The Observer News Enterprise is live at Catawba Valley Community College for semifinal action in the Catawba Valley 2A basketball tournament.
Girls semifinals: No. 2 East Burke 61, No. 3 South Iredell 49
The Lady Cavaliers (22-4) moved on to the CVAC championship game with a double-digit victory against the Lady Vikings (15-9). East Burke meets Bandys in Friday's championship game, which will be held at 6:30 p.m. at CVCC's Tarlton Complex.
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Boys semifinals: No. 2 Newton-Conover (16-9) vs. No. West Caldwell (18-5)
West Caldwell starts the game on a 9-0 run, including seven points by Deshawn Patterson. Red Devils call timeout to regroup with 3:41 left in the first quarter.
Tyoun Shuford's 3-point attempt at the first quarter buzzer is no good, and the Red Devils trail 11-5 after the first quarter. Patterson leading all scorers with seven points. Jalen Connor and Josh Ramseur each with two points for N-C.
Sam Avis' 3-pointer with 3:54 left until halftime ties Newton-Conover and West Caldwell, 18-18. Warriors' coach Danny Anderson calls timeout.
A pretty clean game so far. Only seven fouls combined by both teams with nearly a minute until halftime. Newton-Conover didn't have its first foul until the second quarter.
Three Red Devils get into foul trouble in the last minute of the quarter. Joshuwell McCombs, Jalen Connor and Sam Avis each pick up their second fouls just before halftime. West Caldwell being patient with the basketball, taking a four-point lead into halftime.
HALFTIME: No. 3 West Caldwell 24, No. 2 Newton-Conover 20
Red Devils' foul trouble continues into the second half. Eight seconds into the third quarter, McCombs picks up his third foul. Two minutes later, Conner picks up his third. N-C trails 32-25 with 4:51 left in the third quarter.
Warriors playing keep away during the third quarter. During nearly a four-minute span in the quarter, neither team scored. West Caldwell leads 34-30 heading into the final quarter of play, looking for its first win of the season against the Red Devils.
Newton-Conover goes into full court press to start the fourth quarter, trying to force West Caldwell mistakes. It works early on, but Red Devils lose composure after an intentional foul by Tyrell Fleming. Warriors' lead swells to 11 midway through the fourth quarter.
West Caldwell calls timeout with 3:15 left and leading 47-36. Red Devils have struggled this quarter. The Warriors' Meki Dula has nine points this quarter and 13 for the game.
Jalen Conner with three-straight baskets on as many Red Devi, including an and-one, to pull N-C within three points — 49-46 — late in the game.
Closing to as little as three points late, Newton-Conover could not overcame its late deficit, falling to the Warriors by five.
FINAL: No. 3 West Caldwell 54, No. 2 Newton-Conover 49