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By Brian Pitts

Enterprise Record

Late in the first half, the Davie varsity girls basketball team trailed host North Davidson 12-8.

The War Eagles couldn’t find any offense and it looked as if the game wasn’t going to be decided until the fourth quarter.

But then the War Eagles began doing everything right. They made 10 of 13 shots during a stunning 34-10 run that yielded a 42-22 lead. It was beautiful.

“We played like I know we’re capable,” coach Lindsey Adams said after Davie dismantled North 47-24 on Nov. 28. “There was ball movement, backdoor cuts … There was so much good basketball happening with three freshmen and a sophomore on the court. It was phenomenal.”

Davie had the lead for keeps when Bailey Aderhold drained a 3-pointer for a 15-12 lead. Avarie Martin scored the next five for Davie, connecting from beyond the arc and hitting a 10-footer as she was falling down. Peyton Spaugh drove all the way and converted a layup with her left hand.

Davie was on its way to a 2-0 record and North was going belly up.

“I think we’re gaining confidence,” Adams said. “These are spurts that I saw all summer, and we’ve just had some inexperience nerves the first two games. And Malayka (Rankin) and Peyton have never played without Kenadi (Gentry, who is out all year with a knee injury). They’ve played with Kenadi since they were 5, so this is new for them as well.”

Spaugh turned in a stellar effort, scoring 13 points on 6-of-7 shooting and adding six rebounds, four steals and two assists.

“Peyton was able to excel, especially with Malayka running point guard,” Adams said.

But this was the epitome of a team effort. Martin had 13 points and seven rebounds. Emmie Burris had seven points, hit 5 of 6 free throws and handed out three assists. Aderhold collected seven points, seven rebounds and three steals. Rankin only attempted two field goals but contributed plenty in other areas while finishing with four points, seven rebounds, four steals and three assists. Madison Daugherty had three points and five boards.

“We have so many weapons, you never know who’s going to step up,” Adams said. “We may not have a 17-point scorer every night, but they’re all capable of doing it.”

How about this: Vivian Vaughters did not score – Davie does not ask this interior freshman to score – but she was terrific on the defensive end. She flat-out locked down North’s foremost weapon.

“Vivian was probably going to be a full-time JV player prior to injuries (to the Gentry sisters),” Adams said. “She played a box-and-one – along with Emmie Burris – and shut down a girl who was averaging 21 points, and the girl had two points. I think I found my next Sydney Dirks on shutting somebody down in a box-and-one.”

Notes: The Black Knights (2-2) stumbled after winning their previous two games by 21 and 16 points. … The War Eagles shot a respectable 41 percent from the floor (18 of 43), and they held North to 10-of-47 misery (21 percent). … Three days later, Davie torched Lexington 70-26 on the road. Three freshmen – Martin (20), Burris (15 points) and Daugherty (13) – posted double digits. Rankin had eight, Spaugh six, Aderhold six and Maddie Ratledge two. Ratledge became the fifth freshman to see varsity action this season.