Reidsville outlasts Salisbury in big 2A battle; Rams return to state championship game
After losing in the state championship game to Farmville Central last season, Reidsville has setup a rematch this year.
(1) Reidsville defeated (2) Salisbury 76-72 in the N.C. High School Athletic Association 2A western regional championship game at Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Winston-Salem on Wednesday night. Now the Rams will look to avenge last year's state championship loss to Farmville Central.
- Box Score: Reidsville 76, Salisbury 72
- Schedule for NCHSAA basketball championship week
- Interactive basketball playoff brackets
The semifinal game was everything you'd hope for in a late-round game between two teams with multiple Division I college basketball prospects on the floor.
There were 12 lead changes in the game and the score was tied six times. The difference came down to points in the paint and points off turnovers. Salisbury only comitted four more turnovers than Reidsville, but the Rams had a 22-4 advantage when it came to points off turnovers.
Led by sophomore Kendre Harrison, Reidsville also hd a 38-30 advantage in the paint. Harrison scored 19 points and pulled in 19 rebounds, including 11 offensive rebounds for the Rams.
Salisbury had an 18-16 lead after the first quarter, but Reidsville created some separation before halftime. Al Lee hit back-to-back three-pointers and Johnniyus Sharpe converted a four-point play to give Reidsville a 38-31 halftime lead.
Sharpe had 15 points in the first half for Reidsville. Salisbury was led by Juke Harris, a Wake Forest commit, with 16 first-half points.
Salisbury was able to force a fourth personal foul on Dionte Neal early in the third quarter, sending the point guard to the bench for an extended period of time. That helped the Hornets outscore Reidsville 21-14 in the third quarter and the two teams went into the fourth quarter tied at 52-52.
Early in the fourth quarter, Salisbury reclaimed the lead when Mike Geter scored in transition to put the Hornets up 56-54. However, Neal returned to the game moments later and immediately tied the game at 60-60 with a three-point basket.
Reidsville reclaimed the lead for good when Sharpe hit a pair of free throws with 4:46 left to give the Rams a 62-60 lead. Reidsville was in the midst of an 8-0 run that gave it a 66-60 lead with 3:46 left after a Harrison put back.
The two teams traded baskets for the final few minutes, as Salisbury got within four points multiple times, but Reidsville answered each Hornet score.
Sharpe led Reidsville in scoring with 21 points, including a pair of three-point baskets. Harrison finished with a double-double, posting 19 points and 19 rebounds. Neal added 16 points and Lee finished with 11 points.
In his final high school game, Harris led Salisbury with a 30-point performance on his future home court in college. Bryce Dalton was the only other Salisbury player in double-figures with 17 points.
Box Score: Reidsville 76, Salisbury 72
Reidsville: Johnniyus Sharpe 21, Kendre Harrison 19 (19 rebounds), Dionte Neal 16, Al Lee 11, Cam'ron Jones 7, Mohamed Adbeldayem 2.
Salisbury: Juke Harris 30, Bryce Dalton 17, Mike Geter 9, Deuce Walker 8, Hank Webb 6, Dashawn Brown 2.
