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By Brian Pitts
Enterprise Record

Last week was an up-and-down stretch for the Davie varsity girls basketball team. The four games between Dec. 27-Jan. 3: won, lost, won, lost.
The home game against CPC rival Mt. Tabor on Jan. 3 was the biggest of the season thus far. Davie came up short, but it’s not time to panic – there’s a five-way tie for first place.
The week began with Davie, Reagan, East Forsyth, Tabor and West Forsyth all at 2-1 in the league.
Davie 45, NWC 23
Northwest Cabarrus showed up for the eight-team Sheetz Holiday Christmas Classic with a six-game winning streak, and Northwest held a 13-12 lead at the end of the first quarter.
But Davie completely suffocated the Trojans from the second quarter on, outscoring them 33-10 over 24 minutes.
Londyn McDowell led the way with 12 points on 5-of-7 shooting. Emmie Burris had 11 points and three steals. Makenzie Gentry and Avarie Martin had nine points apiece. Gracie Shore collected four points, five assists and five steals as Davie dropped Northwest’s record to 7-2.
The tournament was held at Southwest Guilford on Dec. 27, 28, 30.
Wesleyan 54, Davie 45
The War Eagles came out strong in the semifinals, building a 19-14 first-quarter lead against a Wesleyan Christian Academy squad that had won 11 of 13 games.
The Trojans, though, controlled the rest of the game and knocked Davie to the consolation side of the bracket.
Martin had 13 team-high points in defeat. Shore had 10 points and six rebounds. Gentry had nine points, four steals and three assists. Bailey Aderhold had five points and six boards. And Burris had two points and five assists.
Two days later, Wesleyan hammered Oak Grove 68-45 in the final.
Davie 53, SWG 48
The third-place game was extremely tight until Davie found another gear in the fourth quarter, the 2-1 tournament showing lifting its record to 7-4.
Southwest Guilford led 37-36 heading into the fourth, but Aderhold, Martin, McDowell, Shore and Gentry took turns scoring in a fourth quarter that saw Davie outscore the Cowgirls (7-3) 17-11.
Davie’s top scorers for the game were Martin (13), Aderhold (10), Shore (10) and Madison Daugherty (nine).
Tabor 53, Davie 50
This CPC clash at Davie on Jan. 3 was a doozy. The biggest lead for either team in the fourth quarter was four, and the game wasn’t decided until Davie missed a 3 as the clock hit zeroes.
The Spartans jumped out to 8-0 and 10-3 leads, but Davie withstood the punch and quickly made it a tense game.
Davie fought back with a 23-9 run. Martin scored inside before the sophomore banged a 3. Aderhold drilled back-to-back triples. Gentry threw long to Vivian Vaughters for a fast break layup and McDowell scored in the paint. Martin, who had 10 of the 23 during the run, went inside for two, then made a 15-footer.
In the second half, Davie’s biggest lead was 35-31 when Vaughters hit a free throw. Tabor’s largest lead in the final 16 minutes was the final margin.
When Shore passed inside to Martin for two, Davie led 37-35. Shore drove, was fouled and completed an old-fashioned three-point play to provide a 42-39 lead. Davie’s advantage was 48-45 after Daugherty hit a trey and Vaughters finished a fast break by converting a bounce pass from Gentry.
Tabor responded with six unanswered points, but Shore assisted Martin’s 12-footer to pull Davie within 51-50 with 46 seconds remaining.
Davie forced back-to-back turnovers and got possession at :19. A shot wouldn’t fall and Davie had to foul at :07. The Spartan made both free throws for the 53-50 spread and coach Lindsey Adams called timeout to draw up the final play.
The inbounds pass went to Martin, who passed to Shore, who passed to Gentry. Aderhold sprinted to the right corner and Gentry found her. The execution of going the length of the floor in seven seconds was outstanding, but the 3-point shot didn’t fall in a close-shave outcome.
The Spartans rely on Shaymiah Bailey to carry them, but Davie held the 6-foot senior in check in the first half. But after entering halftime with two points, Bailey was superb in a 20-point second half. Last year she averaged 16.1 points, 12.6 rebounds, 2.7 assists and won CPC Player of the Year.
Martin did her part with 17 points. Davie got a big boost from Daugherty, who came in averaging 2.7 points. The sophomore had herself a night, hitting 4 of 6 3-point tries and scoring a season-high 14.
Aderhold had six points. Vaughters, who had missed five games with an injury, returned with five points and five steals. McDowell had four points. Shore compiled three points, 11 rebounds and six assists.
While Davie slipped to 7-5 and dropped its fifth straight in the series, it was a thrilling moment for the Spartans, who arrived in Mocksville with a 2-7 record and a three-game losing streak. They lost 44-26 to East Forsyth, which lost 52-46 to Davie.
Notes: This was a rematch of the 2024 CPC Tournament final when Tabor mashed Davie 66-43. … Playing its first game in 17 days, the Davie JV girls fell 45-30 to Tabor. The loss left Davie’s records at 2-5 overall and 2-1 in the CPC.
Davie 45, NW Cabarrus 23 – Londyn McDowell 12, Emmie Burris 11, Makenzie Gentry 9, Avarie Martin 9, Gracie Shore 4.
Wesleyan 54, Davie 45 – Avarie Martin 13, Gracie Shore 10, Makenzie Gentry 9, Bailey Aderhold 5, Londyn McDowell 4, Emmie Burris 2, Madison Daugherty 2.
Davie 53, SW Guilford 48 – Avarie Martin 13, Bailey Aderhold 10, Gracie Shore 10, Madison Daugherty 9, Makenzie Gentry 4, Londyn McDowell 4, Emmie Burris 3.
Tabor 53, Davie 50 – Avarie Martin 17, Madison Daugherty 14, Bailey Aderhold 6, Vivian Vaughters 5, Londyn McDowell 4, Gracie Shore 3, Emmie Burris 1.