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By Brian Pitts

Enterprise Record

Noah Dulin, Draeton Nance and the South Davie boys basketball team picked up right where they left off last year when they opened the season on Oct. 16.

Dulin and Nance, who averaged 18.7 and 17.1 points per game, respectively, during last year’s 13-3 run, combined for 28 in the first half as the Tigers breezed to a 58-18 romp.

Coach Germain Mayfield called off the dogs after a 32-6 first half, and Nance and Dulin finished with 23 and 10 points while sitting the bench most of the final 12 minutes.

William Martin had eight, Paxton Lewis five, Anderson Branham five, Wyatt Tucker three, Ty Cozart two and Aiden Houser two.

Mayfield is looking for breakout seasons from Martin and Owen Parker. Last year their season highs in a game were four and six points, respectively, but that was in deep reserve roles.

“I think William and Owen will have huge years,” he said. “William got in early foul trouble and Owen couldn’t get his shot to fall, but both of them played well, especially defensively.”

SD 64, CG 11

Three days later at home, the Tigers won by an even greater margin, 64-11, over China Grove.

When all the high-fives had been delivered, Dulin (21), Martin (17) and Nance (11) were in double figures as South let off the gas after taking a 59-5 lead into the fourth.

“If William can stay out of foul trouble, he is gonna have a huge year,” Mayfield said. “He will most definitely be a problem.”

Branham had four, Cozart three, Houser three, Lewis two, Malachi Miller two and Talon Andrade one. The rest of the team members are Tate Sechrest, Camden Holland and Maddox Crowe.

ND 62, NR 50

Wyatt Harwood missed seven of North Davie’s 15 games a year ago with a broken hand, but he’s back in 2023-24 and ready to complement Edarius Oliver, who is coming off a 15.6 scoring season as a seventh grader.

Harwood erupted for 25 points right out of the gate and Oliver added 18 as the Wildcats handled visiting North Rowan on Oct. 19.

It was anybody’s game going into the fourth, but North pulled away with a 20-point quarter after entering the final six minutes with a 42-41 lead.

“Wyatt did a good job of driving to the basket,” coach Trevor Gooch said. “Edarius did a great job on defense and converted some steals into points.”

Four guys did all the scoring, with Nolan Allen putting up 12 and Glen Greene seven.

The team’s eighth graders are Carter Cornett, Adren Davis, Harwood, Isaiah Hernandez, Rafael Lozano Ugayama, Carson Nichols, Oliver, Blaze Sanders, Reynolds Tomlinson and Kellan Wiles. The seventh graders are Allen and Greene.

“Nolan knocked down some jump shots,” Gooch said. “Glen had a nice game in the post.”

Ellis 47, Erwin 31

Brandon Forrest scored 15 points to go with eight rebounds, and Ellis won the debut for new coach Alexis Hoppers, who replaced Daniel York as coach.

Forrest (9.2 average last year) is the top returning scorer from last year’s 12-4 squad.

Also scoring against the visiting Eagles on Oct. 19 were Zaheim Reese (nine), Cannon Smith (six), Bowman Blakley (six), Mason Driver (five), Westen Barefoot (four) and Graham Weaver (two).

The other team members are Levi Block, Seager Brooks, Ayden Chilton, Brady Hall, Jackson Nance and Tay Settecasi.