Staff report
SALISBURY — Salisbury’s boys basketball team played to the point of exhaustion late in the regular season, but with a relatively early exit from the South Piedmont Conference Tournament, combined with a first-round bye for the playoffs, the Hornets had a chance to rest, recover and reset.
The Hornets went nine days between games, so they were eager and ready for Carver’s visit on Thursday in the second round of the 4A state playoffs. Salisbury romped 59-26, the fewest points the Hornets (20-7) have allowed in a game all season.
Carver (12-12) had 10 points — yes, 10 — at halftime.
Seeded 14th, Carver had scored 87 points in knocking out Forbush in the first round, so that was some pretty impressive defense by the Hornets.
The Hornets got their scoring punch from freshman Royce Perkins (15) and seniors Braylon Taylor (14) and Jon Ross (12).
Ross got the party started. He scored the first five.
Blake Smith, who averages double figures, only made one field goal, but it was a monster slam for a 14-2 lead. It was 16-4 after a quarter. Ross made a 3-pointer for 23-5, and the rout definitely was on.
Perkins got seven in the second quarter, as the Hornets made it 36-10 at the half.
Taylor got six in the third quarter.
Next for Salisbury on Saturday afternoon is Hibriten, a Lenoir school with very good athletes. The 11th-seeded Panthers barely made it through the first round, beating Brevard 83-81, before turning in a solid road win on Thursday. They knocked out 6 seed Bandys, 60-54.
The Hornets can’t look ahead, but fans can see No. 2 seed Lexington is moving forward in the Hornets’ segment of the bracket. Lexington earned a tough win — 81-77 — against Stuart Cramer on Thursday.
Carver 4 6 6 10 — 26
Salisbury 16 20 12 11 — 59
SHS — Perkins 15, Taylor 14, Ross 12, Jones 6, Smith 3, Segrede 3, Johnson 2, Shipp 2, Greene 2.
