Although the Davie varsity girls basketball team achieved a nonconference win at Alexander Central with a committee approach, Morgan Lewis was the last-minute hero as Davie prevailed 38-37 on Jan. 25.

It was a surprising triumph because the Cougars are 11-8 overall and 6-3 – tied for second – in the North Piedmont 3-A/4-A Conference.

It was tight throughout, with neither team leading by more than two at the end of the first three quarters. There were four lead changes in the fourth alone. With the War Eagles behind 37-35 and 47 seconds left, Lewis saved the day with a go-ahead 3-pointer. It proved to be the game’s final points.

“We were in our five-out motion offense,” coach Kevin Revels said. “What I’ve been telling Morgan the last two weeks is she really needs to hunt the elbow when the ball is on the opposite side of the floor. She got to the elbow looking for the ball. The ball swung around, she stepped up to the top of the key and drained it. She had a great second half (seven points, six rebounds).”

Davie held on from there, but not without a major scare at the end.

“It was crazy, the ball rolling on the floor and players diving everywhere,” Revels said. “It seemed like that went on forever.”

With 3.2 seconds left, Davie made the mistake of fouling a Cougar 70 feet from the basket. She had a one-and-one opportunity. Fortunately for Davie, she missed the front end, Davie tapped out the rebound and time expired.

The War Eagles improved to 5-12 overall. They are 2-0 in one-point games, including a 37-36 decision over Kannapolis on Dec. 8 when Sha’veh Martinez hit the game-winner.

Davie got contributions from everywhere. Lewis had nine points, six rebounds and three steals. Martinez had nine points and seven rebounds. Trinity Hayes had eight points. Emma Slabach had five points, four rebounds and three blocked shots. Rylea Carter had four points, five rebounds and four steals. Liz Crenshaw had three points.

“Trinity’s really been working hard in practice the last few weeks,” he said. “She’s been trying so hard to get better defensively. We know she can score. She’s just got to get better defensively. That’s one of the reasons I rewarded her with starting tonight.”

Madison Bohannon did not score, but she sparkled on defense.

“She played incredible defense in the back of the 1-3-1,” he said. “That was one of her best games. She played just amazing defense.”

•••

A home Central Piedmont Conference game against West Forsyth on Jan. 27 was really, really ugly. The first-place Titans bounced Davie like a bad check, 70-13.

It was an early knockout as West (17-2 overall, 7-0 CPC) blitzed to a 27-4 lead in the first quarter. Davie sank to 1-7 in the league.

Davie 38, Alexander Central 37 – Morgan Lewis 9, Sha’veh Martinez 9, Trinity Hayes 8, Emma Slabach 5, Rylea Carter 4, Liz Crenshaw 3.

W. Forsyth 70, Davie 13 – Emma Slabach 4, Sha’veh Martinez 4, Liz Crenshaw 3, McKenna Oakes 2.