EB girls top Maiden, Bandys to remain unbeaten in CVAC

After winning four straight games on the road, the East Burke girls basketball team returned home on Friday, Jan. 24, for a game against Maiden, which the Lady Cavaliers won by a 60-52 final before also knocking off Bandys by a 60-41 score on Tuesday in Icard.

Winners of seven in a row overall, the Lady Cavs improved to 18-1 on the season, including a 9-0 record in Catawba Valley 2A Conference play. In addition, EB moved to 8-0 at home this winter after finishing 14-0 on its home court a year ago.

EB trailed 20-15 after the opening quarter and 39-32 at halftime against Maiden before outscoring the Lady Blue Devils 19-9 in the third period and 9-4 in the fourth. Kara Brinkley finished with 18 points for the Lady Cavs, who also got 14 from Braelyn Stilwell and eight apiece from Anna Coble and Addison Sisk.

Brinkley also led EB with 17 points in Tuesday’s victory, while Stilwell had 15 and Sisk scored 10. The Lady Cavs were up 13-8 at the end of the first quarter, 32-16 at the half, and 45-31 entering the fourth frame before winning by a 19-point final margin.

On the boys side, the Cavs (8-11, 2-7 CVAC) lost to Maiden and Bandys by respective scores of 95-82 and 77-65, with Barger Shook scoring 21 points against the Blue Devils to go with 19 from Jay Dixon, 12 from Dautry Ragle, and 11 from Cannon Morrison. As for the game against the Trojans, it saw Shook tally 17 points, Ragle score 14, Luke Demiter notch 11, and Owen Hartmann finish with 10.

EB was down 20-16 after the first quarter on Jan. 24 before trailing 51-37 at halftime and 77-67 through three periods en route to a 13-point defeat, while Bandys outscored the Cavs 28-17 in the opening period and 15-13 in each of the next two quarters before winning by 12.

Freedom boys easily dispatch Cougars

The Freedom boys (14-3, 4-1 Northwestern 3A/4A Conf.) led from start to finish in a 72-44 win over Alexander Central on Jan. 24 in Taylorsville, building a 24-4 lead after the first quarter and never looking back.

Amore Connelly was the Patriots’ leading scorer with 16 points, and he also led them in rebounds (eight) and assists (six). Furthermore, Freedom received 13 points, four boards, and four assists from King Johnson and 11 points and seven rebounds from Kobe Johnson.

For the game, Freedom held a 30-20 edge in points in the paint, a 20-9 advantage in second-chance points, and a 10-2 edge in fast-break points.

In the girls contest, the Lady Pats (10-8, 3-2) suffered a 51-37 loss despite being tied with Alexander Central at the end of each of the first two quarters. The Lady Cougars outscored Freedom 13-6 in the third period and 18-11 in the fourth.

Peyton Caldwell was Freedom’s lone double-figure scorer with 13 points, and she also pulled down four rebounds, dished out four assists, and recorded a team-high three steals. Haven Gladden added seven points and a team-high five assists, while Ava Cooke (team-high 10 rebounds) and Cynica Caldwell finished with six points apiece.

Patton boys hold off Wolverines, fall at Lincolnton

The Patton boys moved to 4-3 in Mountain Foothills 7 1A/2A Conference play courtesy of an 82-77 victory over Polk County on Jan. 24 in Morganton before dropping to 7-12 overall thanks to an 82-35 nonconference loss to Lincolnton on the road Monday.

The Panthers led 24-15 after the opening quarter against the Wolverines, who rallied for a 41-39 halftime advantage before Patton carried a 65-52 lead into the final frame and held on for a five-point triumph. Nathan Waters was the Panthers’ leading scorer with 22 points, with Kyle Taylor adding 18 and Laine Barrier chipping in 12.

Patton was then outscored in all four quarters on Monday, when Olando Norman finished with nine points and Barrier scored seven.

As for the Patton girls (4-15, 1-6 MF7), they were defeated by a 47-18 final against the Lady Wolverines before falling by a 56-32 score at Lincolnton. Mia Chapman scored nine points for the Lady Panthers on Jan. 24, while Jaycee Mull had 10 points on Monday to go with seven from Leah Clark and six apiece from Melina Bernabe and Chapman.

Draughn squads swept by Mitchell

The Draughn girls and boys traveled to Mitchell on Thursday, Jan. 23, before hosting the Mountaineers on Tuesday, and Mitchell came out on top in all four contests.

In a 60-46 loss to the Lady Mountaineers on Jan. 23, the Lady Wildcats got 14 points from Taylor Holder and 10 from Jacey Davis. Draughn (10-8, 5-4 Western Highlands 1A/2A Conf.) also received 13 points from Mati Kincaid during Tuesday’s 59-38 defeat, with Kenley Berry and Holder scoring 10 and nine, respectively.

The Lady Wildcats fell behind 14-8 after the first quarter, 29-23 at the half, and 46-31 through three periods en route to the 14-point defeat at Mitchell. Meanwhile, the only quarter they won during this week’s game in Valdese was the third period, in which they held an 11-9 edge.

In boys action, Draughn (5-13, 4-5) suffered a 74-54 loss on Jan. 23 before falling by a 71-65 final on Tuesday. Kayden Lytle scored 21 points in the road matchup before finishing with 30 points at home, while Cayden Lewis (18 points on Jan. 23) and Blair Cooper (11 points on Tuesday) also registered double-digit performances.

The Mountaineers outscored the Wildcats in each of the first three quarters in Bakersville before Draughn enjoyed a 17-10 edge in the fourth. And during the rematch in Valdese, the Wildcats were up 13-12 at the end of the first quarter and 32-29 at halftime before being outscored 22-15 and 20-18 over the final two periods.