SALISBURY — A disappointing first quarter set the table for what ultimately became Thomasville’s second loss in a nailbiter in the span of a week.
Despite falling behind by 17 points in the first quarter, the Bulldogs came all the way back to tie the score at Salisbury on Friday with 2:23 left in regulation. The final minute was unkind to the visitors, however, and the Hornets evened the season series with a 61-56 victory.
“One of the worst first quarters that we’ve had — we dug ourselves a hole,” Ferguson said. “I’m proud of our fight in getting out of it, but we gave up way too many offensive rebounds in the first quarter.
“If we’re locked in and make our free throws, it’s a different ball game.”
Juke Harris, Salisbury’s lead guard who narrowed his list of potential colleges to six earlier in the day, tallied 34 points, eight rebounds and two assists. Harris — who announced he will attend either Kansas, Wake Forest, Tennessee, Virginia Tech, Miami or LSU — managed just one field goal in the second. The junior, however, made 8-of-10 free throws in the third and fourth quarters, including a pair from the charity stripe after the game’s decisive play.
After battling back to tie the game, Thomasville (12-4, 5-1 Central Carolina 1-A/2-A) went down by three points late but had a chance to tie with 20 seconds to play. Instead, Bryce McCoy was whistled for a carry on the potential game-tying possession.
The call was the first of its kind in a one-possession, game-ending situation in several years.
“All we can control is what we do,” Ferguson said. “When you go on the road in an environment like this, you have to assume a lot of the breaks may not go your way.”
The loss marked the Bulldogs’ first in conference play. Bryce McCoy led the visitors with 19 points. Janhri Luckey had 18 and Johnathan Gladden finished with 11.
Thomasville held Salisbury’s other four starters to single-digit scoring, and the Hornets (12-5, 6-1) got just six points from their bench. The damage Harris, who attempted 21 free throws, was able to do at the line was the difference.
“We had some big minutes defensively from a lot of different guys and we kind of guarded No. 2 (Harris) by committee,” Ferguson said. “It stinks, because we played hard enough to win, but I don’t know that we played hard enough for all 32 minutes to win.”
GIRLS GAME
Salisbury defeated the Bulldogs, 70-19.
Senior Kyla Bryant, who was recognized between the girls and boys’ games Friday for recently surpassing 1,500 points, had 21 more points for the Hornets to go along with eight steals, seven assists and five rebounds on Friday.
Bryant, whose point tally places her fifth in program history, was also honored by the school as a McDonald’s All-America Game nominee last week. She is one of only 13 girls from North Carolina who are on that list.
The Hornets (14-3, 7-0) went up 23 points early on Thomasville (0-15, 0-6). The home team led 47-12 at halftime. MaKayla added 12 points, five assists and two blocked shots. Shamya Arnold contributed 10 points, five steals and three assists.
Staff writer Daniel Kennedy can be reached at 336-888-3578, or at kennedy@tvilletimes.com.
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