DOBSON — The parity of the Foothills 2A Conference’s girls division was on full display Tuesday night.
Coming into the final week of the regular season, the top five spots in the conference were separated by just three games. Most conference matchups have been decided by single digits, even when a team at the bottom of the standings took on one at the top.
This was the case Tuesday night as the top-ranked Greyhounds of North Surry traveled to Dobson to face the Surry Central Golden Eagles. The game featured 11 lead changes and six ties, and neither squad led by double digits at any point.
North Surry held on to its first-place spot in the conference with a 44-42 win.
The Greyhounds (14-4, 8-2 FH2A) never trailed in the second half. Senior Callie Allen led North Surry with a game-high 22 points as well as seven rebounds. Tuesday marked Allen’s fourth 20-point performance in North’s past eight games, and is also her 15th game this season scoring in double figures.
Allen’s two most important points came with just 4.8 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter. She went to the free throw line – after being iced by Surry Central – for two shots with the game tied 42-42. Allen knocked down both shots in what ended up being the decisive points in the game.
Surry Central came into Tuesday’s game looking for its third-consecutive win. The Eagles (8-12, 2-9 FH2A) started conference play 0-8, with six of those losses coming by single digits. Central defeated West Wilkes 54-34 on February 2 to became the first FH2A team to win a conference game by at least 20 points, then followed it up with a 45-44 win over North Wilkes two days later.
The Golden Eagles came close to a third conference win by putting together a resilient fourth-quarter comeback that tied the game twice. Central was led by Mia McMillen’s 22 points; she leads the conference in scoring with more than 21 points per game, has scored at least 20 points in nine of the past 10 games and has scored in double figures in all 20 games this season.
Central erased a five-point deficit to start the fourth thanks to a 3-pointer from Ashley Santamaria, as well as free throws from Jaylyn Templeton and Santamaria.
Tied at 35, North’s Cynthia Chaire broke the stalemate with a long 2-point jumper. Sadie Badgett found Allen wide open for a 3-pointer on the next possession, then Allen hit a pair of free throws to go up 42-35. Badgett and Allen combined for 35 of North’s 44 points.
Mia McMillen, who had eight rebounds and five steals to go with her 22 points, hit two free throws in the double bonus then assisted Brittany Frausto for a 3-pointer. The Eagles wrapped up a 7-0 run of their own with a bucket from Frausto on an inbounds pass with 1:31 to play.
Both squads missed free throws in the final minute of regulation that would’ve broken the 42-42 tie. North Surry ended up with the ball on their offensive half of the floor with 23.4 seconds, so Greyhound coach Shane Slate called a timeout. Allen attacked the basket and was fouled on the way up with 4.8 seconds to play, so Central called a timeout to strategize.
Allen drained both free throws, so Central had less than five seconds to go the length of the floor and score. McMillen was doubled as she drove up the right sideline, eventually getting off a desperation heave from halfcourt that fell short of the mark.
Central scored most of its points in the paint as the Eagles only attempted five 3-point shots, making two to shoot 40% from beyond the arc. It was Surry Central’s struggles from inside the arc that hurt them. The Golden Eagles shot 12-for-45 (27%) on 2-point attempts and just 12-for-25 (48%) from the foul line.
The Greyhounds, alternatively, shot just 4-for-17 (24%) from beyond the arc, but were able to go 13-for-28 (46%) on 2-point attempts and 6-for-10 (60%) from the line.
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Surry Central High School recognized staff member Julie Pratt during halftime of Tuesday’s game. The game was a Pink Out for Pratt, an administrative assistant at the school that is undergoing chemotherapy treatments for breast cancer.
Supporters from both communities wore pink shirts dedicated to the cause, and both sets of cheerleaders came together to welcome Pratt and her family as they took center court. The Golden Eagles marching band performed a rendition of Rachel Platten’s “Fight Song,” and those in attendance sent their well wishes to Pratt.
Scoring
North Surry – 9, 12, 14, 9 = 44
Surry Central – 8, 11, 11, 12 = 42
NS: Callie Allen 22, Sadie Badgett 13, Cynthia Chaire 2, Callie Robertson 2, Reece Niston 2, Josie Tompkins 2, Khloe Bennett 1
SC: Mia McMillen 22, Jaylyn Templeton 8, Ashley Santamaria 5, Brittany Frausto 5, Alyssa Woods 2
Source: https://www.mtairynews.com
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