Jeff Linville | The News
Surry Central’s Cassidy Joyner goes to the left hand to avoid Mount Airy’s Kathryn Beasley on the break. Joyner led all scorers with 24 points, while Beasley paced the Bears with 21.
DOBSON — Cassidy Joyner reached 1,000 career points during a third-quarter run that propelled the Lady Eagles over Mount Airy 70-56.
The Lady Bears scored a couple of times early in the third quarter and were just six points behind when Surry Central ran off six straight points, part of an 18-9 push through the rest of the period.
In the first quarter, Mount Airy took a 12-8 lead as Surry Central missed some inside shots early.
Central’s Brittany Lewis came off the bench to score a couple of baskets as the Eagles pulled in front 17-14 after one. She hit a third shot to open the second quarter, and the Eagles went up 24-16.
Kathryn Beasley gave the Bears a lift with her outside shooting. She hit two threes and a couple of long two-point jumpers, providing 12 points.
Still, the Eagles held a 32-28 lead at the break.
Joyner hit two three-pointers and a couple of inside shots for 10 points in the first half. She came into the game 16 points shy of the 1,000-point plateau.
Her teammates were keeping track of it and were running plays to try to get her good looks, said Central Coach Mandy Holt. Joyner wasn’t forcing anything, but taking what they were giving her.
Her shot from the left side gave the Eagles a 45-34 lead with about three minutes left in the third quarter.
The game was paused so that she could be presented with a game ball.
The Bears scored twice after that intermission, but the Eagles finished the quarter on an 8-0 run for a 55-40 lead.
The fourth quarter featured a steady parade to the foul line for both teams. At one point, the lead was 20 at 68-48, but the Bears kept scrapping and ran off eight straight points, but the time ran out.
Mount Airy Coach Howard Mayo said the team has to do a better job of making teams pay for fouling.
“We did what we wanted to do, but you’ve got to step up and make the shots,” he said. “Nine out of 25 isn’t going to cut it.”
Beasley led the Bears with 21 points, followed by Mikayla Seivers 11, Davi Barbour seven, Ayano Shelton five, Andi Moore four, and two each from Jasmine Varney and Dana Brown.
Forward Symone Simmons gave the Bears a good presence on the boards with 10. She also had five assists and four points. Alex Atkins led the team with three steals.
For the home team, Joyner had a game-high 24 points to go with seven assists, three rebounds, two blocks and a steal.
“She is one hardworking kid,” Holt said of her star guard. “She deserves all the credit she got tonight. She never takes a day off. She works hard every play in practice. Her leadership is by example. It just goes to show that hard work pays off.”
Holt said it was like the team got two big wins in one night.
“We got the team win we really needed, and her teammates rallied around her,” she said.
After missing some good looks early, Holt said the team did an excellent job the rest of the way at either getting looks in transition or executing the half-court offense.
Courtney Hegler had a monster game on the glass with 21 rebounds to go with 11 points and six assists.
Sarah Bruce provided 14 points, six boards and two assists. Marlee Wilmoth added nine points, six boards and three assists.
Brittany Lewis had six points and four rebounds. Brooke Lewis had two points, as did Tess Dockery and Mikayla Cox.
Surry Central travels to North Surry on Monday in a weather makeup date. Mount Airy hosts South Stokes on Tuesday.
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