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By Brian Pitts
Enterprise Record

The South Davie girls basketball team rode a scorching fourth quarter to a 51-42 season-opening win over visiting Corriher-Lipe on Oct. 22.
It was a giddy win for a team that closed last year with five straight losses.
The Tigers trailed 8-5 after the first quarter, 21-19 at halftime and 33-32 after the third. But they scored 19 fourth-quarter points and won going away. Akiela Young (seven of her career-high nine points in the fourth), Allie Cothren (six of her 18 in the fourth to match her career high) and Emma Grace Snow (five of her career-high 11 in the fourth) were huge reasons for the gutty triumph.
“(Young) is a seventh grader who is going to go places,” coach Julie Snow said. “Her work ethic in the offseason for basketball is phenomenal. Her ball handling reminds me of Rylea Carter. She handles defensive pressure well.
“(Cothren’s) a force to be reckoned with. She was everywhere – on the floor, hustling, dribbling, rebounding.
“(Snow’s) confidence on offense is there, and her defense is improving. She had some turnovers in the first half and coach (Beth) Carter took care of her during halftime and she really improved the second half.”
Sakariah Allison (four points), Kady Joyce (four) and Mi’kayla Gibbs (two) helped South put up the most points in 32 games, dating to a 61-20 win over North Davie in January of 2022. Unfortunately, S. Allison suffered a foot injury three minutes into the game and did not return.
“We weren’t sure what to expect (from Gibbs, a move-in from Erwin), but she gave us good minutes off the bench,” Snow said. “She will be effective when she gains confidence. She makes a great sixth man.
“(Joyce’s) defense kept us in the game. She forced turnovers and really stepped up her hustle in the second half.”
The roster includes Shania Brown, Zariah Allison, Karileigh Munday, Sharia Tillery and Addyson Adkins.
“(Brown) played phenomenal defense,” Snow said. “She is a completely different player from last year. If we could take Emma Grace’s offense and Shania’s defense and make one player, we’d have a beast.”
Erwin 39, North 18
North Davie only trailed by five at halftime, but it faded in the third quarter and lost its opener on the road.
The Wildcats got eight points from Jaynie Patton, five from Zariya Oliver, three from Camilla Sa’ and two from Callaway Spillman.
The rest of the North roster: Zoe Shore, Emma Phommavanh, Zoey Dillard, Mallory Blackwelder, Bella Barnette and Adalyne Phillips.
Southeast 23, North 17
It was tied at 16 at the end of the third, but the Wildcats couldn’t buy a bucket in the fourth and lost at Southeast. The scorers were Patton (seven), Oliver (five), Sa’ (two), Barnette (two) and Spillman (one).
“We just could not shoot tonight,” coach Austin King said. “If we hit a couple of our shots, we definitely win.”
Ellis Loses
After going 17-0 last year, Ellis is rebuilding under new coach Oscar Dixon, who replaced Susan Jones at the helm. The Jaguars dropped their opener at Corriher-Lipe.
Dixon’s girls are Kinsley Harbour, Layla Hazlip, Ellyanna Holbrook, Sophia McMurray, Reese Rye, Miranda Sapp, Karah Shore, Zoe Summers, Addysin Thomas, Katie Ward, Sydney Ward and Annabelle Wright.