Staff report
SALISBURY — Salisbury’s girls basketball team made West Rowan work on Friday, but the Falcons were able to take a 51-37 South Piedmont Conference victory.
It was tighter than the final score sounds. Salisbury actually led early in the fourth quarter, but the Falcons had a powerful finishing kick. They outscored the Hornets 17-2 to close the game.
“Tiara Thompson is a really good player,” Salisbury head coach Lakai Brice said. “She reminds me a lot of the way my daughter (Kyla Bryant) played for us on our championship teams. Tiara plays with so much poise.”
Thompson scored a poised 32 points on a night when some West’s other scorers were struggling. She got 12 in the second quarter to get the Falcons back in it after the Hornets started hot. She scored 11 in the fourth quarter to put the game away.
West had smacked Salisbury 65-40 in their first meeting, but the Hornets had a lot of emotion working for them on their home floor.
“Good game tonight, but way too exciting,” West head coach Ashley Poole said.
Salisbury scored the game’s first two buckets and gained some confidence. The Hornets led 13-8 after a quarter
The Hornets got up by 10 in the second quarter at 20-10. The Falcons (21-1, 12-1) answered with a 10-0 run. West led 24-22 at halftime.
Salisbury scored only six points in the third quarter, but still kept it close. West led by four going to the final eight minutes.
Early in the fourth quarter, Skekiya Woodruff banked in a 3-pointer for Salisbury (10-9, 9-4) to tie the game at 34-all. When Gabbi Fatovic, who supplied most of the offense for the Hornets with 18 points. made a free throw, the Hornets led 35-34, but that’s when Thompson took over.
Sydney Smith scored 10 for the Falcons.
Dazmin Ambers had nine for the Hornets. Keaira Spruill blocked a number of shots.
“We played hard,” Brice said. “I’ve been very proud to coach this team. They’ve come a long way.”
There were a lot of wins in the coaching boxes. Poole won her 229th game with the Falcons. Brice has won 232 with the Hornets. Both are in their 13th season at their schools and both have coached two state championship teams.
West Rowan 8 16 8 19 — 51
Salisbury 13 9 6 9 — 37
WEST — Thompson 32, S. Smith 10, A. Martin 4, Hurd 3, Pharr 2.
SHS — Fatovic 18, Ambers 9, Woodruff 5, Spruill 3, McNeely 2.
