Staff report
CONCORD — Robinson beat Salisbury 62-53 on Saturday with a share of the South Piedmont Conference title on the line.
Robinson (19-3, 12-2) finished a sweep of the Hornets (18-5, 11-3) and tied Carson for first place. Salisbury finished one game back in a heated race. The Hornets had a seven-game winning streak stopped.
The Bulldogs held Salisbury to season low offensive production. Jon Ross and Royce Perkins are just about automatic double-figure scorers for the Hornets, and they combined for 11.
Braylon Taylor (19) and Blake Smith (13) had their normal points, but it wasn’t enough.
Smith had seven rebounds and three blocks. Ross had seven rebounds. Perkins and Taylor had three assists.
Salisbury led by as many as five in the early going and despite one 7-0 burst by Robinson took a 26-24 lead to halftime.
Robinson put together another spurt in the third quarter — this one was 11-0 — swinging the game from a 30-26 Salisbury lead to a 37-30 advantage for Robinson.
Salisbury didn’t get even again. Robinson’s lead was only three after three quarters, but when the Bulldogs opened the fourth quarter with another 6-0 flurry they were up nine and headed for victory.
Ralph Walton scored 16 for the Bulldogs. Noah Speller had 15. Jamell Reid had eight rebounds.
Robinson took nine charges.
Robinson is the No. 1 seed for the SPC Tournament by virtue of the sweep of the Hornets (Salisbury won at home against Carson) and hosts 8 seed South Rowan in Monday’s first round. Salisbury is the 3 seed and will host 6 seed Northwest Cabarrus. Tournament semifinals and the championship game will be hosted by Carson.
Salisbury 11 15 13 14 — 53
Robinson 6 18 18 20 — 62
SHS — Taylor 19, Smith 13, Perkins 6, Ross 5, Jones 5, Greene 3, Johnson 2.
ROBINSON — Walton 16, Speller 15, Harlee 11, Miranda 10, Reid 6, Campbell 4.
