Elevator

Providence Day-Country Day boys tip time: Boys started at 7:36. Local privates play at alternate sites when there are two JVgames. They play at one site if there's no girls JV. It works. Games were done before 9. CMS should do this. UP

South Meck defense: Sabres held arch rival Ardrey Kell to six points in the first quarter of a 62-43 win. C.J. Thompson led the Sabres with 14 points. UP

Charlotte Latin girls' Garland Austin: 32 points, eight assists and four steals in 78-11 win over Asheville School. UP

East Meck boys: Coach Jason Grube's team, almost always a factor in the Southwestern 4A, has won six straight after Friday's 53-44 win at Independence. The Eagles are tied for first after a four-game losing streak in December. UP

Patrick Wallace, Myers Park: made 5-of-9 3-point attempts in 83-76 win over Butler. Finished with 26 points, eight rebounds and eight assists. UP

Country Day rallies to stop rival Providence Day

Country Day star Ben Simons got off to a slow start against Providence Day on Friday night, and so did his team.

But the Bucs, who were bigger and stronger - and older - slowly began to dominate a young Chargers team. Providence Day has no seniors, five freshmen and three sophomores. Providence Day also played without junior Bryon Fields, who has a broken wrist.

Country Day's Simons, who scored his 1,000th point earlier this year, finished with 27 points and 19 rebounds in a 65-57 win.

Country Day (9-10, 1-0 CISAA) won its conference opener after trailing 31-26 at halftime. Providence Day (9-10, 0-2) - which got 14 points from sweet-shooting James Yeldell - started the third quarter cold.

The game was tied at 34, but the Bucs began to dominate on rebounds and Simons hit a few very deep 3-point shots. And once Country Day got a lead, junior point guard Matthew Spears made sure his team kept it. Spears finished with 12 points, 10 assists, five rebounds and four steals. When Providence Day had to come out of its zone late in the game, Spears continually swept inside for layups for himself or his teammates.

Friday's Top Performers

Donte Falls, Shelby: 20 points in 75-72 win for 2A Shelby over 3A Freedom, ranked No. 4 in the Sweet 16. Shelby is 13-4, 5-2; Freedom 16-2, 6-1.

Bekah Fultz, Covenant Day girls: 16 points, 17 rebounds in 54-17 win over Catawba Christian.

Justin Gordon, Northside Christian: Nine points, 15 rebounds, four steals in 90-42 win over SouthLake. Teammate Justin Ashford had 10 assists.

Trever Hyatt, East Burke: 28 points in 71-52 win over Bunker Hill.

Sandra Knox, East Meck girls: 17 points, 11 rebounds, four steals in 43-40 loss to Independence. Patriots got combined 24 points and 17 rebounds from Laquisha Tyalor and Amber Hair.

Brody Koerner, Robinson: Concord star had 19 points, 12 rebounds, three steals and three assists in 67-50 win over rival Kannapolis Brown.

Kennedy Meeks, West Charlotte: 21 points in 57-41 win over Hopewell.

Jacob Nabatoff, Charlotte Latin: 17 points, nine rebounds in 65-52 win over Asheville School.

Olivia Parker, Providence Day girls: 20 points, 10 rebounds, three steals in 67-22 win over Charlotte Country Day.

Osandai Vaughn, Berry: 23 points, eight rebounds, two steals, two assists in 68-50 win over East Gaston.

Keyshawn Woods, Gaston Day: 34 points, 11 rebounds, four assists in 94-69 win over Covenant Classical. Teammate Shontrell Hopper had 19 points, 10 rebounds and three steals.