibanez 14, Gonder 9, Burton 9, Cherry 7.
WEST — Thompson 39, A. Martin 16, Allen 7, Smith 6, Hurd 4, Hoffner 2, Pharr 2.
