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By Brian Pitts

Enterprise Record

In the first two rounds of the Davidson/Randolph Christmas Classic at Ledford, sophomore Bailey Aderhold showed the outside-shooting potential that coach Lindsey Adams knew she had when she arrived at Davie as a freshman.

In blowout wins over Thomasville and West Davidson, Aderhold hoisted 22 3-pointers and sank 11 of them.

“Bailey is finding her confidence and finding her rhythm,” Adams said. “It helps when you have Peyton (Spaugh) and Malayka (Rankin) being able to drive like they have been doing; that opens up the outside shots to be there. When you have players like Bailey and Madison (Daugherty), you never know which game they are going to be hitting, and then teams don’t know who to guard.”

The first two rounds were gimmes. Davie slapped Thomasville 60-6 on Dec. 27. Six points was right around par for the Bulldogs, who average a meager five, while allowing 58.

It was 57-0 with 2:46 remaining, when Thomasville finally got on the board after missing its first 29 shots. Davie shot 36 percent, going 22 of 61. The Bulldogs (0-7) were 2 for 33 in their 52nd consecutive loss. They went 0-21 and 0-24 the past two seasons.

Bailey drilled four triples and scored 14 points. Spaugh (13 points, seven rebounds, six steals, three assists) did a little bit of everything, and Rankin (13 points, 11 rebounds) recorded a double-double. Avarie Martin had nine points and four boards; Emmie Burris had four points and four assists; Daugherty had three points and three assists; Vivian Vaughters had two points and eight boards; and Londyn McDowell had two points and six rebounds.

Davie 85, W. Davidson 18

In the semifinals on Dec. 28, the War Eagles stomped West Davidson by 67.

It was 15-0 before West Davidson could manage to get a shot off. Aderhold came out smoking, her third straight 3 creating a 21-4 lead. It was 35-6 at the end of the first quarter, at which point Rankin had 16 points.

Adams was far from happy after the Thomasville game, but she was much more pleased after this one.

“I don’t think you could tell we ran for 45 minutes before we came (to Ledford),” she said after Davie improved to 6-4. “Yes, we won (over Thomasville by 54), but we were on undisciplined on defense. With us about to hit conference the way we are, I expect defensive intensity every single possession and scrapping, and I think that’s something we’d gotten away from because of our offense. I’m trying to get them to regain their focus no matter if we are up or down, and I think that showed today.”

Six players did all that damage against the Dragons. Aderhold (21 points, 7-of-14 shooting from 3), Rankin (20 points, 7 rebounds, 7 steals, 5 assists), Daugherty (14 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists), Spaugh (11 points, 8 rebounds, 6 steals, 4 assists), Vaughters (10 points, 10 rebounds, 3 steals, 3 assists) and Martin (9 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals) lit up the stat sheet as Davie shot 51 percent (29 of 56).

One of the best parts of the game was Vaughters’ double-double. Her evolution as a freshman has been fun to watch, Adams said.

Vaughters, converted 5 of 6 field goals, scored four points on one possession in the third. First, she received a pass from Martin and scored while getting fouled. After missing the free throw, Davie grabbed the rebound and Rankin fed her for two more.

“I think Vivian has only played basketball for two years,” Adams said. “She’s a hard worker and probably the most athletic kid I have on the team. You see her never give up, keep fighting and trying to be a sponge. The girls are super excited when they see her become successful because they know how hard she works. Sometimes her skill isn’t there like everybody else’s just because she has not played as long as everybody else. When you see an athletic player like that able to build some confidence,  it’s rewarding.”

The Dragons (4-8) shot a dismal 18 percent (6 of 33).